Aztec body art existed in a variety of forms, from purely decorative works to those of a military and religious significance. However, while tattooing and body painting were commonplace throughout pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, the Aztec civilization appears to have used body art to a lesser extent than many of its neighbors and rivals.
Aztec Tattoo Art
According to historian J. Eric Thompson, “Direct evidence for tattooing does not exist among the Aztecs, although there are vague references to the custom.” More concrete evidence exists for tattooing among the Maya, a notable example being that of Gonzalo Guerrero, a Spaniard who became shipwrecked in Mayan territory before the Spanish Conquest.
When contacted by Hernán Cortés, who urged him to return to the Spanish fold, Guerrero refused. Bernal Díaz, Conquistador and chronicler, wrote that Guerrero’s refusal was due to his new family and his distinctly native appearance: “my face is tattooed and my ears are pierced. What would the Spaniards say if they saw me like this?”