Women of the Aztec Empire: Sacred, Powerful, and Fierce

A girl's life began with ceremony. At birth, a midwife would chant prayers over the infant, asking the gods to guide her in her destined role as a homemaker, mother, or possibly priestess. Symbolic objects like weaving tools were placed beside her, marking her future contributions to the household and community. Unlike boys, who were given miniature shields and arrows to represent warfare, girls were prepared for battles of a different kind—those of domestic responsibility and cultural preservation.

Education for girls was both practical and spiritual. While boys were trained for war or priesthood, girls often learned domestic skills at home from mothers and elder women. However, this did not mean their education was informal or limited. In fact, daughters of commoners and nobles alike could attend telpochcalli (community schools), where they were instructed in ethics, religion, and the arts of weaving and food preparation. Noble girls had access to even more advanced teachings at the calmecac, the elite school where they could be groomed for religious roles or political marriages.