- Origin
- Toltecs and Mexica
- Types / versions
- Xiuhpohualli
- Tonalpohualli
- Calendar days
- Calendar months
- References
The Mexica calendar is called the measurement system used by the Mesoamerican aborigines to order time and understand the course of life. However, it should be mentioned that for the Aztecs the concept of temporality was not related to duration.
On the contrary, it was linked to the structure of the exterior. It can be expressed that the inhabitants of this ethnic group organized their days depending on the exposure of the stars, which determined the periods of droughts and fertility.
Aztec calendar located in the Casa de la Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles. Source: Carmalvi
Specifically, they were oriented by the translation of Venus around the sun and by the transit of the Moon near the Earth. These movements caused the year to have 365 calendar days and 260 ritual dates. Every 52 periods a century began, called Xihuitl (new fire).
After 104 stages, the huehuetilliztli was celebrated, which was a ceremony of antiquity. It is worth noting that the Mexica considered - following the cosmic times - that after 13 centuries another era was beginning.
In that sense, the universal ages were called suns and lasted 676 years. The Aztecs believed that the universe was a harmonic unit that deserved the joint participation of stars and beings to maintain itself.
Origin
The origin of the Mexica calendar is as old as the Central American indigenous communities. In the archives of the colony there are no data on its creation and anthropologists have not been able to establish any specific date about its elaboration.
Even so, historians express that this system of measurements is not just a representation, but an ideological process. This is because it encompasses the worldview of the natives that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Focusing on this aspect, they alluded that the idea of the calendar possibly derived from the Olmec people in 1500 BC. C. This ethnic group examined the movements of the constellations and formed a kind of yearbook where they exposed the lunar months, agricultural cycles and length of the year.
This knowledge was inherited by the Zapotecs in the mid-15th century BC. C., who expanded the project and established that the annual period was divided into 18 intervals. They also formulated that the last five days of the cycle were ceremonial.
Such thoughts were known to the Mayans. These aborigines were the first to accurately display the solar course and the displacement of the planets. In turn, they revealed that the universe was not made up of linear phases. For this reason they developed 2 itineraries.
Toltecs and Mexica
Based on the measures exposed by the Mayans, the Toltecs linked the period of 260 days with the liturgical cycles. They thought that existence was made up of 3 stages: the main one comprised 360 days, the second 365 and the last was designated by the path of the sun.
This conception of time was transmitted to the indigenous Mexica; caste that related the order of the years with the cardinal points.
Types / versions
The Mexica considered that the course of life was determined by the sidereal and daily cycles. For this reason, their annual periods were made up of two years: the first of 365 days and the second of 260.
These stages intertwined every 5 decades, at which time the Moon and the Sun occupied the same position in the sky. In order to unite the civic calendar with the ceremonial one, the Aztecs decided to reduce one day; this event was to be repeated after 72 months.
Hence the concept of leap time derived. It is pertinent to point out the measurement systems that the inhabitants of this tribe had:
Xiuhpohualli
This calendar was characterized by guiding the actions of the Mexica. In this way it is perceived that its function was social, since it indicated the appropriate dates for the usual tasks, such as cultivating the fields or erecting houses. It is worth emphasizing that it was governed by the solar cycle.
Said treaty consisted of 365 days, which were divided into 18 months of 3 weeks each. Also, five of those days were extra. Frequent activities ceased and the natives focused on purification rites.
Tonalpohualli
The tonalpohualli (count of days) consisted of 20 months. These periods were divided into almost 2 weeks. This 260-day almanac stood out for including 20 symbols and 13 numbers that were linked to north, south, east or west. The purpose was to set a specific date.
This calendar was made up of 4 sections: ácatl (cane), tochtli (rabbit), calli (house) and técpatl (flint). It indicated when the rituals of sacrifice and gratitude should be performed. The aim was for man to learn to balance the religious sphere with daily acts.
Calendar days
For the Aztecs, the month had 20 days which had 22 hours: 13 daytime and 9 nighttime. Each day reflected a particular symbol, as it will be shown below:
Mexica painting whose drawings are related to the calendar. Source: Internet Archive Book Images
-Cipactli: alligator.
-Ehacatl: wind.
-Calli: home.
-Cuetzpalin: lizard.
-Cóatl: snake.
-Miquiztli: skull.
-Mazatl: deer.
-Tochtli: rabbit.
-Atl: water.
-Itzcuintli: dog.
-Ozomatli: monkey.
-Malinalli: grass.
-Ácatl: cane.
-Ocelotl: jaguar.
-Quauhtli: eagle.
-Cozcaquauhtli: vulture.
-Ollin: movement.
-Técpatl: flint.
-Quiahuitl: rain.
-Xochitl: flower.
Calendar months
According to the Mexica, the annual period was fragmented into 18 months. Throughout each month a specific ceremony was held, which was addressed to a god. Therefore, the deities were consecrated individually for 20 days.
Currently, it is still unknown when the Aztec year began. Some chroniclers stated that it began on February 13, according to the Gregorian calendar; but Bernardino de Sahagún (1500-1590) stated that it began on the 23rd.
The argument of that missionary was that the cycle was extended due to the unfortunate and extra days. Now it is essential to mention the months and their meanings:
-Atlacahualo: end of the waters.
-Tlacaxipehualiztli: skinning of beings.
-Tozoztontli: small vigil.
-Hueytozoztli: great vigil.
-Toxcatl: drought.
-Etzalcualiztli: corn food.
-Tecuilhuitontli: small feast of chiefs.
-Hueytecuilhuitl: great celebration of gentlemen.
-Tlaxochimaco: flowering.
-Xocohuetzi: day of the dead.
-Ochpaniztli: lustration of the road.
-Teotleco: return of the gods.
-Tepeilhuitl: courtship of hills.
-Quecholli: precious feather.
-Panquetzaliztli: flower war.
-Atemoztli: descent of water.
-Tititl: stretching.
-Izcalli: resurrection.
References
- Aksel, T. (2011). Reconstruction and characteristics of the aztec calendar. Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from Centro de Estudios Superiores de México y Centroamérica: cesmeca.mx
- Broda, N. (2007). The pre-Hispanic calendars. Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from the Mexican Academy of History: acadmexhistoria.org.mx
- Kohler, V. (2001). The time for the mexica tribe. Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from the Department of History: history.columbia.edu
- Locke, O. (2005). Worldview of the indigenous mexicans. Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from Academia: academia.edu
- Ortiz, J. (2004). The primitive ideas of the Mexica. Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from Historia Magazine: historia.es
- Paget, C. (2008). Cultere and art: who were the Aztecs? Retrieved on November 27, 2019 from Instituto Cultural Quetzalcóatl: samaelgnosis.net
- Sejourne, D. (2010). Portrait of the Aztec Calendar: Thought and Religion. Retrieved on November 26, 2019 from the Inter-American Indigenous Institute: dipublico.org