Travels Amongst American Indians, Their Ancient Earthworks and Temples / Including a Journey in Guatemala, Mexico and Yucatan, and a Visit to the Ruins of Patinamit, Utatlan, Palenque and Uxmal

by Lindesay Brine

Palacio states that the rising sun was worshipped and that there were two idols, one representing a man named Quetzalcoatl and the other a woman named Itzqueye and that to these all the sacrifices were made. There were two special ceremonies which took place, one at the commencement of the winter and the other at the beginning of the summer, when two boys between the ages of six and twelve were sacrificed. Palacio then describes the sacrificial customs in war:—

“The high priest, the learned wizard, and the four priests met together, and ascertained by their sortileges and witchcrafts whether they should have war or if any one was coming against them, and if the sortileges said yes, they called the Cacique and captains of war, and told them how the enemies were coming, and where they should go to make war.

“The Cacique summoned all his warriors, and went out in search of the enemies, and if they gained the victory in the battle, the Cacique dispatched a messenger to the high priest, and informed him upon what day he had succeeded, and the sage examined unto whom the sacrifice should be made. If it was to Quetzalcoatl the ceremonies lasted fifteen days, and upon each day one of the Indians of those that had been captured in the battle was sacrificed; and if it was to Itzqueye the ceremonies lasted five days, and upon each day an Indian was sacrificed.

“The sacrifice was performed in this manner. All those who had been in the war came in order singing and dancing, and they brought those that they had to sacrifice, with many feathers and chalchivetes[64] on their feet and hands, and with strings of cacao upon their neck, and the captains conducted them in their midst. The high priest and priests together with the people went out to receive them with dances and music, and the caciques and captains presented to the high priest these Indians for the sacrifices, and then they all went together to the court of their teupa, and they danced all the above said days and nights.

“In the middle of the court they placed a stone like a bench, and upon this they placed the Indian that was to be sacrificed, and the four priests held the Indian by the hands and feet. The majordomo then came out with many feathers and covered with bells, with a stone razor in his hand, and opened the breast and pulled out the heart, and when he had taken it out he threw it upwards towards each of the four cardinal points, and the fifth time he threw it in the middle of the court directly upwards, thus declaring and giving to the god the reward for the victory. This sacrifice was made in public, so that every one both small and great could see it.”

It is interesting to turn from the customs described as occurring in the remote town of Micla, to the events that happened in the city of Mexico, several hundreds of leagues distant. It was late in the afternoon of a summer’s day, in the year 1521. The Spaniards had been repulsed in one of their most important attacks on the enemy, and had been driven back over the causeway after suffering serious losses; Cortes was wounded, and sixty Spaniards had been captured, together with many of their Indian allies. In accordance with the Aztec superstitious rites, these captives were at once conveyed to the Teocalli of the war gods.

Bernal Diaz, who had taken a prominent part in the battle, states that “during the retreat, they frequently heard the great drum resounding with a deep and dismal noise.” At last the Spanish troops reached a place of comparative safety, where they were secure from the enemy’s attacks, and out of reach of stones and arrows, and then, Diaz says, “Sandoval and Francisco de Lugo, and Andres de Tapia with Pedro de Alvarado, were each relating what had happened and what orders Cortes had given, when the drum of Huitzopotli again began to sound, together with kettledrums, shell horns and other instruments like trumpets, and these sounds were horrible and dismal, and we looked at the summit of the highest Kue, and we saw our companions who had been captured in the rout, and that they were being carried up by force, and with blows and thrusts, and being taken violently to be sacrificed, and when they had reached the top at a place where was the shrine in which were the accursed idols, we saw that many of them had feathers put upon their heads, others were made to dance before Huitzopotli, and after they had danced they were thrown on their backs on the top of the sacrificial stone, and then they cut open their breasts with flint knives, and pulled out their heating hearts and offered them to the idols that were in that place. The bodies and feet were thrown down the steps below, where other Indian butchers were waiting, and who cut off their arms and legs, and then flayed the skin from their faces, and tanned them like glove skins with the beards on, and kept them to show at their festivals and when they had their drunken feasts. In this manner were all sacrificed; they devoured the legs and arms, and the hearts and blood were offered to the idols.[65] These cruelties were seen by the whole camp, and by Pedro de Alvarado, and Gonzalo de Sandoval, and all the captains, and we said amongst ourselves, thank God that I was not carried off to-day to be sacrificed.”[66]

In the whole range of American history, there is nothing which more vividly strikes the imagination than the scenes described by the Spanish conquerors during the siege of Mexico. The human sacrifices and the subsequent cannibalism, represent the most revolting acts of superstition that have ever disgraced human nature.

It is strange that, although so much has been recorded of the Aztecs and their customs, no clear account has been given of the shape and dimensions of their Teocallis within the city of Mexico. We have only very doubtful representations given of them. Taking these as the best available guides it is evident that the altars in Utatlan were built upon similar principles, following upon a smaller scale the same general structural plan and proportions. Utatlan was considered as one of the most important places in Central America. According to the historian Juarros, it held a rank only second to the capital of the Aztecs.

Alvarado conquered the city in April, 1524, and he states in his official Report to Cortes, that in consequence of the natural strength of the place, and the depth of the ravines which prevented a general action, he had decided to destroy it. He gave directions to burn the chief caciques alive, to set fire to the town and completely reduce it to ruins, for it was so strong and dangerous, that it was more like a stronghold of bandits than a town of citizens.[67]