Editing Xipe Totec (section)

==Annual festival==
The annual festival of Xipe Totec was celebrated on the [[spring equinox (Northern Hemisphere)|spring equinox]] before the onset of the rainy season; it was known as ''Tlacaxipehualiztli'' ({{IPA|nah|t͡ɬakaʃipewaˈlist͡ɬi|}}; lit. "flaying of men").<ref>Marshall Saville, p. 167.</ref> This festival took place in March at the time of the Spanish Conquest.<ref>Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, pp.422, 468. Smith 1996, 2003, p.252.</ref> Forty days before the festival of Xipe Totec, a slave who was captured at war was dressed to represent the living god who was honored during this period.  This occurred in every ward of the city, which resulted in multiple slaves being selected.<ref>Marshall Saville, 1929, p. 171.</ref> The central ritual act of "Tlacaxipehualiztli" was the gladiatorial sacrifice of war prisoners, which both began and culminated the festival.<ref>Franke J. Neumann 1976, p. 254. Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.422. Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.188.</ref> On the next day of the festival, the game of canes was performed in the manner of two bands. The first band were those who took the part of Xipe Totec and went dressed in the skins of the war prisoners who were killed the previous day, so the fresh blood was still flowing. The opposing band was composed of daring soldiers who were brave and fearless, and who took part in the combat with the others. After the conclusion of this game, those who wore the human skins went around throughout the whole town, entering houses and demanding that those in the houses give them some alms or gifts for the love of Xipe Totec. While in the houses, they sat down on sheaves of {{lang|nah|tzapote}} leaves and put on necklaces which were made of ears of corn and flowers. They had them put on garlands and give them [[pulque]] to drink, which was their wine.<ref>Marshall Saville, 1929, p. 167-168.</ref> Annually, slaves or captives were selected as sacrifices to Xipe Totec.<ref name="Matos Moctezuma p.422">Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.422</ref> After having the heart cut out, the body was carefully flayed to produce a nearly whole skin which was then worn by the priests for twenty days during the fertility rituals that followed the [[sacrifice]].<ref name="Matos Moctezuma p.422"/> This act of putting on new skin was a ceremony called 'Neteotquiliztli' translating to "impersonation of a god".<ref>Franke J. Neumann 1976, p. 254.</ref> The skins were often adorned with bright feathers and gold jewellery when worn.<ref>Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.478</ref> During the festival, victorious warriors wearing flayed skins carried out mock skirmishes throughout Tenochtitlan, they passed through the city begging alms and blessed whoever gave them food or other offerings.<ref name="Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.188" /> When the twenty-day festival was over, the flayed skins were removed and stored in special containers with tight-fitting lids designed to stop the stench of putrefaction from escaping. These containers were then stored in a chamber beneath the temple.<ref>Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.423</ref>

The goldsmiths also participated in ''Tlacaxipehualizti''.  They had a feast called ''Yopico'' every year in the temple during the month of ''Tlacaxipehualizti''.  A satrap was adorned in the skin taken from one of the captives in order to appear like Xipe Totec.  On the dress, they put a crown made of rich feathers, which was also a wig of false hair.  Gold ornaments were put in the nose and nasal septum.  Rattles were put in the right hand and a gold shield was put in the left hand, while red sandals were put on their feet decorated with quail-feathers.  They also wore skirts made of rich feathers and a wide gold necklace.  They were seated and offered Xipe Totec an uncooked tart of ground maize, many ears of corn that had been broken apart in order to get to the seeds, along with fruits and flowers.  The deity was honored with a dance and ended in a war exercise.<ref>Marshall Saville, 1929, p. 169-170.</ref>