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Pacific Lutheran University

The Pochteca

The Secret Aztec Society


Pochteca
                                            Caption: Taken from the codex Laud



The Pochteca were pivotal players in the Aztec consolidation of economic and political power in Late Post classic central Mexico (Kristan-Graham 1993). The Pochteca were long distant traders of commoner or noble status. They had their own rituals just like any other social class within Mexica Society. Within the rituals there are some in depth difference like throwing huge feasts or in college terms parties. The Pochteca were a secret society because they had there own guilds that governed themselves. The Pochteca could come from nothing and become almost noble or elite status in the Aztec’s civilization. Also, within the Pochteca there were different ranks that a member could reach like being a “father”. The hardships that faced the Pochteca were the travel routes and conditions. The Aztecs did not build very many if any official roads to distant cities in the empire. The Pochteca were a very impressive group spiritually, economically and politically.


Aztec Empire

                                Caption: The Aztec Empire in green before Spanish Conquest
                                                  taken from Department of History: Tour of the Age of Discovery


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