1.Sneezing Was a Sign the Gods Were Watching You
In Aztec culture, sneezing wasn’t just a bodily reflex—it was a spiritual event. The Aztecs believed that a sneeze signaled divine attention, a moment when the gods took notice of an individual. This idea was rooted in their understanding of ihiyotl, the sacred breath or life force, which was thought to connect humans to the spiritual world. When someone sneezed, it was interpreted as a brief disruption in this life force, possibly caused by a god’s presence or intervention.
This belief carried both positive and ominous implications. On one hand, divine recognition could be seen as a blessing, a sign that the gods were offering guidance or protection. On the other, it could also mean scrutiny—if the gods were watching, they might be judging one’s actions or moral conduct. The context of the sneeze mattered: sneezing at the start of an important task could be a warning, while sneezing during a ritual might signal approval.
Similar beliefs about sneezing as a supernatural sign existed in other cultures, from Ancient Greece to medieval Europe. While the Aztec interpretation isn’t as well-documented as some of their other superstitions, it fits within their broader worldview—one where the gods were deeply involved in everyday life, and even the smallest physical acts could carry spiritual meaning.
2.Owls Were Harbingers of Death and Doom
In Aztec mythology, owls were no mere nocturnal birds—they were seen as chilling omens of death, deeply tied to the underworld. The Mexica people associated these creatures with Mictlantecuhtli, the god of death, and his consort, Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of the Underworld. Their eerie calls in the dead of night were believed to signal impending doom, a warning that someone’s soul was about to be claimed by the afterlife. Hearing an owl’s hoot near one’s home was enough to send shivers down an Aztec’s spine, as it often meant that death was lurking nearby.
The most feared species was the tecolotl, likely the great horned owl, whose presence was considered an undeniable premonition of mortality. The superstition was so powerful that a common Nahuatl saying emerged: “Tecolote canta, el indio muere”—”When the owl sings, the Indian dies.” This belief wasn’t unique to the Aztecs; many Mesoamerican cultures shared similar fears, reinforcing the owl’s ominous reputation across the region. Even today, in parts of Mexico, the lechuza (a mythical owl-witch) is feared as a supernatural entity bringing misfortune and death. The legacy of the Aztec worldview still lingers, proving that some superstitions never truly fade.
3.Twins Were Feared as a Bad Omen from the Spirit World
In Aztec culture, the birth of twins was not a cause for celebration—it was a sign of supernatural interference. The Aztecs believed that every human was meant to have a single soul, and the arrival of twins disrupted this natural order. This concept stemmed from their deep-rooted belief in duality, where opposing forces—life and death, light and darkness—constantly struggled for balance. Twins, embodying two souls born at once, were thought to blur the boundary between the earthly and spiritual realms, making them both powerful and dangerous.
Some accounts suggest that in certain Aztec communities, one twin might have been sacrificed to restore cosmic equilibrium. The surviving twin, seen as spiritually marked, was often raised with special care, sometimes given ritual responsibilities due to their supposed connection to the divine. This fear of twins wasn’t unique to the Aztecs—other Mesoamerican civilizations also viewed multiple births with suspicion, associating them with omens of misfortune or divine intervention.
This superstition reveals much about the Aztec worldview, where every anomaly in nature carried a deeper, often ominous, meaning. To them, twins weren’t just siblings—they were a rupture in the fabric of existence, a message from the gods that something in the universe had gone awry.
4.Solar Eclipses Meant the Sun Was Being Eaten by Monsters
For the Aztecs, solar eclipses were not just astronomical events; they were cosmic battles with terrifying stakes. According to their mythology, these eclipses occurred when monstrous celestial beings, known as tzitzimimeh, attempted to devour Tonatiuh, the sun god. The tzitzimimeh were fearsome star demons, often depicted as skeletal figures with clawed hands, and were believed to bring chaos and destruction if the sun was not saved. This belief was deeply embedded in the Aztec cosmology of the Five Suns, which held that previous world ages had ended in catastrophic events. To the Aztecs, an eclipse was a dire warning that the current world, the Fifth Sun, could meet the same fate if the balance was not restored.
