THE XALAQUIA CEREMONY

CHARLES E. DIBBLE

The present study is an attempt to explore the possible meaning or meanings of a ceremony called xalaquia. The term is apparently limited to Sahagún's Historia and his Primeros Memoríales. Saha­ gún's explanation thereof occurs only once in the corresponding Spanish texto The ceremony is first mentioned in Book II, in the month Uei tecuilhuitl. According to the Nahuatl text, after a woman had been arrayed as the likeness of the gooddess Xilonen, "she entered at four places" -nauhcampa yn aquja, "or she entered the sand"- anofo xalaquja. Thus the entering at four places is a ceremony which is equated with entering the sand, i.e., the xalaquia ceremony. The Nahuatl text gives the meaning of the ceremony: Hit was said 'she enters the sand' because in this way she made known her death -that on the morrow she wouId ynic mitoa xalaqui, ic quimachtilia }'1t jmiquizJ in miquiz muztla. The Nahuatl text con­ tinues by giving the four places she entered and uses the verb aquí or aquia. X alaquía does not occur in this portion of the texto In personal correspondance, Dr. Angel Maria Garibay K. suggested aquia is probably an assimilation of aaquia "enter the water" The four places of entry were Tetamazolco, Necoquixecan (Necoc Ixecan ), Atenchicalcan and Xolloco. These four places or stations "followed, accompanied the four year-bearers -acatl, tecpatl, calli, tochtli-" fá quitoctiaia, fan qujujcaltiaia yn nauhtetl xiuhtonalli yn acatl, in tecpatl in calli, in tochtli. 1 Sahagún's corresponding Spanish text adds further detail: "many women surrounded the woman [arrayed as the goddess XilonenJ and took her to offer incense at the four pIaces" -cercábanla mu­ chas mujeres; llevábanla en medio a ofrecer incienso a cuatro partes.

1 Sahagún, 1950, n, 97.8. 198 CHARLES E. DlBBLE THE "The offering took place on the aftemoon prior to her death" esta ofrendo. hacía a la tarde antes que muriese. "This offering was the water's edge where tl called xalaquia because she was to die the following day." A esta Tenayuca, as shown in a ofrenda llamaban xalaquia porque el día siguiente había de morir. The Nahuatl text states The four places are mentioned and Sahagún adds that "these four "there the water gushed places where the offerings were made commemorated the four year· "there the wind faded a'\\ bearers" estos cuatro lugares donde ofrecían era en reverencia de temple called Atenchicalc los cuatro caracteres de la cuenta de los años. 2 Cuitlahuac called Atenchi It seems probable that the four places mentioned can be related is a canal or break in the: to the four year-bearers and the four dÍrections as follows: Tetama· Caso interprets the name : zoleo -acatl- east; Necoc-Ixecan -tecpatl- north; Atenchi· Iocates it "entre San Juan calean -calli- west; Xolloco -tochtli- south. It is further and a fortification at the possible that the four places were Iocated along the four principal causeway that led to Ixt causeways at points where the causeways reached the lake shore. If there were the single The Nahuatl text and Sahagún's corresponding Spanish clearIy forro and meaning thefe(l relate the places to the year-bearers: Tetamazoleo, Necoc Ixecan, tined to be sacrificed el Atenchicalean, Xolloco -acatl, tecpatl, calli, tochtli-. The evidence places. The ceremony si! relating the four year-bearers to the directions appears in Sahagún's Iowing day. A secondal") Calendar Wheel (fig. 1), and its accompanying text as found in four year-bearers and th~ Book VII of the Florentine Codex. The text explains: pears elsewhere in Book ponding explanation in S It proceedeth in this way: they begin with the east, which is will be considered in the where the reeds are (or, according to others, with the south, where During the month Qt the rabbit is) and say One Reed. And thence they go to the honor of Mixcoatl. The: north, where the flint is, and they say Two Flint Knife. Then feast day had arrived, wll they go the west, where the house is, and there they say Three ed, then there was enteri House. And then they go to the south, which is where the rab­ die entered the sand. M' bit is, and they say Four Rabbit. And then they tum to the east. they would die. They toe and say Five Reed. s stone". Auh in oacic, i Sorne of the places mentioned have been Iocated. Tetamazolco cempoalli: vneá xalaeoa, was a deep stretch of water, a launching place for boats at the east in tonatiuh: mee qujnuicl end of the causeway which led eastward from the ceremonial center. • techcatl. Subsequently tt It wa,. said to be near Tepetzinco. 5 Necoc Ixecan (the place which kept them in vigiI during faces both directions) has not be en located. It could conceivablv ing day.13 be where the north causeway intersects the Tezontlalli canal the During the month of 1 boundary between Tenochtitlan and l1atelolco? 6 Or it could be at Iopochtli, the merchants ,

2 Sahagún, 1956, I, 180. 7 Marquina, 1960, fig. 1. Sahagún, 1950, vrr, fig. 20. B Sahagún, 1950, u, 97. 4 Marquina, 1960, fig. 1; Sahagún, 1950, Il, 84. JO Gihwn, 1964, 12, 42. 5 Sahagún, 1956, IV, 62. 11 Caso, 1956, 17. 6 Caso, 1956, 9. 12 Marquina, 1960, 25. :la Sahagún, 1950, n, 127-3. CHARLES E. nmBLE 311

