The Aztecs built pyramids for several reasons:
1. Religious purposes: The Aztecs believed that their gods resided at the tops of the pyramids and they built them as temples and places for worship and rituals.
2. Burial structures: The Aztecs often buried their rulers and important figures inside or underneath the pyramids.
3. Astronomical observations: Some pyramids were used as observatories for studying celestial bodies and observing the movements of the sun, moon, and stars.
Mayas:
The Mayas also constructed pyramids for various purposes:
1. Religious significance: Like the Aztecs, the Mayas believed in the presence of gods and spirits within the pyramids and used them as religious centers.
2. Burial chambers: The Mayas often used the pyramids as tombs for their rulers, priests, and other high-ranking individuals.
3. Temples and ceremonial centers: The pyramids served as temples where rituals and ceremonies were conducted, and as places of worship and spiritual communication.
4. Astronomical alignment: The Mayas built and aligned many of their pyramids with astronomical phenomena such as the solstices and equinoxes.
5. Political power: The pyramids also symbolized the political and social power of the Mayan rulers and their elite classes.