[x]

The Mexicans were cannibals?

Cannibalism was part of the religious rituals. It also happened during time of war (in a ritual context).

Maybe that’s why cutting off people’s heads is no big deal for them.

A lot has changed in 500 years. Go back far enough and who knows what one's ancestors were up to.

[marktwain]

Cannibalism was part of the religious rituals. It also happened during time of war (in a ritual context).

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That has become the standard anthropological excuse for cannibalism. It is clear from Diaz’ account that cannibalism was widespread. Sure, the victims were sacrificed to the gods first, but the ritual eating included a lot of people, apparently. The Conquistadors released numerous slaves from cages where they were being fattened prior to being eaten.

That is from the first person account.

All the excuse that were created afterward were made by people far removed from the events, often decades or centuries after the Spanish outlawed the human sacrifice and cannibalism.