Last Saturday, I was at home organizing photos from my old phone. As I was flipping through them, I suddenly came across a bunch of pictures I took during a trip to Mexico City a few years ago. There were photos of museum walls, large stones, and strange patterns carved into the walls.
Those patterns looked like drawings, yet also like writing. The lines were intricate, depicting animals, plants, and things like knives, houses, and snakes. The tour guide mentioned at the time that these were symbols left behind by the Aztecs.I thought they were pretty cool, but I had no idea what they meant.
Later, I became increasingly curious: Could these symbols be related to families? For example, might a particular family have its own “mark,” like how companies have logos today? Did they use these patterns to represent “who we are”?
This thought kept circling in my mind like a little thorn I couldn’t pull out. I figured: It shouldn’t be too hard to look into, right? Turns out… it was nothing like I imagined.
At first, all the research turned up “fake content”
I opened my computer and searched “What do Aztec family symbols mean?” A flood of web pages popped up, giving me a headache.
Some talked about “Aztec tattoo designs,” featuring flashy images with captions like “this represents strength” or “that symbolizes courage”—but never explained why.
Others were academic papers using obscure jargon about “hieroglyphic systems” and “phonetic symbol structures.” I gave up after three lines—it felt like reading hieroglyphics.
What annoyed me most was how many sites just posted pictures without explanation. You’d call it a symbol, yet they wouldn’t say what it meant; you’d call it art, yet they’d claim it had “deep significance.”
All I wanted to know was: “Does this pattern represent a specific family?” Or “Does this snake signify danger, or wisdom?”
But no one gave me a simple, clear answer.
At that point, I seriously considered giving up: Forget it, I’m not an archaeologist anyway. If I can’t figure it out, so be it.
A video suddenly made it clear
Later, I changed my approach. Instead of searching for “family symbols,” I searched “how the Aztecs wrote.”
Then I found a video that explained it exceptionally well.
Turns out, the Aztecs didn’t use letters like we do today. Instead, they used pictures to convey meaning and pronunciation.
For example, to write a word, they didn’t spell it out with letters. They drew something related to that word.
Just like when we play charades and draw an eye plus a heart—everyone knows it means “I love you.” They did the same thing.
So these so-called “family symbols” probably weren’t mysterious totems at all. They were pictures conveying the meaning of family names, or ancestors’ occupations, places of residence, or deeds.
This discovery was like a light bulb going off.
I finally understood: I wasn’t deciphering “codes,” but observing a way of telling stories through images.
I developed a simple method for interpreting the images
From then on, I stopped guessing wildly and analyzed each symbol using a straightforward process:
Step 1: Identify what’s in the image
Don’t think about “what it means” yet. Just ask yourself: What is depicted in this pattern?
Is it an animal? A plant? A tool? A natural phenomenon?
For example: an eagle, a snake, a cactus, a stone knife, a house, a butterfly.
Step 2: Consider its function
Then ask: What does this object do in real life? What is it most famous for?
For example:
- Jaguar: Hunts at night, fierce, often associated with warriors and nobility.
- Rabbit: Bears many young, often associated with drinking and celebrations (as the Aztecs used rabbits to represent the god of wine).
- Flint knife: Used in rituals to make sacred cuts, symbolizing “sacred cutting.”
- House: Where people live, representing “home,” “bloodline,” and “ancestral lineage.”
- Butterfly: Aztecs believed warriors’ souls transformed into butterflies after death.
Step 3: Connect the Meanings
If a design contains multiple elements, interpret their meanings collectively.
For example:
- Eagle perched on a cactus: The eagle represents the Sun Warrior, while the cactus symbolizes Tenochtitlan(Tenochtitlan). Together, this signifies “We are the warrior family that began here.”
- Water and reed together: Water (atl) is linguistically linked to “battle,” while reed (acatl) represents “authority.” This may mark a warrior family, meaning “We hold power and have fought.”
- House with a Jaguar: May indicate this family was noble and passed down through generations.
How I Used This Method to Understand My Own Photos
Looking back at the museum photos I took, things I couldn’t understand before now make perfect sense.
One stone carved an eagle, its talons gripping a cactus, with the sun in the background.
I used to think it was just decoration.
Now I know: it declares “We are Sun Warriors, our roots are here.” This isn’t just art—it’s an identity statement.
Another painting shows water, reeds, and a rabbit.
I now suspect this might be a family emblem meaning “We live by the river, hold power, and love to celebrate.”
These symbols weren’t drawn randomly—each has its reason.
My Final Takeaway
I now understand:
The Aztecs didn’t have the modern concept of “family crests,” but they used images to express “who we are.”
They didn’t write names; instead, they used pictures to spell out the meaning of a name or tell a story about ancestors.
So to decipher these symbols, you don’t need to memorize a hundred images.
You just need to learn:
- Identify what’s depicted.
- Consider what this object represents in daily life.
- Combine the meanings of several patterns.
Like a jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece, the story emerges.
It’s not as hard as I first imagined.
If you’re willing to slow down, look closely, and ask “What is this?” and “What does it do?”, those stones silent for centuries will begin to speak to you.
Now, every time I see those photos, I no longer think of them as “strange graffiti.”
I know they’re someone saying: “We lived here, and we remember who we are.”
