- Jaguar warrior
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Aztec jaguar warrior
Jaguar Warriors or Jaguar Knights (Nahuatl: ocēlōmeh) were members of the Aztec military.[1] They were an elite military unit similar to the Eagle warriors. The jaguar motif was used due to the belief that the jaguar represented Tezcatlipoca, god of the night sky. Aztecs also wore these dresses at war because they believed the animal's strengths would be given to them during battles.[citation needed] Jaguar Warriors were used at the battlefront in military campaigns.[1] Many statues and images (in pre-columbian and post-Columbian codices) of these warriors have survived.[2] They fought with a wooden sword studded with obsidian volcanic glass blades, called a Maquahuitl. They also used spears and atlatls.
To become a Jaguar warrior, a member of the Aztec Army had to capture at least four enemies during battles. This was said to honour their gods in a way far greater than killing enemy soldiers in the battlefield.
The Aztec Jaguar warriors were showcased on the American TV show Deadliest Warrior, where they competed against the Zande tribesmen.
References
See also
- Aztec warfare
- Jaguars in Mesoamerican culture
- Eagle warrior
Categories:- Aztec warfare
- Military units and formations of the Middle Ages
- Mesoamerica stubs
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