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Which instruments were sacred in Aztec ritual music?
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Latin American music
Flute, slip-painted ceramic, Nopiloa, southern Veracruz, Mexico, 300–500 ce; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 35.56 × 17.15 × 10.80 cm.
In Aztec ritual music, two specific instruments held a special, sacred position: the teponaztli and the huehuetl.1
- The teponaztli is a two-key slit drum that was played with a mallet.1
- The huehuetl is a single-headed, cylindrical upright drum that was played with bare hands.1
Archaeological findings often reveal these drums decorated with elaborate carvings, glyphs, and drawings that symbolically represent their essential roles and functions within Aztec religious ceremonies.1