Aztec Tattoo Designs
The Aztecs were a nomadic tribe in mesoamerica dating back to the 13th century and quickly established a mega city with a political, religious, and societal organization. They quickly became a dominant force and rulers of up to 15 million people in Central America and Mexico. Their religion was based around the worship of the sun and elements as they were much an agriculturally based society.
The Aztecs were far from pro-life and enjoyed a human sacrifice or two or a million. For one ceremony they sacrificed over 84 000 people over the course of the four-day event. But all the sacrificed victims didn’t go to waste as the Aztec people didn’t mind the taste of human flesh. Yes, that’s right they were cannibals.
Shoulder Aztec Tattoo
The Aztecs were violent rulers but they did love art and produced ceramics, paintings, and sculptures with amazing precision. They are also known for their featherwork which is a style of design using feathers.
Forearm Aztec Tattoo
Above is a nice forearm Aztec tattoo featuring the sun. They worshipped the elements so you will notice that a lot of these tattoos are based around the sun as the Aztec’s main crop was maize. They made sacrifices to ensure the sun would shine and give them a yield from the harvest.
Aztec Sleeve Tattoo
The Aztec art was based around the flora and fauna that surrounded them. This sleeve features a serpent with feathers and the classic sun god. The tattoo artist has done some nice line work and the use of neutral colors works well with this style.
Chest Aztec Tattoo
Chest tattoos look great on men if you have nice pectoral muscles. This tattoo features an Aztec warrior with bird helm and feather crested shield.
Back Aztec Tattoo
Aztecs were into Animism which is the belief that each living thing has a soul or essence and this can be found in most of their artworks. Animism is said to be the oldest religion or social construct dating back to the hunter and gatherer tribes all across the globe. The Aztec in this tattoo is wearing a cool leopard headpiece. Back tattoos are great for big pieces as there is a lot of surface area to work with.
Leg Aztec Tattoo
This is a huge leg tattoo that has an Aztec warrior princess. Think Xena Warrior Princess but instead of in New Zealand she in Central America sporting one hell of a headpiece. That’s one big lizard.
Arm Aztec Tattoo
The Aztec were dedicated to worshipping the gods so much so they would sacrifice almost anything they could get the hands-on including people. I hope the Gods appreciated their dedication and showered them with the sun and rain for their crops.
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The Bird is the Word
Here is another chest Aztec tattoo featuring a bird helmet. The artist has done a nice job with some nice thick line work and heavy shading.
Tribal Styles
This tribal Aztec tattoo is succinct to their artwork. Most Aztec paintings were done on the animal hide of creatures and tribal designs much like the ones featured in these tattoos.
Neck Aztec Tattoo
Here are some neck Aztec tattoos that resemble some of the attire worn by the elite of the Aztec society. The Aztec’s weren’t all farmers and due to the excess of food had time to craft many things such as cotton and other goods such as precision tools made of obsidian. These neck tattoos are typical Aztec designs that revolve around the worship of the sun.
Snakes and the Aztecs
This arm Aztec tattoo features a snake which is quite common in the Aztec art. One of their goddesses wears a skirt made entirely of snakes.
The Sun and Temples
The Great Temple or altar is where most of the Aztec sacrifices were made. This tribal style Aztec tattoo is a tribute to the Sun God and the temple where the sacrifices were made.
Neck Aztec Tattoo
Neck tattoos are becoming popular as more and more rappers and artists are making them popular in today’s culture. They are more accepted which is a good thing. This tattoo features a fallen Aztec soldier sporting headgear with patterns that are synonymous with Aztec culture.
Let’s Get Tribal
This is a finely crafted Aztec tattoo in the traditional tribal style. It features a snake winding around the sun with the face of God in the center.
Shades of the Aztecs
This is a highly detailed tattoo and deserves some recognition for the fine shading work that has been achieved. It features one of the Aztec temples and the mask that were usually worn by the elite.
