What Was Ht History Behind The Aztec Masks?

You can find a short overview of Aztec masks and their uses here. The same page also has a link that takes you to a slightly more detailed article.

Little is known about Aztec masks because their use died out along with the Aztecs. Fortunately the extravagant masks and trinkets still exist to this day and can tell us a little about their background and use.

Typically they served two main purposes:
1. Religious ceremonies- they would be used to show authority and were even believed to have been used for human sacrifice.
2. Dances- Many Aztec dancers wore masks but we're not sure why. Most likely it was the same as other cultures and societies where masks are used for acting and theatre.

I've been writing a bit on the subject of masks in different countries on a new website I've set up, check it out the section on