The Tzitzimitl—astral deities visible when the sun was in eclipse—were ... the heart is to the body.” The naming ceremony was a key ritual in Aztec society. It was the solemn duty of the ...

This ritual ensured the Aztec civilization was renewed for another ... sacrificed himself to the fire and emerged to become ...

This sacred ritual, celebrated at the end of each 52-year cycle, marked the rebirth of the sun and the perpetuation of the cosmic cycles that gave rhythm to Aztec life.” Carved out of a block of ...