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How did Aztec cosmology organize the earth, heavens, and underworld?

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Mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas Haida argillite carving, c. 1890, depicting a folktale in which the Bear Mother endures a cesarean birth; in the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Haye Center, Smithsonian Institution, New York City.

Aztec cosmology envisioned the universe as a structured system centered on the earth, which was perceived as a great disk divided into four cardinal directions, each associated with specific colors, day-signs, and deities. The center point was linked to the fire god, Huehuetléotl, representing the hearth of the home.1

The Heavens and the Underworld

The Heavens: Above the earth, which was surrounded by "heavenly water," existed 13 layers of heavens. The highest level served as the residence of the Supreme Couple. Certain individuals, such as warriors who died in battle, merchants killed while traveling, and women who died in childbirth, ascended to the heavens to accompany the Sun on its journey.12
The Underworld: Beneath the earth lay Mictlan, the realm of the dead, which consisted of nine levels or "hells". Ruled by the god Mictlantecuhtli and his wife, this domain was the destination for those who did not go to the heavens or the paradise of the rain god, Tlaloc. Souls underwent a difficult four-year journey through these levels before finding rest or disappearing.1342