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Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: the Legacy in Stone

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Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: the Legacy in Stone Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone Elizabeth Jiménez García and Robert H. Cobean Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico Here we present a brief study eventually covering more than 16 km2 analyzing the depictions of key characters in between the Tula and Rosas Rivers, with a processions the architecture at the ceremonial center adjacent to the broad and archaeological site of Tula, located in the fast-moving Tula River. modern city of Tula (Hidalgo, México The majority of the sculptural (Figure 1). Ancient Tula was a city that representations in Tula depict richly evolved principally between CE 900-1150, costumed personages with weapons appropriate to a warrior elite. Here we focus on specific groups of individuals placed in strategic locations within the ceremonial precinct known as Tula Grande (Figure 2), who are directed or are oriented towards a point, indicating to us that these groups are processions. These individuals were portrayed on small platforms called benches, which are low constructions horizontally placed along walls, with a height between 50 and 60 centimeters. Figure 1. Location of the Archaeological Zone of Tula, State of Hidalgo, Mexico. Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 154 Figure 2 (above). Buildings of the ceremonial precinct known as Tula Grande. (Drawing: Alba Guadalupe Mastache and Jesús Acevedo García) Between 1940 and 1960, Jorge R. Acosta discovered several benches that were still in situ; he considered all the benches to be part of the same construction phase (Figure 3). Figure 3 (at left). Benches at the Burned Palace, Tula. (Cobean, Jiménez and Mastache 2012: Fig. VII.11, after Acosta 1956) Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 155 They were found in the Burned (Figure 4). Surely the benches had various Palace (Rooms 2 and 4, and in Hall 2); in functions, including those of seats and altars Vestibule 1 (located between Pyramids B (Acosta 1945; 1956; 1957; 1961; 1967). and C), and in the Altar of Building 4 Figure 4. Location of the benches in situ in the ceremonial precinct. (After an architectural drawing of Fernando Báez Urincho). The fronts of the benches were covered with represented, and in the upper register, the stone panels sculpted in relief in two vertical tablero, were sculpted serpents with registers, thus a kind of small talud-tablero undulating bodies. At least two types of format. On the lower wall, the talud ritual processions existed that were led by (usually vertical but sometimes slightly kings, priests and/or important warriors, as sloping), standing individuals were we will discuss here. Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 156 Processions in Tula The groups of individuals represented on the but they do not bear specific names, instead benches have various characteristics: they they display detailed paraphernalia and are men in complex costumes including costumes of Toltec elites. These elites are headdresses, capes, and specific garments. depicted with a frontal or three-quarter view They wear their insignias of prestige (such of the torso but with the face in profile. as ear spools, breastplates, and necklaces), They are walking towards a specific point in but they also carry arms and staffs. Most of space and they are guided or accompanied these personages carry richly feathered by serpents placed above their heads. In shields in one hand, and a weapon in the only one case, the elite figures are other hand (an atlatl, a spear, a feathered accompanied by bisected conch shells staff, or a curved weapon). It is possible instead of serpents. that these images are portraits of individuals, Warriors with feathered serpents and with serpents having conch shells For this type of procession, we have three important individual (see Figure 18, below). groups (A, B, C), each composed of two These personages are still found in situ, and lines or processions of personages who are depicted with a line of serpents above converge on a meeting point, or on a very their bodies. Group A: With two processions, Group A is located in Hall 2 of the Burned Palace. Procession 1 Beginning in Room 2, (Figures 5a, procession (Figure 5a) is a warrior with 5b) Procession 1 originally continued on the circular eye goggles, thus having attributes east wall of Hall 2, and finished in the exit of the principal rain deity or Storm God, that enters Vestibule 2, leading toward the Tlaloc. Among the individuals at the end of Central Plaza. The person leading this this procession is an aged warrior, with a well-pronounced jaw and a curved back (Figure 5b). Figure 5a and 5b. Group A, Procession 1 in the Burned Palace. 5a, at left: Individuals who lead the group exiting Hall 2 (Drawing: Elizabeth Jiménez García); 5b, at right: The last individuals who leave Room 2 in Hall 2. (after Acosta 1957) Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 157 Procession 2 Also in Group A, Procession 2 also warrior or priest of a deity related to could have begun in Room 2 so as to move Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, as the deity of wind towards the north wall of Hall 2 (Figure 6), and creativity was known by the Nahuas of then continuing towards the west wall, and the Central Mexican Highlands during the exiting in Vestibule 2 in front of the Late Postclassic period. Both processions previous Group. Although we cannot know exited Hall 2 and continued towards the who led this second group of personages, it south to enter Vestibule 2, which had access is probable that this leader was an important to the main plaza. Figure 6. Group A, Procession 2. The final individuals in this procession. North Side of Hall 2, Burned Palace. (Drawing: Elizabeth Jiménez García) Group B: has parts of two processions (3 and 4) that eventually converged in Vestibule 1, and continued towards Pyramid B. Procession 3 Procession 3 was called the “Friso (or staff) either beside them, or resting on de los Caciques” (Frieze of the Lords) their shoulders. They are walking towards (Figure 7a) by Jorge Acosta (1945) and the stairway that offers access to the temple Hugo Moedano (1947), and the individuals on Pyramid B. depicted are carrying a shield and a baton Figure 7a. Group B, Processions 3 and 4 in Vestibule 1; here are the individuals of Procession 3, known as the “Frieze of the Lords.” (Drawing: Elizabeth Jiménez García). Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 158 Procession 4 The second part of Group B, Procession 4, survives as only one panel in situ near Pyramid C. It shows the partial torso of a warrior holding a round shield in his left hand and a curved weapon in his right hand (Figure 7b). This person was at the final end of the procession, and was among the personages represented on the southeast wall of Vestibule 1, which also had access to the base of the main stairway of Pyramid B. The Frieze of the Lords started the procession on the west side of Vestibule 1. Another group of individuals started their procession on the opposite end of the same vestibule, but both processions eventually converge at the base of Pyramid B. The lone in situ warrior for Procession 4 (unlike the figures in the Frieze of the Lords) does not carry a staff, but instead uses a curved weapon. Figure 7b Group B, Processions 3 and 4 in Vestibule 1; this is the only individual preserved in Procession 4. (Drawing: Elizabeth Jiménez García). Group C: is part of the Altar of Building 4 (Figure 8). Figure 8. Group C, Processions 5 and 6, on the Altar of Building 4.. The preserved individuals form part of Procession 5, while Procession 6 survives only as a scepter or plumed baton to the left of central (front-facing) individual. (Drawing: Elizabeth Jiménez García) Jiménez García and Cobean, “Ritual Processions in Ancient Tollan: The Legacy in Stone” Processions in the Ancient Americas, Penn State University Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 33 (2016): 159 Processions 5 and 6 These two processions converge near sacred individual with close ties to the a personage whose body is represented feathered serpent. For the two groups of frontally, with his face in profile: behind principal warriors, one presumably was him there is a feathered serpent with an associated with Tlaloc, while the other is undulating body oriented vertically. Due to still not identified, but probably was under the central placement of this figure, together the guardianship of Quetzalcoatl, whose with emphasis on the Feathered Serpent, image is placed above the heads of the Acosta (1956: 74-80) identified him as the second group of warriors. “Great Priest Quetzalcoatl” (Gran Sacerdote These three groups of processions Quetzalcóatl). The individuals depicted in are accompanied by a line of serpents that this bench (or altar) look like real people, advances horizontally in the panel formed personages who are occupying rooms in a by the small frieze of serpents that are large structure behind the altar, which leaving the benches and advancing in the Fernando Báez (2007) proposes functioned same direction as the humans.
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