Episode 147: Tzoalli: Aztec Communion, Religion, and Medicine

This podcast examines an excerpt from Elferink and Flores Farfán's work examines the Aztec use of tzoalli, a sacred amaranth-based dough, within their religious and medicinal practices. The authors analyze historical accounts from Spanish chroniclers like Sahagún and Durán, detailing tzoalli's role in various ceremonies, including festivals honoring Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. The text explores the preparation methods, symbolic significance (including the "killing" of the god represented by the tzoalli image before consumption), and medicinal applications of tzoalli. A key theme is the striking similarities and differences between Aztec tzoalli rituals and the Catholic Eucharist, as perceived by the Spanish observers. Finally, the paper connects tzoalli's use to broader Aztec beliefs about sacrifice, sin, disease, and the manipulation of supernatural forces.