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The Aztec Empire
This ancient society made art to express the importance of military power and religion
This article explores artworks produced during the Aztec Empire, between 1100 and 1521 A.D. Artists from this powerful civilization made art that expresses the importance of their military and polytheistic religion. The carvings in the monumental Sun Stone—one of the most famous works of Aztec art—reveal the Aztec view of time, history, and religion. An artist made a cast metal sculpture of a warrior with precise details, demonstrating how important warriors were to Aztec society. Stylized animals appear frequently in Aztec art and have symbolic meaning. For example, the jaguar was a symbol of the military. The Aztec were polytheistic and many works represent gods, such as Tlaloc, the god of rain and successful harvests.
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