A cuauhxicalli or quauhxicalli (Nahuatl pronunciation: [kʷaːʍʃiˈkalːi], meaning "Eagle gourd bowl") was an altar-like stone vessel used by the Aztecs to contain human hearts extracted in sacrificial ceremonies. A cuahxicalli would often be decorated with animal motifs, commonly eagles or jaguars. Another kind of cuauhxicalli is the Chacmool-type which is shaped as a reclining person holding a bowl on his belly.