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Home , Ahuitzotl, Aztec (novel), Moctezuma I, Moctezuma II, Tlatoani

at the BM MOCTEZUMA II: MAN, MYTH, AND EMPIRE Leonardo López Luján, Colin McEwan, and Elisenda Vila Llonch

hen the Spanish Conquest with the xiuhuitzolli, the triangular of began with turquoise diadem that served as an Hernán Cortés’ first landfall emblem of royal rulership, and was also W at in 1519, adopted by Moctezuma as the principal Moctezuma II (Fig 1) was in the process element in his name glyph. Much of of consolidating an empire that the information we have about the embraced a large swathe of central investiture is derived from later sec - Mexico. He is perhaps best known for ondary colonial sources, however there his role in the subsequent turbulent is one surviving archaeological object events surrounding the Conquest, known as the Coronation Stone that before meeting his death under myste - probably commemorates this impor - rious circumstances. Moctezuma’s fame tant event. This large rectangular stone has, nevertheless, been projected down slab is carved on both sides as well as the centuries through texts and images on its edges (Fig 2). On the underside, so that it still resonates today. The the date 1 Rabbit marks the beginning British Museum traces this extraordi - of time in beliefs. The four nary biographical narrative in edges of the monument are carved ‘Moctezuma: Ruler’ - the fourth with images of , the Earth and final exhibition in a series explor - Goddess, who crouches with open ing the role of renowned leaders in upturned jaws waiting to be nourished world history. by sacrificial blood. Flanking each, Tlal - Moctezuma’s great-grandfather tecuhtli are symbols for fire-water had been the sixth ruler (teoatl-tlachinolli ), invoking the sacred (r. 1440-1469). Following the death of obligation to wage war and make sacri - his uncle who ruled from fices. On the upper surface of the stone 1486 until 1502, Moctezuma II was a cosmogram of the universe is comple - elected ninth huey - ‘Ruling mented by two glyph dates, 1 Croco - Lord’ or ‘Great Speaker’ - referring to dile and 11 Reed, which can be read as the rhetorical skills demanded of those 15 July 1503, the date thought to repre - who held high office. From 1502 until sent the culmination of Moctezuma’s 1520, Moctezuma held sway as the Rul - coronation. ing Lord of the who are now To display his new-found political more correctly referred to as the Mexica prestige Moctezuma ordered the con - (the people and culture we know as struction of a new palace, nearly all ‘Aztec’ referred to themselves as the traces of which were erased soon after Mexica - pronounced Me-shee-ka). Like the fall of in 1521. Its his predecessors Moctezuma gave a original location, lying adjacent to the fresh impetus to the growth of the Sacred Precinct in the heart of the city, imperial capital Tenochtitlan commis - can be deduced from colonial represen - Fig 1. Portrait of Moctezuma by Antonio Rodriguez. Oil on sioning monumental sculptures that tations and their accompanying textual canvas, 1680-97. 180 x 165cm. Museo degli Argenti, Florence © Su concessione del Ministero per I Beni e le Attività Culturali. formed part of an ambitious pro - accounts. The first western map accom - gramme of public architecture. This panying the letters by Cortés to Charles Fig 2. Coronation Stone of Moctezuma, Art Institute of Chicago, early 16th century. article identifies some of those artefacts V depicts a broad plan of the ‘city in 22.8 x 67.3 x 57.7cm. © Art Institute of Chicago. that have survived and that help con - the lake’ (Fig 7). vey an understanding of the nature of Sculptures and architectural frag - his rulership - how he sought to be por - ments have been excavated from the trayed at the height of his powers and foundations of Moctezuma’s Palace how his public visibility was managed that lie buried beneath the National and manipulated. Palace (see Minerva, Novem - Moctezuma’s investiture in 1502-3 ber/December 2008, pp. 5-6). One such followed prescribed protocols that surviving sculpture is the formidable unfolded over many months. After ini - quadrangular sculpted head of a ser - tial ceremonies at the Great Temple pent that recalls the archaic Xochicalca and in the palace, Moctezuma was style (Fig 8). The feathered ruff around called upon to wage a ‘coronation war’. its neck, alludes to , or This was a military campaign designed ‘feathered serpent’, the legendary ruler to secure captives for sacrifice to the of Tula. Mexica rulers, including gods and to prove his skills and bravery Moctezuma, made constant reference in the battlefield. Evidence of to Tula, revisiting the abandoned site Moctezuma’s journey can be seen in a to copy its art style and iconography. large carved outcrop in the foothills of Mexica sculptors also left an imprint of Mt Iztaccihuatl known as the Ame - their presence in the form of an image cameca Stone. of the water goddess Chalchiutlicue Upon his return to Tenochtitlan in and the culture hero Ce Acatl Top - a triumphal parade, Moctezuma was itltzin on a nearby cliff-face (Fig 9). duly enthroned in a ceremony that Another impressive sculpture is the lasted several days. He was crowned large, skillfully executed tail of a rattle

