A New Theory on the Number of Female Skulls on the Great Skull Rack at Tenochtitlan

April 17, 2023

INAH archaeologists have surmised that the large number of female remains on the great skull rack in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan are related to the origin myth of Huitzilopochtli. The skull rack is dated to the reign of Ahuzotl from 1486-1502 He doubled the size of the Aztec empire during his reign.

The myth of Huitzilopochtli, the solar and war deity of the Aztecs, includes the great confrontation he had with the lunar goddess Coyolxauqui. There are 655 human skulls on the skull rack. 38% of them are females. They were probably female warriors or pregnant women who had a stillbirth. Female sacrifices recreated the path of Coyolxauqui to Serpent Mountain (Mount Coatepec) where she attacked her mother Coatlicue. Huitzilopochtli was in Coatlicue’s womb, and sprang fully armed from the womb of his mother and threw Coyolxauqui down the side of the mountain.

Heritage Daily has the INAH report here:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/02/female-remains-in-aztec-skull-rack-are-associated-with-the-origin-myth-of-huitzilopochtli/146301?fbclid=IwAR3jtJ9Ad1ZhFVKkN3ra0d0hirc2KjP8b7eP_TY763v0yy7jf5hHoWHi1HQ

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