Ancient Aztec music and highly specialized dance were important components of religious ceremonies. Not to mention their Aztec Musical Instruments, which played an important role in those gruesome sacrificial ceremonies and rituals, the god of music and ceremonial dance was the coyote Huehuecóyotl.
Aztec Musical Instruments (Percussion)
Despite the way Aztec music was used, the Aztec people designed some magnificent instruments, particularly percussion instruments.
The Ayotl
The Ayotl, for example, was made of a tortoise shell. A pair of prongs was placed on the belly side of the shell, and these were struck with portions of antlers to produce sound.
Aztec Musical Instruments, The Omichicauaztli
On the other hand, the Omichicauaztli were made with deer bones and played by dragging the smaller bones along the larger ones.
Cacalachtli aztec
The Aztecs also made a variety of Aztec musical instruments, including the clay Cacalachtli and the gourd-shaped Ayacahtli, which was filled with beads, seeds or pebbles.
Chicahuaztli
The Chicahuaztli was another form of sonaja, but it was made with a much longer stick and had a serrated tip. Aztec musical instruments played a vital role in religious rituals.
The huéhuetl Aztec
The huéhuetl was a ceremonial drum of the Mexica, these were placed in the center of the dancers while in use. There were two versions: the huéhuetl, smaller, and the tlapanhuéhuetl which was larger, both were played with the hands creating different rhythms in important rituals.
Aztec Musical Instruments (Wind)
They made several Aztec musical instruments similar to conch shells and others with materials readily available at the time.
Atecocoli or Tecciztli
The Atecocoli was a trumpet made from a large perforated seashell, often of the genus Strombus. It was used in rituals, celebrations and to mark the time during the night. In battles, it signaled troops and coordinated movements. These shells were also part of offerings and are represented in ancient art, as in the pyramid of Quetzalcoatl in Teotihuacan.
Tepuzquiquiztli Aztec Instruments
It was the task of the trumpeters to sound their Tepuzquiquiztli to summon to prayer at specific times: at nightfall, in the middle of the dawn and with the first sunrise. At midnight, the priests of the temple left their rest to perform prayers, purify themselves with ritual baths and present incense offerings to the idol, showing their spiritual dedication.
The Quiquiztli
Unlike Tecciztli, the priests used the quiquiztli as a signal to gather their companions and make blood offerings several times during the night, as part of the ritual known as tlatlapitzaliztli.
Tlapitzalli or Chichitli Aztec
Flutes were also popular in Aztec music, this Aztec musical instruments including the Chichitli whistle flute and the Tlapitzalli, etc., which was a flute that produced a special droning sound.
Interesting article : Social Structure of the Aztec: An in-depth look at Hierarchies & roles
