Water (ātl):

At the heart of Tenochtitlan, the great Aztec city, lay a crystal-clear lake called Texcoco. From its waters life sprang, irrigating the fields and quenching the thirst of the population. Ātl, water, was a vital element for the Aztec culture, present in their rituals, beliefs, and worldview.

Legend has it that, at the beginning of time, Quetzalcóatl descended from heaven to create man. He went to Lake Texcoco and, with his magic staff, extracted a beating heart from the water. From this heart, humanity sprang.

Water was also a symbol of purification. The Aztecs bathed in rivers and lakes to cleanse their body and spirit. They also used water in their religious rituals, such as the ritual bath before sacrificing a god.