8. In the bloody culture of the Aztecs, boys needed to capture an enemy on the field of battle to become a man
Human sacrifice played a central role in Aztec culture, in more ways than one. For instance, priests would spill blood in the hope that the gods would provide them with a rich harvest or send rain. Or they might sacrifice a victim simply to give thanks to their gods. What’s more, human sacrifice was used as a rite-of-passage for boys hoping to become fully-fledged male warriors. According to Aztec traditions, a boy could only become a real warrior if he not only fought but he took an enemy prisoner rather than kill him outright in battle.
The Aztec youths would be expected to bring their prisoners back to their city and to the base of the temple. It may be that they would also lead the prisoner up the temple steps, though historians can’t say for certain. Either way, once the prisoners reached the top, he would be laid down on a special ceremonial stone. Then a priest would cut pen his stomach, from the throat downwards, and then pull his heart out. The heart would be held aloft as an offering to the gods and the rest of the body tossed down the steep steps of the temple, to be carted away and disposed of. Once the whole process was complete, a boy would be considered a true man.