Art is ubiquitously used for expressing one's emotions, portraying them in different forms, yet displaying them clearly for all to see. The Aztecs, though they were a society steeped in battle and warfare, valued art. Astonishingly, it was the most ferocious of the warriors who wrote the gentlest and most beauty pieces of poetry. In the Aztec lifestyle, art was a means of expression and releasing creativity and inner emotions, and was a quintessential part of their world.
The Aztec Calendar Stone
The Aztec Calendar Stone is also given the sobriquet of Mexica Sun Stone, or Stone of the Sun. In 1790, this giant monolithic sculpture was discovered in Zócalo, Mexico City's main square. It was later found that this giant sculpture was in fact a calendar used by the Aztec people.Though this calendar is not unique, (for it shares the basic underlying structure of several other Mesoamerican calendars, namely the Mayans), it is an artistic beauty admired by many. Though there were two kinds of calendars, the Xiuhpohualli (with 365 days) and the Tonalpohualli (with 260 days), the designs on the calendars were more or less synchonized. The Xiuhpohualli it related to the rituals related to the seasons and is called the agricultural/solar year used for measuring time, while the Tonalpohualli is the sacred calendar, or the "count of days", used to plan religious festivals. These two calendars were both adorned with intricate Aztec art. The Aztecs mainly featured religious articles as tributes to the gods, and the Aztec calendar was no exception. In the very centre, is the sun god Tonatiuh. This signified that he was at the centre of the world, while the five symbols of creation surround him (Jaguar, Wind, Rain, Water, Earthquake). Beyond the beautiful, detailed carvings, the Aztec calendar utilizes extremely effective geometry, giving it a balanced, polished look. The Aztec calendar is not just an accurate method of keeping track of days, but is also an excellent piece of artistic workmanship.
Aztec Sculptures, Pottery, and Drawings
Aztecs also represented their ideas through sculptures, pottery, and drawings. Usually, sculptures were made of stones, while pottery was made of clay. However, both were commonly decorated with religious symbols. Paintings often depicted gods.
Aztec Instruments
Music and Dance
Music and dance were a crucial part of Aztec life, on par with warfare, especially because it was often closely linked with religion. The most common instruments were rattles, whistles, trumpets, flutes, copper bells, and shells. Everyone performed dances for the gods, even peasants, for a way to show deep respect for the gods was through song and dance.