異域文化 遠古的回響 Aztecs帝國 11

Our body is a flower as grass becomes green in the springtime, so our hearts will open and blossom and then they will die. The god of poetry was also the god of flowers, music and joy. But while he’s depicted covered in flowers he also wears the flayed skin of sacrificial victim. Life and death went hand in hand for the Aztecs. The blood ritual seemed to appease the gods and sustain the Aztecs’ expanding empire but then the rhythm of the seasons broke down. Drought struck the Valley of Mexico in 1450, lasting for four years. Aztec record showed diseased and starving people, thousands died. Perhaps the gods needed more. Among the remains of Tlatelolco-- site of the great market and the second biggest pyramid complex, archeologists made a horrifying discovery. It dated from the desperate years of drought.

On the threshold of a temple, they found the bone remains of around 40 children. The bones were grouped together with precious ritual objects and offerings to the gods. Children’s bones from the same period have also been found in the Great Pyramid. It wasn’t unusual for the Aztecs to sacrifice young children, but these numbers are exceptional. The victims are thought to have been between 2 and 6 years of age. Scientists are currently analyzing the remains to find out why these children were chosen. By extracting and testing samples of their DNA, the scientists would discover their sex and more about their health. When the terrible years of drought finally ended, the Aztecs built a series of new temples, giving thanks to the gods so that it would never happen again. On the hill of Texico Single on the line which joined the mountains with the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan, the poet ruler of the time designed a ritual center, dedicated to the god of rain and his consort, the water goddess.

Historians had known about this place from the Aztec records, but it was Dick Thomson who first uncovered its significance.

I simply had a kind of premonition that this amazing sort of Condacal hill was going to be very, very important and sure enough upon coming up the trail and seeing that great tank of water and realizing that streams of water were flowing in here. I thought this is a sacred mountain.

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deseased: adj. 患病的

consort: n. 配偶

premonition: n. 先兆