More tribal sun worshipping madness. I must say out of all the tribal tattoos the Aztecs designs are my favorite. Some are a bit cartoony but that doesn’t matter they still look cool.
Voodoo Magic
The above tattoo is an absolute monster. When I say monster I mean huge. The sun shield on his torso is finely detailed and the artist has really done some great work. The arm tattoo, however, is freaking me out a little. It’s like some sort of jester that is possessed by the devil. Even though it is scary AF, the artist has done some really nice work.
Armor of the Aztecs
This shoulder Aztec tattoo is symbolic of armor that was worn into the war. It’s very tough looking except for the chicken on the shoulder which adds a touch of whimsy to the piece. It features very nice line work and really dark heavily inked patches. Overall it’s a great shoulder tattoo and has me itching to get back into the chair.
Here are some more birds of prey flying high as Jim Morrison would put. Did you know that Jim Morrison thought he was possessed by the spirit of a dead Indian and that’s how he got the name Chief Mojo Rising?
Skull Duggery
I love the Aztec tattoo below as it looks like a rock carving of the early Aztec art. The artist has done well to create such a realistic effect.
Simple and Sweet
This is just an outline of an Aztec God but looks so cool. I love it how the God has his hands in the devil horn position which is synonymous with heavy metal music. The line work is absolutely perfect and I can’t fault this tattoo at all. Not that I’m looking for faults. It’s a compliment.
Radial and Radiant
You will notice that a lot of the Aztec tattoos are round in shape as this reflects the Aztecs worship of the Sun Gods. Also, the Aztecs used two calendars, one for marking days of the year which was 365 days long and the other for ceremonial use. When I say ceremonial I mean they sacrificial and boy did they love a good sacrifice. I don’t think it would have been a pleasant time to be around especially if you weren’t part of the elite or you were their enemy. The Aztecs ruled with brute force and scared the living daylights out their enemies and people. This tactic worked well for three hundred years until they were eventually toppled by the Spanish who had far superior weapons.
Foot Aztec Tattoo
Feet and ankle tattoos are probably my favorite. I’m not saying I have a foot fetish but they make for nice small tattoos that look neat and are easily concealed. This foot tattoo features a tribal bird. It’s done in segments which is a cool effect.
Behold the Mighty Birdman
I wouldn’t like to run into this birdman in a dark alley. He sure does look scary but who knows he might be a nice guy once you get to know him. All jokes aside, the artist has done some really nice work on the detail of the feathers and body.
Scary but Amazing
Here are some big and bold Aztec tattoos. The top features some great work using dark fill. They are a very unique design and that’s probably why I like them so much.
Big and Badass
The following Aztec tattoo designs are big, bold and badass. These people must be really dedicated to getting ink as this would have taken a long time to do. Many hours in the chair and many dollars spent.
A Crest on the Chest is Sometimes Best
Chest Aztec crests are the best. They look cool because they incorporate the contour of the body into the design of the tattoo. The one above is half done. He still has a long way to go and I look forward to seeing the finished product.
Tattoo After Care
Caring for your tattoos after they are done is very important if you want them to look as fresh as possible. You should keep the area nice and moist with a tattoo cream to avoid the scabs peeling off too early and removing chunks of your tattoo at the same time. Your tattoo artist will give you the necessary information after they finish their work and even suggest the best products to use. After all the tattoo is a reflection of the tattoo artist’s work and they don’t want people getting around with dodgy looking tattoos.
The Hero
This Aztec tattoo features a hero. When he wasn’t cutting off people heads at the time he was saving damsels in distress. He might even be carrying her off to be sacrificed. It’s hard to tell whether he is a hero or villain.
It’s All About the Detail
This Aztec tattoo has some really fine detailed work. The artist must have spent a long time on this one. He must have spent a long time in the chair with multiple sittings. The line work is amazing the shading is even better. Good job matey.
The Aztec Eye
The Aztec eye, or Ollin, or third eye whatever you want to call it is a symbol of intuition and has been adopted by cultures and religions. It also means heart in the Aztec tradition.
