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Toltec Warriors 34 RES 42 AUTUMN 2002 4. Figure Toltec warriors. a. Tikal, Stela 31, Yax Nun Ayin. Detail, left side. Courtesy Tikal Project, University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. Toltec CLEMENCYCOGGINS D?sir?e Charnay, French expeditionary photographer, Most scholars, especially historians and archaeologists, even in of impelled by a European fascination with heroic travel, have accepted Charnay's conclusions, light Aztec discovery, and recording of antiquities in the New the known propensity of the for rewriting history, were to rest at a on World, raised money to follow the legendary journey of and doubts officially laid conference Quetzalcoatl from Tula,1 in the Mexican state of Tula, in 1941 inMexico (L?pez Austin 1989:32). There, common-sense of Hidalgo, to the east (Charnay 1887). In his quest for the the idea that the magnificent Tollan was was a truth behind the legend of this iconic feathered serpent, Aztec history Teotihuacan over-ridden by on Charnay defined what would become the longest majority of the eminent conferees who focused the running debate in ancient Mesoamerican history and reality of Tula, Hidalgo, and its specific role in the Aztec about the archaeology. Beginning at Tula, Hidalgo, Charnay ended histories. Because of apparent certainty dating his travels 800 miles to the southeast, at Chich?n Itz?, in and identity of the historical Tula, derived from these Yucat?n, where he noticed serpent columns and a ball sources, itwas also generally accepted that Chich?n so court ring that closely resembled some he had seen at Itz?, which resembled Tula, ancient capital of the was its Tula (fig. 1; map).2 This led him to research the Toltec, civilized world, remote, contemporary foreign ancient inhabitants of Tula, and Quetzalcoatl, their colony. This view was convincingly demonstrated by feathered-serpent god-king. Reading sixteenth century the portraits of dozens of certifiable Toltec warriors central Mexican Aztec accounts, Charnay found the portrayed with their characteristic weapons in the relief Toltec were believed to have created civilization, and sculpture of both Tula and Chich?n Itz?. that, historically, they had invaded the Maya regions. He saw Toltec accomplishments as "excellent, graceful, and Toltec, In the following overview of the debate delicate" (82) and was confident "no human blood ever about Chich?n Itz? and Tula Iwill concentrate on the art stained their altar, their offerings consisting of fruits, historical and archaeological points of view, seeking flowers, and birds" (88). Eventually, he concluded that cultural constants found at these two places and all Mesoamerican ruins were Toltec; that they were not elsewhere much earlier, might be described As Toltec. very old, and that Tula, Hidalgo, had been their capital. Apparently consistent throughout at least thirteen Thus, he insisted on the unity of Mesoamerican culture. centuries (a.d. 200-1500), and many central Mexican If he had other less probable notions, they were standard penetrations into Maya regions, was a Toltec ideal that for the period, and his insights about theTula-Chich?n epitomized the primordial Toltecs of Tollan?the source axis have not gone out of style, as we shall see. of wisdom and inventors of the calendar, or creators of civilization, the arts and sciences (Davies 1977:416). "The Nahuas of the time to the Tula and Chich?n Itz? just prior Conquest associated Toltec?yotl [Toltecness] with everything Lindsay Jones, in the book Twin City Tales, analyzes superlative in their culture [Itwas] the summing up of the relationship between Tula and Chich?n Itz? from the ancient wisdom and art" (L?on-Portilla 1963:79, 80). was point of view of comparative religion, describing "the Tollan seen as the first city by the Aztec tlamatini, as infamous sister-city semblance" [noted above, as] "the Teotihuacan would have been by the Toltec of Tula burnt-over district of Mesoamerican studies" (1995:13). Hidalgo, thus representing the urban, and exemplifying civilization. "In native thought Tollan was the source of all legitimate power... all legitimate rulers needed I am Tollan ancestors" (Feldman 1974:150). Toltec meant to especially grateful for the invaluable comments and suggestions ofWilliam Ringle, Leonardo L?pez Lujan,Miguel P?rez be learned in the historic tradition, calendar and the David and an Negrete, Virginia Miller, Shannon Plank, Stuart, "loftiest theological ideas" (L?on-Portilla 1963:79), as anonymous reviewer. was true of the N?huatl word tlamatini?the wise men 1. In this paper, the place name "Tula" refers to Tula, Hidalgo; who personified writing and wisdom, analogous to the "Tollan" refers first to Teotihuacan, to other places considered to have Yucatecan word ah its'at, for a wise man. Toltec also been Tollans, and to the "legendary" Tollan. 