Tattoo Ideas: Aztec Tattoos Designs, Gallery and Pics

Many ancient cultures participated in the art form of tattooing. Everyone from the Maroi of Austallia to the Japanese and Ainu people. For many early tribal cultures tattooing was an art form that was infused with religion and rites of passage. The Aztecs were one of the many cultures that practiced the art of tattooing and in do so created a ton of beautiful Aztec tattoo designs and ideas.

Today in our supposedly modernized society we no longer have strongly formed rites of passages. Yet the beautiful self expression and art forms of tattooing still exsist.

Of all of these ancient cultures and tribes the Aztec were among some ofthe most advanced. As with any advanced society or group of people there are highly developed and intricate art forms. The Aztec were no slouches when it came to art. There highly developed and beautiful art in both architecture, painting and tattooing has left a strong legacy and many beautiful symbols and stories that just beg for a tattoo.

If you have been thinking about some type of tibal tattoo and you feel a strong connection for whatever reason with the Aztec people or culture then you will want to read on and learn more about Aztec tattoo designs and ideas. There are a ton of great pictures, galleries and ideas all to help inspire your next tattoo.

The Aztecs were an ancient group of people that lived in a highly developed society in the area of Mexico between the 14th and 15th centuries. These civilized people were polythiesti, meaning they believed in many gods, and were very deeply religious. Sure we have all heard about the human and animal sacrafices and it is easy to site back with our own culturaly values well in tact and judge them as Barbaric. However, given the time period they were a very deeply religous society and culture and also very highly developed. In fact they were way less barbaric then most of their contemporaries. The little bit about sacrafices? Well, they were not the only ones practicing ritual sacrafices and giving extensive offerings to the gods. Just read the Old Testament to discover the burtatlity that took place in the West.

The Aztecs as stated before were a highly advanced and very developed society. They took pride in the arts and dedicated a lot of their resrouces to developing the arts. In fact almost every boy and girl would recieve trainging in the arts including pottery, and working with stone and metal.

One just has to witness one of the ancient Aztec temples to see the beauty and splendor that exsisted in the culture. There extensive religous beliefs and pratice of the arts lead to a very developed art form of tattooing with many beautiful designs.

The Aztecs used the art of tattooing as part of a religous ritual. Often young boys and girls were tattooed to show their devoution to a god. For example in rituals to the god Uitzilopochtle. These tattoos were often done on the wrist, chest or stomache areas.

Aztec Tattoos Today

The beauty and intricacy of the highly developed culture of the Aztecs has lead to many modern tattoo designs. Many of these designs revolve around the theme of the Sun who was the main god in the Aztec panthenon of gods. Other very popular themes are Eagles, Warriors, Princesses, and The Aztec Calenda.