The Aztec Calendar
This is a classic Aztec tattoo. It features their calendar. It looks much cooler than any western calendar I’ve seen. But I’m sure it wasn’t designed by a boring man in a button-up shirt then printed at Tescos.
Great God Batman
The Aztecs sacrificed lot’s of people to the Gods. I wonder if they got the message right. Maybe the God was telling them to chill out and love one another and they misinterpreted it as “kill for me”. You never know. There were fifteen million people in the Aztec community so I guess they had the numbers to spare a few and send them on an early vacation up above.
Little Aztec
This Aztec tattoo features a little kid. Maybe a warrior in the making. Whatever it is it’s great artwork and the tattoo artist has done a great job. Portrait pieces can be tough but this artist made it look easy with this fine display of tattooing.
Aztec Skull Tattoo
Now I know why so many Aztec tattoos feature skulls. The grounds around the great temple were scattered with the remains of millions of people sacrificed for the gods. This is some great work and features the Aztec geometric designs similar to many of the other tattoos on this list.
Blocks and Mortar
This is cool block design of a crocodile. The artist has used a bunch of simple shapes to create the mystical creature. It pretty cool how the tattoo starts on the shoulder and moves to the chest. There are a few others on the list like this and when it comes to getting your next tattoo it might be an option for you.
Dark Days
This Aztec tattoo is dark and ominous. It’s very cool and features the great temple and the third eye or ollin on a skull to remind us that death is imminent and we will be shot up into the galaxy ourselves one day.
Fun and Funky
Not all Aztec tattoos have to be dark and sullen designs. The Aztec tattoo above is a whimsical take on an Aztec design. The line work has been done to perfection and the overall result is of great standards.
Eagle Warriors
Eagle warriors were the elite soldiers of the Aztec army, kind of like the green berets are to the American armed forces. Only the best of the best could wear the eagle helmet. The Aztecs were constantly at war and searching for prisoners to take to sacrifice to their gods. It was a tough life for the soldiers and more so the prisoners.
Finally some Color
In case you haven’t noticed, most of the tattoos on this list have been absent of color and it’s nice to finally see some. I love this design and the colors used gel well together. The artist has done a fine job of incorporating color into an otherwise colorless topic.
Aztec Hand Tattoo
Hand tattoos are all the rage these days. I have five. This is a very brash and bold hand tattoo of an Aztec crest.
A Warrior Princess or a Killer
This is a very detailed Aztec tattoo of a warrior princess. She seems to be sitting on a big thrown with a jaguar soldier in her lap. Jaguar soldiers were of one of the higher ranking soldiers in the Aztec army much like the eagle warriors. They were of higher order and protected by the elite. Their job was to search and find victims or prisoners for the multitude of sacrificial ceremonies on the Aztec calendar.
Lower Leg Aztec Tattoo
This big Aztec tattoo features the Aztec calendar and the great temple as most of them do but this one has been done in unique way. The lower leg is a great spot for a medium-sized tattoo. The artist has done a great job on this part of the body and the used heavy shading to create a masterpiece.
Na Na Na its Birdman
Well, it’s an eagle warrior actually and a fine one at that. This tattoo contains very fine detail and the artist has done a great job with shading and line work. This must have taken a few sessions and many hours to complete.
Fusion Neo Apocalypse
Wow. I don’t know exactly what I’m looking at here but it’s pretty spectacular. It looks like some sort of bionic dragon fused with a bird from outer space. Regardless it’s pretty damn cool and it’s a thumbs up from me.
Wow. What a list!? The Aztecs sure were some crazy people with a lust for blood. Their food production skills were so good that they had excess which gave people time to do other things other than hunt and gather. That’s why their art was such a prominent part of their culture and as you can see from some of these designs they were really good at it. So I hope this list gave you some ideas for your next tattoo. I know it did for me. Until next time I bid farewell and may you live in peace.
