Aztec Resources

Aztec artefacts from Mexicolore

Explore the resources pages menu on the right: we’ve tried to highlight particularly good resources for teaching the Aztecs we’ve come across. Don’t forget to look at other resources we recommend and/or offer links to in the Resource Reviews, Teachers’ Page, and Aztec Links pages... PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANY PARTICULARLY GOOD TEACHING RESOURCES ON THE AZTECS YOU KNOW OF!

Being an artefact-based teaching team, it’s hardly surprising we’ve produced some of our own exclusive study materials on every-day Aztec artefacts. They’re free, downloadable, suitable for Juniors, and link to carefully researched and illustrated study pages on our website. Click on ‘Aztec Artefacts’ (l/h menu) to see the list...

Also available from us: An interactive CD-Rom on the Aztec Calendar Stone developed jointly by Mexicolore and Mexican postgraduate new media student Ana Laura Landa. Designed specifically for children to use, this pioneering CD lets you: explore the Sunstone, section by section, using simple graphic elements; learn the meaning of each of the 20 daysigns; find out which god is in the middle of the Stone, the names of the five world eras, where the Aztec 52-year ‘century’ can be found, how the cycles of the sun, moon and Venus are linked, what a quincunx pattern is, and more; the CD also includes an easy puzzle and a difficult memory game!

Another free resource: an info sheet based on the famous 20 day signs of the Aztecs. Some believe that each day had associations not only with gods/goddesses but also with sacred birds, colours, cardinal directions, qualities or powers, and even particular foods. Some of these associations seem straight forward, others more intriguing and less obvious. Follow link below to download.

And another! Set of 3 beautiful full-colour illustrations by renowned Mexican artist Felipe Dávalos, painted specially for Mexicolore, showing how an Aztec slave could gain freedom if he could run from the market to the emperor’s palace without being caught. We’ve incorporated them into an Activity Sheet, downloadable for free: just click on the link below (‘Freedom: run for it!’) for the PDF, and to learn the full story...

In general: We already have over 20 downloadable resource sheets available free from all over our website - and more are on their way. Subjects range from individual Aztec gods, an Aztec Market, Aztec horoscopes (‘Day Sign Bonanza’), pregnancy and parenting under the Aztecs, to the humble Aztec digging stick. Try typing ‘Downloadable PDF’ into the Google box on this page to get a full list...

Back in 2006 we produced our first Activity Sheet 1, on Aztec glyphs. It’s still available, together with separate answers sheet (both below). It’s supported by a newer version by our researcher Julia Flood, based on full-colour glyphs taken directly from codices - again with solutions given. To download the colour version, click below on the link to our Resources page ‘Ideas for... PICTOGRAMS’