# Aztec Sacrifice: How the Aztecs Kept Their Gods Happy — WHE Definition Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** WHE Articles\ **Created:** [May 3, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/aztec-sacrifice-how-the-aztecs-kept-their-gods-happy-whe-definition-discussion/4308 "2018-05-03T16:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/aztec-sacrifice-how-the-aztecs-kept-their-gods-happy-whe-definition-discussion/4308/1 "2018-05-03T16:22:10Z")
The religion of the Aztec civilization which flourished in ancient Mesoamerica (1345-1521 CE) has gained an infamous reputation for bloodthirsty human sacrifice with lurid tales of the beating heart being ripped from the still-conscious victim, decapitation, skinning and dismemberment. All of these things did happen but it is important to remember that for the Aztecs the act of sacrifice - of which human sacrifice was only a part - was a strictly ritualised process which gave the highest possible honour to the gods and was regarded as a necessity to ensure mankind's continued prosperity. * * * _This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at [https://www.worldhistory.org/Aztec\_Sacrifice/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aztec_Sacrifice/)._ ---
**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/aztec-sacrifice-how-the-aztecs-kept-their-gods-happy-whe-definition-discussion/4308/2 "2026-07-28T23:29:28Z")
Unlisted on July 28, 2026, 11:29pm UTC