TYPE: Maize Goddess
ORIGIN: Aztec (Post-Classical Mesoamerican) [Mexico]
INFORMATION: Her festival was held in September when a young girl was sacrificed having taken on the role of the deity for a period of time during the celebrations. She was decapitated on a heap of maize fruits and her blood was collected in a large bowl before being poured over a wooden figurine of the goddess. Finally the victim's skin was flayed off and worn by a dancing priest. See also Xilonen.