19th December 1487: Largest recorded human sacrifices at the Sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan

On 19 December 1487 the largest recorded human sacrifices in Mesoamerican history took place at the Sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. Welcome to HistoryPod. The main temple of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital built on an island in Lake Texcoco, in what is now Mexico City, had been rebuilt and enlarged six times since its initial construction in the 14th century. By the time the sixth temple was inaugurated in 1487 it consisted of a dual pyramid structure with twin shrines at its summit, dedicated to the god of war and the god of rain and fertility respectively. The sixth temple reflected the empire’s expansion and growing influence under Emperor Ahuitzotl. During his reign the Aztec Empire extended its reach through conquests and the establishment of tribute systems. The renovated temple symbolised the empire’s might while serving as a focal point for religious practices. The elaborate opening ceremony began on 19 December 1487 and lasted for several days. Historical accounts, particularly from post-conquest sources, describe the central importance of a mass sacrifice involving around 4,000 prisoners of war in which the victims’ abdomens were cut open and their hearts removed. While the exact number of victims is debated among historians, the event highlighted the Aztec belief in the necessity of human sacrifice as a vital element of their religious practices. The Sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan remained a prominent structure until the Spanish conquest in 1521, when Hernán Cortés and his forces destroyed much of the city. The ruins of the Templo Mayor were later rediscovered in the 20th century, and they now form a significant archaeological site and museum in Mexico City, offering insight into Aztec architecture, religion, and culture.