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Aztec Tattoos

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The Aztec's were one of the most powerful nations in history. They were living in the area of current Mexico until the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 15th century.

The Aztec society was well structured and they followed a certain social and spiritual code. Aztec tattoos was a significant part of their culture and religion. They were used to show commitment to certain gods and deities.

They made it easier to recognize the social status and profession of a person.

Aztec Tattoos

Even in the modern days people choose to wear Aztec tattoos. There are different reasons for that. Some pay homage to their heritage because their family roots reach within the Aztec society. Others greatly admire Aztec culture, maybe even follow it and they pay respect to it by getting a tattoo.

A lot of people get Aztec tattoos because of their unique aesthetic appearance. Because of the richness in colors, yet simplicity in forms, the Aztec tattoo art is fashionable nowadays. Also their designs are versatile in size - it might be a small ornament on a neck, wrist or ankle or it can cover whole shoulder, back or stomach. Yet others choose Aztec tattoos because of the powerful symbolic meanings behind them. For example, tattoos of the sun god Huitzilopochtli can refer to the myth of him dying every night and getting born again every morning and they might symbolize rebirth or belief in afterlife.

Aztec Tattoo Designs

The sun god and the sun itself are one of the most popular themes among modern Aztec tattoos. A bit less often designs of other heavenly bodies such as moon and stars are chosen. The face of the sun god is the central detail of the Aztec calendar image which is one of the most common large Aztec tattoo designs.

Aztec tattoos are famous because of their highly detailed god faces. Also images of animals, warriors and princesses are very ornate. When it comes to an actual tattoo design there are two options. They can be done either in a thick, black outline with no color or the image can be drawn in full color. The colors are usually very bright and they tend to stand out.

Aztec Tattoos And Their Meanings

Among the images of various animals that were widely used in the Aztec tattoos the most popular ones are eagle, crocodile, jaguar and feathered serpent.

The eagle tattoo in Aztec culture symbolize power, strength and vigor. It was a common tattoo for Aztec warriors because these attributes were essential for a warrior. The Aztec eagle is usually portrayed with its beak open and feathers sticking out of the top of its head.

Images of crocodiles were also popular among Aztec warriors because crocodiles have fearsome nature which is another great quality for a warrior.

Jaguar is the most venerated animal in the Aztec culture and an image of it is highly connected with the social status of the wearer. Tattoos of jaguars was often found on Aztec priests and tribal rulers.

The image of the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl symbolizes weather, fertility and creativity. The feathered serpent is a symbolic medium between earth and sky where snake represents the earthly nature of a man and the feathery wings hint at the airy nature of creativity.

For example, Aztec warriors got tattoos according to their rank within their tribe. They also showed the accomplishments of a warrior. The image of Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec god of war and warriors was often tattooed on their warriors. Aztec's also used tattoos to mark certain points in a lifetime of a person - a child, a young man, a mature man, an old man. Whenever a person entered a new stage of life, a ceremony took place and the persons also received a tattoo to mark their coming of age.

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