A temalacatl was a gladiatorial platform that is believed was used by the different civilizations of Mesoamerica, consisting of a large stone disc with a handle in the center where the prisoner was tied for further gladiatorial combat. Tlahuahuanaliztli (Codex Zouche-Nuttall, folio 89)

Tlahuahuanaliztli (Codex Zouche-Nuttall, folio 89)

History

Monoliths created by the Aztecs assumed to be temalacatl include the

Stone of Tizoc The Stone of Tizoc, Tizoc Stone or Sacrificial Stone is a large, round, carved Aztec stone. Because of a shallow, round depression carved in the center of the top surface, it may have been a '' cuauhxicalli'' or possibly a '' temalacatl''. Richar ...

and the

Stone of Motecuhzoma I The Stone of Motecuhzoma I is a pre-Columbian stone monolith dating back to the rule of Motecuhzoma I (1440-1469), the fifth Tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlan. The monolith measures approximately 12 feet in diameter and 39 inches tall, and is also ...

, the latter being the larger of the two. There is debate over whether temalacatls were only combat sites or if these stones were also used as sacrificial receptacles where the extracted heart of the victim was deposited in a similar manner as a great

cuauhxicalli A ''cuauhxicalli'' or ''quauhxicalli'' (, meaning "eagle gourd bowl") was an altar-like stone vessel used by the Aztec to hold human hearts extracted in sacrificial ceremonies. A cuauhxicalli would often be decorated with animal motifs, commonly e ...

. However, recent studies show that temalacatl were not used for the slaughter of prisoners, but were fighting platforms and monuments to the Mexica conquests. Some researchers suggest the

Aztec sun stone The Aztec sun stone ( es, Piedra del Sol) is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, and is perhaps the most famous work of Mexica sculpture. It measures in diameter and thick, and wei ...

could also be a temalacatl.

References

{{Mesoamerica-stub Aztec artifacts