Sacrificial Stone and Knife

Held in place by priests, the back of the sacrificial victim was arched over the waist-high stone, and his heart was cut out and offered to the gods. The stone in front of the shrine of Huitzilopochtli, was made of a semi-precious material called greenstone, which was probably sent to Tenochtitlan as tribute. As Huitzilopochtli was associated with war (as well as with sun and power), it is not surprising that many captives of war were sacrificed here.

Sacrificial Knives were often decorated to look like faces. Many were found in caches of offerings during the excavation of the Templo Mayor.

Height: 6.5 inches; Width: 2.5 inches