The Aztec Tattoo

The Aztec Tattoo

It is this combination of both beauty and mystery that people find attractive about this type of tattoo. With much focus in the media on the translation of Aztec writings, these tattoos are becoming more and more popular, and are generally recognized by people who view them (albeit sometimes mistakenly identified as Inca or Mayan). Because of their reverance for the sun, many tattoos portray this as a central element, with other themes important to the Aztecs (such as the jaguar) adding to the overall image. Aztec tattoo designs generally imitate either their remarkable written language, or their unique style of art. They were both enlightened and barbaric, and their records show remarkable achievements in mathematics and philosophy, while at the same time indulging in the horror of human sacrifice at the altars to their gods.

 They were scientists and philosophers, and it is only very recently that scholars have begun to understand their intricate pictographic language. The Aztecs were deeply religious, and their society was highly organized, consisting of priests, nobles, warriors, peasants and slaves. These tattoo designs originate from the ancient & noble Aztec culture, which existed in central Mexico around the 14th century. And then there are those people who decide to get a truly unique tattoo - Aztec Tattoos! Still others get tattoos to show affiliation to a certain clan, unit or tribe.

 Some send a message, or represent the owner's views about a certain subject or ideal. Some are purely decorative - a simple physical enhancement.  People decide to get tattoos for many different reasons.