Page "Tzintzuntzan (Mesoamerican site)" Paragraph 10

In this ceremonial center, the king, or " cazonci ," functioned as the representative of the main god Curicaueri.

His principal duties were to conquer in the god ’ s name and to ensure that the perpetual fires of the main temples were supplied with wood.

Here a great number of human sacrifices were made, usually of prisoners of war.

These sacrificed prisoners were believed to be messengers to the gods and were venerated as such.

When a decision to go to war was made, huge bonfires were lit here, which would then be duplicated by priests at the eight other administrative centers of the empire.

All 91 settlements in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin could see these fires, and know to prepare for war.