askhistorians

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The Aztecs were terrified of being attacked by a short "poop goblin" while using the toilet, but the "goblin" resembles the revered god Tlazoltéotl and dwarfism was seen as holy. Why is this creature vilified if all its traits were considered holy?	3439
The Aztecs believed men had a finite amount of semen and should limit their sex life so they wont be "worn out" like modern Christianity tells unmarried women. Does this imply male virginity was prized for marriage like female virginity is in modern purity culture?	1284
The Aztecs had "Ahuianis", women entertainers described as very similar to Japanese Geishas. What exactly was life like for these Aztec "Geishas" and do they have the same misinterpretation from modern people as Geishas did?	900
The Aztec hymn "Flower Mage" is sung from the perspective of a woman pining over a "Flower Mage". Flowers are used to reference things like song, but Flower is also used as slang for vagina. Is this hymn about the joys of song or a woman looking for her "pussy wizard"? NSFW	663
Aztecs usually buried their dead in their family's home under the floor, but how did this work in the long term? Was the floor of every old home a mass grave for every family that ever lived in that home?	169
I heard that Tlatoani Tecayehuatzin of Huexotzinco invited philosophers from all over the Aztec world to his city for a summit. What do we know of this Aztec philosophy "convention"?	54
Mesoamerican women would cover their face in make up from red lipstick, to dying their hair a deeper shade of black with ash, to covering their entire face in yellow paint. Is there a religious/philosophical reason for this or were they just popular colors?	47
Aztec markets were open once a week, but the Tlatelolco Market was open every day and patrolled by "commissioners" to catch scammers and fraud. Who were these men? Who employed them?	25
Multiple Aztec stories use charcoal as an omen of bad luck, incoming death, and curses. This ranges from finding coal inside a bird you caught, to a magic creature's heart turning to coal to signify the creature cursed you. Why was coal used like this? Symbolism?	19
Tlaxcallan electoral candidates were said to stand in front of the senate to be beaten, insulted, and interrogated over why they want to be elected. How true is this considering how exaggerated Tlaxcallan democracy was?	16

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