Archaeologists in Mexico have found the first temple to the pre-Hispanic deity Xipe Totec, a god of fertility and war who was worshiped by sacrificing and skinning captives. Historians have long known that Xipe Totec (“the flayed god”) was worshiped by numerous peoples across what is now central and western Mexico and the Gulf coast. The artifacts uncovered at the site include three stone sculptures of Xipe Totec: two skinned heads and a torso, whose back is covered in engravings representing the sacrificial skins worn by the god. The temple would have been used from around the year 1000 until about 1260, the institute said. The Spanish takeover of Mexico began in 1519 with the arrival of the conquistador Hernan Cortes.

Source: Egypt Independent January 04, 2019 09:00 UTC