Aztec Indians

Proud of itself Is the City of Mexico-Tenochtitlan Here no one fears to die in war This is our glory This is Your Command Oh Giver of Life Have this in mind, oh princes Who would conquer Tenochtitlan? Who could shake the foundation of heaven? --Anonymous Aztec poem The discovery of El Templo Mayor (The Great Temple) in 1978 in downtown Mexico City provided the archeology story of the decade.

Archeologists have discovered what they think are the ruins of an Aztec pyramid razed by Spanish conquerors in what is now one of Mexico City's most crime-ridden districts. Construction workers unearthed ancient walls in the busy Iztapalapa neighborhood in June, and government archeologists said Wednesday they believe they may be part of the main pyramid of the Aztec city, destroyed by conquistador Hernan Cortes in the 16th century.

On a two-lane highway along the Colorado River near Blythe, a vehicle bearing the Figueroa family merges into a stream of RVs and sand buggies. The 73-year-old patriarch, Alfredo Acosta Figueroa, tips the passenger seat back so he can keep an eye on the surrounding mountains: the Big Marias and Little Marias, the Mules, McCoys and Palens. His daughter, Patricia, is at the wheel; I share cookies in the back seat with Figueroa's wife, Demesia.

Archeologists said Friday that they had found lightning-bolt-shaped wooden scepters in a Mexican lake that match the description by Spanish priests and conquerors writing 500 years ago about offerings to the Aztec rain god. The scepters -- along with cones of copal incense and obsidian knives -- were found during scuba-diving expeditions in one of the twin lakes of the extinct Nevado de Toluca volcano, west of Mexico City.

In the churning debate over immigration, there are perhaps no words as loaded or controversial as Aztlan, the name of the mythical Aztec homeland. For many it carries potent political overtones, for others it is a romantic ideal, and to those most opposed to illegal immigration it represents a strategic effort to reclaim land that was once part of Mexico. "Aztlan is a state of mind for some people. It's a point in history. For some it's a political place.

Skeletons found at an archeological site show that Aztecs captured, sacrificed and partially ate several hundred people traveling with invading Spanish forces in 1520. The condition of skulls and bones from the Tecuaque site east of Mexico City offers evidence that about 550 victims had their hearts ripped out by Aztec priests in ritual offerings, and were dismembered or had their bones boiled or scraped clean, experts say.

The moon goddess believed, and rightly so, that a soon-to-be-born baby brother would prove a difficult rival for the attention of the humans who populated the dry, high valley. So she made plans to kill the newborn deity as it emerged from his mother's womb. To her surprise, however, Little Brother emerged not crawling on all fours but upright, fully grown and swinging a sword. A bloody battle ensued, and the moon goddess, Coyolxauhqui, was slain, her head and limbs sliced from a sagging torso.

Rejecting complaints that Monty Montezuma is racist, San Diego State President Stephen Weber announced Thursday that the campus mascot will remain but will become a more historically accurate portrayal of the Aztec emperor and not a "bare-chested, spear-throwing" yell leader. "I believe people who say that this [mascot] is meant as a tribute" to Aztec culture, Weber told a news conference. "If so, we have a responsibility to be historically accurate. . . .

Archeologists have discovered what they think are the ruins of an Aztec pyramid razed by Spanish conquerors in what is now one of Mexico City's most crime-ridden districts. Construction workers unearthed ancient walls in the busy Iztapalapa neighborhood in June, and government archeologists said Wednesday they believe they may be part of the main pyramid of the Aztec city, destroyed by conquistador Hernan Cortes in the 16th century.

Archeologists said Friday that they had found lightning-bolt-shaped wooden scepters in a Mexican lake that match the description by Spanish priests and conquerors writing 500 years ago about offerings to the Aztec rain god. The scepters -- along with cones of copal incense and obsidian knives -- were found during scuba-diving expeditions in one of the twin lakes of the extinct Nevado de Toluca volcano, west of Mexico City.

On a two-lane highway along the Colorado River near Blythe, a vehicle bearing the Figueroa family merges into a stream of RVs and sand buggies. The 73-year-old patriarch, Alfredo Acosta Figueroa, tips the passenger seat back so he can keep an eye on the surrounding mountains: the Big Marias and Little Marias, the Mules, McCoys and Palens. His daughter, Patricia, is at the wheel; I share cookies in the back seat with Figueroa's wife, Demesia.

Mexican archeologists are investigating whether the tomb of an Aztec emperor lies beneath a recently excavated stone monolith depicting a fearsome god. It would be the first burial site ever found of a leader of the Aztec empire, archeologist Eduardo Matos said Thursday.

Skeletons found at an archeological site show that Aztecs captured, sacrificed and partially ate several hundred people traveling with invading Spanish forces in 1520. The condition of skulls and bones from the Tecuaque site east of Mexico City offers evidence that about 550 victims had their hearts ripped out by Aztec priests in ritual offerings, and were dismembered or had their bones boiled or scraped clean, experts say.

In the churning debate over immigration, there are perhaps no words as loaded or controversial as Aztlan, the name of the mythical Aztec homeland. For many it carries potent political overtones, for others it is a romantic ideal, and to those most opposed to illegal immigration it represents a strategic effort to reclaim land that was once part of Mexico. "Aztlan is a state of mind for some people. It's a point in history. For some it's a political place.

In a bid to settle a divisive issue involving symbolism, tradition and cultural sensibilities, students and alumni at San Diego State University will vote next month on whether the university should adopt a character named Aztec Warrior as its official mascot. The vote, arranged by San Diego State President Stephen L.

LONDON -- During a grim and rainy season, a virtual trip into a world of sun worshipers, animal gods and human sacrifice is pulling in crowds here and provoking horror and fascination. "The Aztecs" exhibition at London's Royal Academy of Arts looks at the flourishing Mexican civilization that fell under the onslaught of the 16th century Spanish conquistadors.

The huge terra cotta-colored stone disk carved with the dismembered likeness of the goddess Coyolxauhqui seems to float in a polished field of coal-black basalt. The contorted figure of the Aztec lunar deity is adorned with a headdress, serpent heads and belts, one of which fastens a human skull to her waist. Stylized scalloped edges and protuberances of bone indicate where limbs and neck are severed from the torso.

In a bid to settle a divisive issue involving symbolism, tradition and cultural sensibilities, students and alumni at San Diego State University will vote next month on whether the university should adopt a character named Aztec Warrior as its official mascot. The vote, arranged by San Diego State President Stephen L.

Rejecting complaints that Monty Montezuma is racist, San Diego State President Stephen Weber announced Thursday that the campus mascot will remain but will become a more historically accurate portrayal of the Aztec emperor and not a "bare-chested, spear-throwing" yell leader. "I believe people who say that this [mascot] is meant as a tribute" to Aztec culture, Weber told a news conference. "If so, we have a responsibility to be historically accurate. . . .

They had an empire that lasted more than 1,400 years--and then mysteriously disappeared. They developed the concept of zero, had complicated astronomical calendars and advanced architecture, all developed long before Columbus discovered the Americas. The Maya were one of the great civilizations that inhabited Central and South America. They were followed by the Incan and Aztec empires. To learn more about their cultures, use the direct links on The Times Launch Point Web site: http://www.