Why do Aztec Temples have steps?
“The cities of the Aztec empire were always wanting to make their sacrificial temple better than any other cities. They decided not to destroy the old temple, but to build over it! They made temples larger, more extravagant, and more pleasing to the eye with each new layer. In addition, the temples had more steps, more decorations, and a larger sacrificial area. (These temples look a lot like the great Egyptian pyramids except they do not have a pointed top. Instead, they have a flat top with two small compartments where the sacrifices were held) In a rare find, archaeologists found a temple which was built over six times! Each new temple was more magnificent than the others.” There’s your answer – it was so they could carry out they’re sacrifices, and errr.. get to the top to do it.
These Aztec temples, which were built in the form of step pyramids, each had two staircases. The two staircases within each of the Aztec pyramids then led to two different shrines. In accordance with the Aztec culture, their priests performed human sacrifices in side these shrines in order to honor their gods.