8 Minerva , September/October 2009 Mexicas at the BM

Fig 6. Wooden mask encrusted with turquoise Fig 4. Wooden mask encrusted with turquoise and Fig 5. Wooden mask encrusted with turquoise and and shell, thought to represent the god shell, possibly representing Tonatiuh. Mexico, shell, representing the rain god . Mexico, Tezcatlipoca, or possibly possibly Mictlantecuhtli. 15th or 16th century. H. 19.5cm. 15th or 16th century. H. 19.5cm. W. 12.5cm. Mexico, 15th or 16th century. H. 19.5cm, W. 12.5cm. © Trustees of the British Museum. © Trustees of the British Museum. W. 12.5cm. © Trustees of the British Museum. snake (Fig 11). This stone sculpture Moctezuma was portrayed in same rituals (Fig 12). Moctezuma is rep - was once covered with a thin layer of anthropomorphic form as a figure cos - resented here as mediator between the stucco and brightly painted. From the tumed with regalia identifying him as nocturnal forces. He is feeding the serpent’s scales six ears of corn a personified deity. His name glyph on Earth Goddess, who is carved on the emerge, reflecting its importance as a certain monuments identifies these as underside of the casket, with his own staple food. The serpent sculpture having been commissioned by him sacrificial blood. Thus Moctezuma might in fact represent Chicomecóatl, and asserts his symbolic presence. The Fig 7 (below left). becomes a central player in the cosmic the goddess of corn and provider of standardised glyph is composed of an Nuremberg Map, order and through his ritual actions sustenance. This monumental sculp - assemblage of recognisable elements: a from: from: ensures cosmic balance. ture conceivably guarded the entrance triangular diadem inlaid with Hernán Cortés, A number of major sculpted monu - Cartas de relación, to the palace granaries where the food turquoise mosaic set against short, Nuremburg 1524, ments reveal how Moctezuma’s image was kept for redistribution in times of straight hair and earspool, plus a nose Paper. 35 x 65cm. is linked to significant cosmic events. drought and famine. Numerous stor - ornament and double speech scroll. On the front of the so-called Teocalli of age houses were located in the palace Several stone caskets, or tepetlacalli, Sacred Warfare two standing figures precinct proclaiming Moctezuma’s with representations of Moctezuma’s flank the solar disk (Figs 14, 15). On the control over the wealth and resources glyph have survived. left stands , the tribal of the empire (Fig 10). One example shows his glyph- god of the Mexica; to the right stands Moctezuma’s public visibility and name on the inside of the lid, indicat - Moctezuma, identified by his name image were carefully controlled and ing that this was a treasured personal Fig 8 (below). Stone glyph and adorned with a Chichimec serpent head from he was presented to his people as a object belonging to the ruler. In , 15th headdress and cloak, alluding to his semi-divine figure and model to be another scene the glyph and the or 16th century. royal origins. Both figures grasp the followed by the Mexica nation. His anthropomorphic representation of Museo Nacional de spines used to draw their own blood. divine status granted him special rela - Moctezuma are found together. Antropología, The image leaves no doubt that Mexico. 55.5 x 55.5 tions with the gods, and it was Moctezuma is depicted as a seated fig - x 64cm. © Museo Moctezuma is positioned on a par with through his deeds and intervention ure performing self-sacrifice by pierc - Nacional de the divinities and performing a vital that the wellbeing of his people and ing his earlobe with a maguey spine, Antropología. role in cosmic affairs. The symbol for the stability of the cosmos were while on the opposite side of the box, assured. the god Quetzalcoatl is performing the

