AZTECS, a race of people who settled in Mexico early in the 14th century, ul timately extended their dominion over a large territory, and were still extending their supremacy at the time of the ar rival of the Spaniards, by whom they were speedily subjugated. Their political organization, termed by the Spanish writers an absolute monarchy, appears to have consisted of a military chief ex ercising important, but not unlimited, power in civil affairs, in which the coun cil of chiefs and periodic assemblies of the judges had also a voice. Their most celebrated ruler was Montezuma, who was reigning when the Spaniards ar rived. Slavery and polygamy were both legitimate, but the children of slaves cord events they used an unsolved hiero glyphic writing, and their lunar cal endars were of unusual accuracy. Two special deities claimed their reverence.
were regarded as free. Although rant of the horse, ox, etc., they had siderable knowledge of agriculture, maize and the agave being the chief produce.
Silver, lead, tin, and copper were tained from mines, and gold from the Hintzilopochtli, the god of war, propi tiated with human sacrifices; and Quet zalcoatl, the beneficent god of light and air, with whom at first the Aztecs were surface of river beds, but iron was unknown to them, their tools being of bronze and obsidian. In metal-work, feather-work, weaving and pottery they possessed a high degree of skill. To re disposed to identify Cortez. Their temples, with large, terraced, pyramidal bases, were in charge of an exceedingly large priesthood, with whom lay the edu cation of the young. As a civilization of apparently independent origin, yet closely resembling in many features the archaic Oriental civilizations, the Aztec civilization is of the first interest. Some of the Aztec descendants still re tain their ancient language.