During these ominous moments, the Aztecs engaged in frantic rituals to aid the sun in its celestial struggle. Priests and commoners alike would shout, bang drums, and shoot arrows into the sky to scare away the monsters. Sacrifices, both animal and human, were sometimes offered to ensure Tonatiuh’s survival. Pregnant women were particularly vulnerable during eclipses, as it was feared that their unborn children could be cursed or deformed by the tzitzimimeh’s influence. The Aztecs’ advanced understanding of celestial patterns allowed their priests to predict eclipses, but this did little to ease the widespread fear that each one could signal the end of the world.
5.Crooked Teeth Indicated a Connection to the Divine
In Aztec society, physical traits were often seen as signs from the gods, and crooked teeth were no exception. Unlike modern perceptions that view dental irregularities as flaws to be corrected, the Aztecs interpreted them as indications of divine favor. This belief stemmed from a broader cultural understanding that unusual physical features—whether a birthmark, an extra toe, or misaligned teeth—were marks of the supernatural. Those who bore such traits were sometimes thought to possess heightened spiritual awareness or even a direct connection to the gods.
This reverence for physical anomalies was not unique to the Aztecs. Many Mesoamerican civilizations associated bodily irregularities with divine selection. In some cases, individuals with distinctive features were chosen for religious roles, as their appearance was believed to signal a special destiny. Crooked teeth might have been seen as a sign that a person had been “touched” by the gods, setting them apart from the average citizen. This perspective reflects the deeply spiritual lens through which the Aztecs viewed the human body—not as a mere physical form, but as a canvas for divine messages.
6.Whistling at Night Could Summon Evil Spirits
In Aztec culture, whistling at night was more than just an innocent habit—it was considered a dangerous act that could invite malevolent spirits into one’s home. The Aztecs believed that the boundary between the mortal world and the supernatural was particularly thin after sunset, making nighttime a period of heightened spiritual activity. Whistling, with its piercing and deliberate sound, was thought to act as a beacon, drawing the attention of wandering spirits or even malevolent deities who roamed the darkness.
This superstition reflects the broader Aztec worldview, which emphasized the need to maintain strict boundaries between humans and the spirit world. Many rituals and taboos existed to regulate interactions with supernatural forces, and whistling at night was one of the actions believed to inadvertently breach these boundaries. Some accounts suggest that those who ignored this warning risked summoning spirits that could bring misfortune, illness, or even death.
Interestingly, the superstition of night whistling summoning evil spirits persists in modern Mexican folklore. The legend of La Lechuza, for example, warns that whistling at night can attract a shape-shifting witch who takes the form of an owl and preys on unsuspecting victims. This continuity between ancient Aztec beliefs and contemporary Mexican superstitions highlights the deep-rooted influence of pre-Columbian spiritual traditions in shaping cultural fears and customs over the centuries.
7.Dreams of Water Foretold Imminent Tragedy or Illness
In Aztec culture, dreams were not mere subconscious wanderings—they were messages from the gods, omens that could foretell one’s fate. Among the most ominous dreams were those involving water, which the Aztecs believed signified impending disaster, illness, or even death. Water, in their cosmology, was deeply tied to Tlaloc, the rain god, who controlled both life-giving rains and devastating floods. A dream of turbulent or murky water was interpreted as a warning that misfortune loomed ahead.
The Aztecs viewed the universe as inherently unstable, a delicate balance maintained by the will of the gods. Any disturbance—whether in nature or in dreams—was seen as a sign of divine displeasure. Priests and shamans, skilled in dream interpretation, played a crucial role in deciphering these nocturnal visions. If a person dreamt of drowning or being caught in a violent storm, it was taken as a serious warning that sickness or tragedy might soon strike their household.
This belief underscores the Aztecs’ deep spiritual connection to nature and their conviction that the gods communicated through everyday phenomena. Dreams were not dismissed as random thoughts; they were prophetic insights, guiding individuals on how to navigate an unpredictable world.
