Editing Xipe Totec (section)

==Human sacrifice==
Various methods of human sacrifice were used to honour this god. The [[Human trophy taking in Mesoamerica|flayed skins]] were often taken from sacrificial victims who had their hearts cut out, and some representations of Xipe Totec show a stitched-up wound in the chest.<ref name="Matos Moctezuma 2002, p.422">Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.422.</ref>

"Gladiator sacrifice" is the name given to the form of sacrifice in which an especially courageous war captive was given mock weapons, tied to a large circular stone and forced to fight against a fully armed [[Aztec]] warrior. As a weapon he was given a ''[[macuahuitl]]'' (a wooden sword with blades formed from [[Obsidian use in Mesoamerica|obsidian]]) with the obsidian blades replaced with feathers.<ref name="Smith 1996, 2003, p.218">Smith 1996, 2003, p.218.</ref> A white cord was tied either around his waist or his ankle, binding him to the sacred ''temalacatl'' stone.<ref>Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.451-2.</ref> At the end of the ''Tlacaxipehualiztli'' festival, gladiator sacrifice (known as ''tlauauaniliztli'') was carried out by five Aztec warriors; two [[jaguar warrior]]s, two [[eagle warrior]]s and a fifth, left-handed warrior.<ref name="Matos Moctezuma 2002, p.422" />

"Arrow sacrifice" was another method used by the worshippers of Xipe Totec. The sacrificial victim was bound spread-eagled to a wooden frame, he was then shot with many arrows so that his blood spilled onto the ground.<ref name="Smith 1996, 2003, p.218" /> The spilling of the victim's blood to the ground was symbolic of the desired abundant rainfall, with a hopeful result of plentiful crops.<ref>Marshall Saville, 1929, p.164.</ref>  After the victim was shot with the arrows, the heart was removed with a stone knife.  The flayer then made a laceration from the lower head to the heels and removed the skin in one piece.  These ceremonies went on for twenty days; meanwhile the votaries of the god wore the skins.<ref>Marshall Saville, 1929, p.173-174.</ref>

Another instance of sacrifice was done by a group of metalworkers who were located in the town of [[Azcapotzalco]], who held Xipe Totec in special veneration.<ref name="Marshall Saville, 1929, p.165">Marshall Saville, 1929, p.165.</ref> Xipe was a patron to all metalworkers (''teocuitlapizque''), but he was particularly associated with the goldsmiths.<ref>Franke J. Neumann 1976, p. 255.</ref> Among this group, those who stole gold or silver were sacrificed to Xipe Totec. Before this sacrifice, the victims were taken through the streets as a warning to others.<ref name="Marshall Saville, 1929, p.165"/>

Other forms of sacrifice were sometimes used; at times the victim was cast into a firepit and burned, others had their throats cut.<ref name="Smith 1996, 2003, p.218" />