Minerva , September/October 2009 9 Mexicas at the BM

burning water, for burning water once stood in the Sacred Precinct of (teoatl-tlachinolli ) emerges from his Tenochtitlan and has Moctezuma’s mouth underlining his demand for name-glyph carved on the top left warfare and sacrifices to be able to side of the solar disk next to the date feed the Earth Goddess and to allow 1 Flint. At its centre is the frontal face the sun to be re-born every day after of a deity with clawed limbs embed - its journey through the underworld. ded within the glyph for 4-Movement Moreover, Moctezuma stands above that represents the present era or Sun. the date 2 Reed, one of the calendar This central image perhaps symbolises dates flanking the staircase in the the sun in the sub-earthly realm. front of this monument. Around one decorative band run the Huitzilopochtli is placed above the 20-day glyphs of the 260 day calendar glyph 1 Rabbit. Those dates respec - encapsulating the need to maintain tively mark the celebration of the the solar circle and the sacrifices New Fire Ceremony, which fell in required to ensure its daily return. Fig 9 (above left). Rock relief of the water goddess Chalchiutlicue (at left) with Ce Acatl Topitltzin (at right) at Cerro de la Malinche, 1507 (2 Reed) during Moctezuma’s Direct in-situ evidence for Tula, 50km north-west of Mexico City, c. AD 1200-1400. reign. The New Fire ceremony, or Moctezuma’s presence is difficult to Fig 10 (above). Folio 69 of the depicting xiuhmolpilli, literally translated as ‘the find in the archaeological record. An Moctezuma in his palace, 16th century. 30 x 21cm. binding of years’, was held at the end exception is possibly the last work © Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. of each 52-year cycle when the inter - commissioned by Moctezuma, his meshed solar and divinatory calen - sculpted portrait at Hill. by six glyphs, which probably mark dars began the cycle anew. Another Following a tradition begun by his the major events in his reign. The magnificent sculpture, a coiled Xiuh - great-grandfather Moctezuma I, all date 1 Crocodile probably refers to his coatl or fire serpent worked in diorite, subsequent Mexica rulers carved their coronation ceremony. Above it the bears Moctezuma’s glyph on its portraits/images in the bedrock of Moctezuma glyph name is carved underside above the date 2 Reed. Here Chapultepec Hill. Moctezuma’s image speaking the symbol for burning- the message is condensed into just the seems to have been executed around water, war and sacrifices. On top of it two glyphs declaring that Moctezuma 1519, shortly before the traumatic the glyph 2 Reed, bound by a rope, was the patron of the 1507 New Fire events that would irrevocably alter refers again to the major New Fire Ceremony. the world as he knew it. He is por - Ceremony that took place during his Another huge circular monolith trayed as a standing frontal figure, reign. On the other side of the figure reinforces the responsibility of the fully armed and dressed with the two of the glyphs are considerably Mexica ruler to control and maintain flayed skin traditionally worn by the defaced, but the date 1 Reed is clearly the cycles of time. This is the so-called god Xipe Totec, a god of war, and seen at the top. This reinforces the Sun Stone (Fig 16), which probably renewal (Fig 17). His image is flanked close relationship of the ruler with the god Quetzalcoatl, and might com - memorate 1519. This was the fateful Fig 11 (below left). Basalt serpent tail with maize cobs, CONACULTA-INAH, Mexico, 15th or 16th century. 99.8 x 56 x 138cm. © Museo Nacional de Antropología. Fig 12. Stone Hackmack Casket depicting Moctezuma, Museum fur Volkerkunde, Hamburg, 16th century. 15 x 33.5 x 21cm. © Museum für Völkerkunde, Hamburg.

10 Minerva , September/October 2009 Mexicas at the BM

year when foreigners set foot in Moctezuma’s domain. ‘Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler’ runs at the Moctezuma was the political, eco - British Museum 24 September - 24 nomical, and military leader of the January. A catalogue of the same empire, but he chose to immortalise name is available, edited by Colin his figure as a semi-divine ruler and McEwan and Leonardo López Luján key player in maintaining the stability (British Museum Press, 2009. 320pp, of the cosmos and the human rela - 230 colour illustrations. Hardback, tionship with divine forces. Surviving £40. Paperback, £25). Mexica monuments show how he was For further details: portrayed at his time; as a complex www.britishmuseum.org. and multi-faceted figure that led the Mexica empire in their ideological and religious pursuits. Later colonial images downplayed the religious and divine aspects of his rulership and emphasised his political role. Dr Leonardo López Luján is Senior Moctezuma’s palace was dismantled Researcher and Professor of Archaeology at and destroyed soon after the Con - the Museo del , Instituto quest, and the Palace of the Spanish Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Vicerroy was constructed on top as a Mexico City; Dr Colin McEwan is Head clear statement of the superimposi - of the Americas Section and Curator of Latin American Collections at the British tion of powers. Subsequently, after Museum; Elisenda Vila Llonch is Mexican Independence, it became the Assistant Curator for the Palacio Nacional, today the centre of Moctezuma Exhibition. governance in Mexico. Figs 14, 15 (above and left). Stone Teocalli of Sacred Warfare, discovered in 1831 in the foundations of the of Mexico, 15th or 16 century. 123 x 92 x 100cm. CONACULTA-INAH, Mexico. © Museo Nacional de Antropología. Fig 16 (left). Sun Stone, discovered at El Zócalo in the centre of Mexico City in 1790. CONACULTA-INAH, Mexico, 15th or 16th century. Diam. 3.6m. © Museo Nacional de Antropología. Fig 17 (below left). Drawing of a 16th-century stone relief frontal portrait of Moctezuma II at Chapultepec Hill on the outskirts of Mexico City. Drawing: Jim Farrant. Fig 18. Wood and turquoise mosaic of a double-headed serpent from Mexico. An icon of Mexica art, this striking object was probably worn on ceremonial occasions as a pectoral (an ornament worn on the chest), 15th-16th century AD. H. 20.5cm; W. 43cm. © Trustees of the British Museum.

Minerva , September/October 2009 9 The Intemational Review of Ancient Art 6r I NY- SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2009 PUBLISHEDIN GREATBRITAIN f"4.OOI$.7.99USA VOLUME 20 NUMBER5

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Sun Stone, discovered at El Zócalo in the centre of Mexico City in 779O.CONACULM-INAH, Mexico, 15th or 16th century. ,llil!ilililllilililU[|lffitl' Diam. 3.6m. @ Museo Nacional de Antropología.