This plate is based on the Codex Mendoza which was compiled by the first Viceroy of New Spain (Don Antonio de Mendoza). The publication that I have used is by Liber Productions S.A. Switzerland 1978, this book is in full colour and reproduces each page of the Codex, while the text is in English.

Fig.1. Body suit; light blue with red collar, these were fastened down the back by bows, varying in number, head-dress; light blue, black neck protector, Yellow ear tassels, yellow or gold central hand with cockade in yellow (gold) centre, light blue, white, red outer, on top a white shell with black and white feathers plus long dark green feathers. Shield; light blue with black crescent and central stripe with four black bars on a light blue field, hanging feathers or columns of threaded feathers, top light blue, bottom red, ends are green and yellow alternating. Insert is a "Maqauhuitl" (sword club) it was about a yard long, four inches wide and two inches thick, it had sharpened obsidian blades In groves along the edges.

Fig.2. Body suit; dark green with red collar, no head-dress, hair in a plait tied with a white cord. Banner; tied to the back so that the bearer had to be killed to capture it, feathers down the side red and white alternating, light blue disc, first row of feathers red, then black (or dark green) followed by yellow with long green flowing feathers. Shield; edge yellow, rectangles left side top to bottom: green, red, blue, red, green and yellow. Right side top to bottom: red, green, yellow, green, red and then blue, hanging columns yellow top red bottoms, green and yellow alternating loops.

Fig. 3. Body suit; black with white spots, head-dress; black with white spots, ear tassel white, neck tassels black, shield; white with black wave and white spots. Insert is an "atl-atl" (spear and/or dart thrower) made of wood.

Fig.4. Body suit; white with black bars and red neck, head-dress; white with black band edged in green, cockade centre gold then light blue, red outer, neck black with forehead cover, gold ear guards and nose ornament, top of head-dress two wooden staffs with light blue centre surround with white tassels at the end, white small feathers (or a shell) in front of black and white feathers with long flowing green feathers. Shield; white with four crescents in light blue with gold discs, top section is white, next is light blue with three arms at the end of each arm is a gold disc. Following band red then brown, the base and outer edge being white, hanging columns yellow top, light blue, white, red, bottom loops yellow and green alternating.

Fig.5. Body suit; yellow (or tan) red collar, white loin cloth, head-dress; yellow with yellow tassels around neck middle line red, feather crest, nearest to head red, green, yellow with long green feathers. Shield; yellow edge, gold crescents, top section green, light blue band then red, central band green then yellow followed by green bottom section, column of feathers along bottom of shield yellow top, white stripe and red bottom, loops are yellow and green alternating.

Fig.6. Body suit; white, red neck and lines on cuffs and lower legs, chest stripes are top red, bottom yellow, red and yellow device on chest (red in the two largest sections), head-dress; white, ears white with orange tassels, black feathers (or fur) along rear of mask, surmounted by three rows of white feathers and long flowing green ones. Back standard; wooden poles with white banners, blue disc's, row of feathers above are red, then black, green, and yellow on top, long green feathers. Shield; edge orange (or tan) centre field yellow with white shells, (or bunches of small feathers) hanging columns top brown, bottom red, loops yellow and green alternating.

Fig.7. Body suit; light blue, red collar, white loin cloth. Back standard; gold (or yellow) central disc, below three rows of feathers green outer, black middle and red inner, the centre is yellow, feathers above disc are bottom to top light blue, red, black. green, yellow with long green feathers. Shield; edge yellow with green centre field, yellow design, hanging columns yellow top, white, red bottom, loops green and yellow alternating.

Fig. 8. Body suit; dark green with deep red cuffs and lower legs. white loin cloth. Back standard; dark green with deep red edge, tops to arms and central circle, hanging tassels yellow with red at the bottom tipped with yellow and red alternating, gold eyes to round face and leaf device, three rows of feathers, bottom red, middle green, top yellow, with long green ones. Shield; edge yellow and deep red alternating. top half of centre field white, bottom half deep red, claw yellow with white nails, four rows top to bottom red, green, yellow, dark green, central disc's top to bottom green, yellow, black, red, two feather designs above green edged white, hanging columns deep red with white stripe, loops yellow and green alternating. The body suits were made of cloth with small feathers sewn on for the different colours, or of dyed cloth, some had animal fur instead like the Jaguar Warriors, sometimes the fur too was dyed. The shields (chimalli) were made from wood covered with hide and had feather designs, ornamented sometimes with gold or shells.

For very good coloured illustrations on Aztecs see the National Geographic magazines (and book) for December 1980 and October 1984, I bought my copies from our local Oxfam shop in Hull.