One of the most well-studied Mesoamerican religions includes the beliefs of the Aztec empire.  The Aztecs celebrated a number of religious festivals and subscribed to many dramatic elements of ritual, including human sacrifice.

The practice of human sacrifice was so pervasive in the Aztec religion that a single four-day temple dedication ceremony was believed to have included up to 80,000 human sacrifices.  To the Aztecs, death was requisite for creation, and so sacrifice was necessary to continue life as they knew it.

Life after death continued in one of three places: Tlalocan - a place for people who suffered violent deaths like drowning or lightning strikes, Mictlan - the generic place of the dead, and the Sun - a place for dead warriors and mothers who died in childbirth.  To the Aztecs, the Sun was the end goal for any soul's pursuit, and those souls who were worth after death were turned into *what animal* to then follow the journey of the sun throughout the sky for eternity?

A. Snake

B. Hummingbird

C. Rabbit

D. Mosquito

For the answer, listen to the latest episode of our podcast!