2. meant to be in The discovery, hypothesis formation, and photographic knowledgeable every facet of the noble documentation took two trips. life, including, and especially, military prowess. The 36 RES 42 AUTUMN 2002 TOLTEC COLUMN IN THE CASTILLO. TOLTEC COLUMN AT TtlLA. Figure 1. Columns at Chich?n Itz? and Tula. From Charnay 1887:343. at word Toltec?yotl, however, has usually described the city, by their descendants Tula, Hidalgo, and finally by extraordinary artistic and literary skills of the Toltec their descendants atTenochtitlan?although this cultural (L?on-Portilla 1963:167-176; L?on-Portilla 1980), continuity took different forms at different times and was whereas in this paper, which considers Toltec traits that places.3 The Toltec ideal which transmitted from a.d. to be traced originated at Teotihuacan about 200 and spread elite father elite son, may archaeologically of throughout Mesoamerica, Toltec?yotl is not used for lack through itswarrior society and associated evidence storm an of archaeological evidence of such creativity abroad. god and calendric ritual, intertwined with a Instead, "Toltec" will describe the ideal of rulership that evolving role for Quetzalcoatl that finally, millennium evoked a noble warrior who was learned in the history later, bore little, if any, resemblance to the feathered and priestly duties of Tollan (Sahagun, bk. 8:chs. 17, 20), serpent of the original Tollan. a and who might pursue them in foreign environment where the roles of military officer and director of the Quetzalcoatl: the legend marketplace would also have been essential (bk. 8:ch.19). Such use of Toltec does not assume the concept had Once upon a time there was an old, wise, humble to the mythic complexity or cultural brilliance of itsAztec king given solitary penitential devotions: cold himself with thorns. significance. Nor, indeed, that the third-century-A.D. nocturnal bathing and puncturing measure to feathered serpents of the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl at He taught his people to write and to time, weave cotton Teotihuacan were intended to evoke the man-god of work gold, jade, and feathers, to grow and as to raise corn cacao. He built Aztec legend. But, more simply, it suggests that of many hues, and and a Teotihuacan's plan was conceived and its pyramids built, four precious houses for fasting and prayer, and temple the foundations of "Toltec" were laid. with serpent columns. But his extraordinary piety on Here, in addition to a characteristic understanding of excited anger among the sorcerers, intent destroying time and the calendar, Toltec refers to qualities of the Toltec. They tricked him into drunken behavior that military and commercial leadership exemplified by and citizens of ancient a traveling emigrating Teotihuacan, 3. Enrique Florescano has recently adopted such long view in by their Epiclassic descendants after the collapse of the Memoria Mexicana (1999:ch. 4). Coggins: Toltec 37 TROPICOFCANCER. 23.5DEGREES NORTH LATITUDE CHALCHIHUITES LAQUEMADA ISLACERRITOS 15DEGREES NORTH LATITUDE PACIFICOCEAN SANTALUCIA /EL SALVADOR Map of Mesoamerica with the Tropic of Cancer and 15 Degrees North Latitude indicated. so shamed him he fled to the east (Sahag?n, bk.3:chs. 3, However, according to Sahag?n, Quetzalcoatl . 4, 12). There, at the edge of the sea, dressed in his "fashioned a raft of serpents [and] set off going divine feathers and turquoise mask, Quetzalcoatl burned across the sea" (fig. 2; bk. 3:ch. 14). Here we lose the himself up and rose into the sky.4 The old people say he mytho-historical Quetzalcoatl, said to have been born became the star that appears at dawn?the Lord of the in the year 1 Reed (understood to be a.d. 843) and to Dawn (Bierhorst 1992:36), or Venus. More variable in have died in year 1 Reed (a.d. 895) after fifty-two are the Aztec accounts those parts of the legend that years or one calendric cycle?a period represented describe Quetzalcoatrs departure from Tollan and his metaphorically by a tied bundle of fifty-two sticks or travels to the Gulf Coast. According to Sahag?n (bk. canes. Many versions of the story of Quetzalcoatl have 3:ch. 12) when Quetzalcoatl left Tollan he buried the survived, but as apotheosized ruler of Tollan and works of art, all the marvelous and costly things; exemplar of civilization his legendary persona and everything else he burned, including his exquisite shimmering spirit have both presided over the houses. He changed the cacao trees to mesquite and theological questions and historical confusion that cloud sent the birds of precious feather to anahuac, the land at Tula, Chich?n Itz?, and Tollan to this day.6 How this the edge of the water. Thus he destroyed the civilization transcendant being was manifest in Toltec, as defined he had created, and headed east, with his people, to here, is the subject of this paper. Tlillan-Tlapallan, place of knowledge, believed to be the Gulf Coast (Sahag?n, bk. 3:ch. 4; bk. 10:ch. 29).5 Fire ritual.
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