Mask mysterious skulls in ancient Aztec temples

Scary skull masks in the Templo Mayor temple of the Aztec civilization have long been a great mystery for archaeologists.

According to the International Business Times, scientists at the University of Montana, USA, found the owner of the mysterious Aztec skull masks in the ancient temples of Templo Mayor .

Skull masks belonged to the noble warrior who was sacrificed.(Photo: DeAgostini).

Skull masks are marvelous decorative items. The ancient Aztecs used sophisticated methods to manipulate the skull, such as cutting off the back, plugging the blade, the stone, inlining the eye and nose sockets. In some cases, they colored the skull. After treatment, the skull masks were placed on the shelves called "tzompantli" in temples like Templo Mayor in the capital of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlán.

Archaeologists believe that the skulls belong to victims of human sacrifice , but they have difficulty explaining why the skull is used as a mask instead of another. The latest study published in Current Anthropology uses an experimental method to understand the process of selecting and processing skulls.

The team compared eight skull masks with 30 intact skulls found among sacrificial items during the reign of King Axayacatl (1469-1481), along with 127 skulls of dead warriors. . They look for differences in age of death, gender and health status.

An ornate skull mask.(Photo: DeAgostini).

Researchers found that all skulls used for masks belong to men aged 30 to 45 with much better health status than most residents. In particular, they have no trace of dental disease or malnutrition. Through the shape of teeth, the team found that the skulls originated from different areas throughout the Aztec empire, such as the Toluca Valley, the Gulf Coast and the Mexican Valley.

The above details indicate the victims are noble warriors, so they are in good health. They were taken prisoner after battles and taken to the temple to sacrifice. Because of their aristocratic blood, their skulls are specially treated and turned into exquisite items of spiritual value.