THE AZTECS 213 



where the priests waited, knife in hand, a naked man 

 whose heart was to be offered to the very god he had 

 impersonated. This ceremony is given only as an ex- 

 ample, but it illustrates two characteristic- that are 

 seen in several other sacrifices, namely, the paying of 

 homage and honor to the intended sacrificial victim, 

 and, secondly, the necessity of keeping the victim in 

 a happy frame of mind. 



The eleventh feast of the year was called Ochpaniztli, 

 "the feast of the broom" and was celebrated in honor 

 of the godde» known as Toci, or Teteoinnan. The 

 first of these names means "our female ancestor" and 

 the second one means "the mother of the gods." She 

 was a goddess of the earth and her symbol was the grass 

 broom with which the earth was swept. She also 

 exerted an influence over the arts of the hearth, such as 

 weaving. Her pictures in the codices show her with a 

 broom in one hand and a shield in the other while about 

 her head is a band of unspun cotton into which are 

 stuck spindles wrapped with thread. 



During this month the roads were repaired, the hous< is 

 and plazas swept, and the temples and idols refurbished. 

 According to the text in the Codex Magliabecchiano 

 there were human sacrifices in the temples which 

 fronted on the roads and there were great dances and 

 carousals. Those sacrificed were afterwards flayed 

 a- in the feast of Xipe and their skins worn by dancers. 

 The picture that accompanies this revolting admission 

 is itself devoid of any morbid symbols. It shows a 

 kneeling woman holding out the broom and shield. 

 She \vear< a white drc— and a necklace of jade beads 

 with golden bells for pendants. Below her are two 

 standing men who bear in their hands offerings of ripe 

 fruit. 



