We know from surviving books that the Aztecs collected tribute from the various parts of Mexico that fell under their control. Much of this tribute was in the form of agricultural produce such as cotton, maize and beans which supplemented the agricultural yield in and around Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Tribute-payers were also obliged to produce certain quantities of rare and precious goods. According to the tribute list preserved in the Codex Mendoza these included jaguar pelts, deer skins, rubber, feathers, gold, jade, turquoise, sea shells, warrior costumes, and even live eagles.

A number of exquisitely beautiful objects decorated with turquoise mosaic have survived. In some instances tiny pieces of turquoise were attached to circular wooden bases to create shields decorated with codex-style imagery. The British Museum, London, boasts a human skull which has been covered with turquoise and lignite to represent the god Tezcatlipoca. Featherwork shields, fans, and headdresses were also highly valued. There are also examples of fine ceramics which are thought to have been reserved for the use of the Aztec ruler himself. What is important to realise is that the Aztecs were great opportunists and were quick to recognize the specific skills of different regions. Mixtecs from southern Mexico, famed for their goldsmiths and book writing skills produced fine gold jewelry and codices, and people from the ceramic producing regions of Puebla and Cholula, were housed in Mexico-Tenochtitlan where they produced art and ritual objects for consumption by the Aztec ruler and his extensive court of priests and nobles.

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