Calendar WheeI (Flof'entine Co4~). ~BBLE I THE XALAQUIA CEREMONY 199 r()(ln prior to her death" esta [muriese. "This offering was tbethe water's edge where the causeway bifurcates to Tepeyacac and Je the following day." A esta Tenayuca, as shown in a map attributed to Hemán Cortés? 1 ldfa siguiente había de morir. The Nahuatl text states that Atenchicalcan was so named because ~gún adds that "these four "there the water gushed forth" -vncan oalcholoia yn aatl, ti, and ~ommemorated the four year­ "there the wind faded away-" vncan oalpopoliujaia yn ecatl. 8 A ~recian era en reverencia de temple called Atenchicalcan can be ruled out. 9 A subdivision of 2 ~s años. Cuitlahuac called Atenchicalcan 10 is likewise unlike1y. A possibility ' mentioned can be related is a canal or break in the causeway to Tacuba called Atenchicalco. ctions as follows: Tetama­ Caso interprets the name as meaning "en la orilla del chichical" and tecpatl- north; Atenchi­ locates it "entre San Juan de Letrán y Zarco". n Xolloc was a canal htli- south. It is further and a fortification at tbethe soutbemsouthem edge of the island and along the ted along the four principal causeway that led to IxtapaIapa.Ixtapalapa. 12 ~ reached the lake shore. If there were the single reference to the xalaquia ceremony, the ~rresponding Spanish clearly fonuforro and meaning thereof wouIdwould be clear. The impersonator des­ ¡Tetaniazolco, Necoc Ixecan, tined to be sacrificed entered (andlor offered incense) at four ¡calli, tochtli-. The evidence places. The ceremony signified the participant wouIdwould die the fol­foI­ .rections .appears in Sahagún's lowing day. A secondary meaning related the four places to the ~mpanymg text as found in four year-bearers and the four directions. However, the term ap­ ~ text explains: pears elsewhere in Book n and in Book IX, but without a corres­ I ponding expIanationexplanation in Sahagún's Spanish text. These occurrences ~n with the east, which is will be considered in the order of their appearance. i0thcrs, witb the south, where During the montbmonth Quecholli, bathed slavessIaves were sacrificed in ¡And thence they go to the honor of Mixcoatl. The N ahuatl text relates that: "when the very y Two FIint Knife. Then and thcre they say Three feast day had arrived, when the twenty days of Quecholli had end­ th, which is where the rab­ ed, then there was entering into the sand, then those who were to thcn they tum to the east. die entered the sand. After midday they then took them to where ~ they wouIdwould die. They took them in procession around the sacrifíciaIsacrificial , stone". Auh in oacic, in vel iquac ilhujtl, Quecholli inic tlamj Ibecn located. Tetamazolco cempoalli: vnca xalacoa, vnca xalaquj, in mjqujzque: vmmotzealo, gplace for boats at the east in tonatiuh: mee qujnviea in vmpa mjquizque: qujmoiaoaloehtia in from the ceremonial center. 4 teehcatl. Subsequently they took them to the calpulco where they ~oc Ixecan (the place which kept them in vigil during the night and sacrificed them the follow­ bated. It could conceivabJv ingoiugo day.13 ~ the Tezontlalli canal the During the month of Panquetzaliztli, which did honor to Huitzi­ ~teIolco? 6 Or it could be at lopochtli, the merchants were charged with the sacrificing of bathed

7 Marquina, 1960, fig. 1,l. 8 Sahagún, 1950, 1I,II, 97. 10 Gibson, 1964, 12, 42. 11 Caso, 1956, 17. 12 Marquina, 1960, 25. 13 Sahagún, 1950, 11, 127-8. THE 200 CHARLES E. DlBBLE In an article presentIy j slaves. The Nahuatl text records: "when they had been completcly bathíng, Dr. Arthur J. O arrayed, when they had assembled, when they had been given gifts, tion and Durán's several r then they took the bathed ones that they might enter the sand. a calatl, suggests that "the : When they had reached the temple-pyramid of the demon, accompanied the drinking then al1 c1imbed up the pyramid. \Vhen they camecarne to the top, then a term which meant the they cirded the sacrificial stone" in ótecencaoaloc,óteeeneaoaloe, in oneenvetz, :Finally, apart from the in ontetlauhtiloe: njman ie ie qujnviea in tlaaltilti, xalaquizque: in milar ceremony is mentic onacique tlaeateeulotltlacateeulotl iteupan, mee tleeo in teuealtiepae, in vmpan­ curred during the month e vetzito: mee qujoaliaoaloa in teeheatl. Subsequently they were when the sun set~ then t; brought down from the temple-pyramid, they held vigil over them sand. Everyone took th< during the night and sacrificed them the fol1owing day. l. prepared in the houses. ') During the month of lzcalli, bathed slaves were adorned as Ix­ whercupon all the comml co<;auhqui impersonators of Xiuhtecuhtli. 16 The Nahuatl text courtvard of the deviI. . states: "upon the morrow, on the moming of [the feast oI] lzcalli, the ~cred banners. For tI the bathed ones entered the sand. They brought them into the implanted m' t h e san d'21• . sand there at Tzonmolco" in ie iuh muztla, in ie oallatvi lzcalli:lzealli: Auh in iquac :ve o'ltaqul in tlaaltilti onxalaqui qujmonxalaquja vmpa tzommoleo. Subse­ quilo, vnca mochi quival( quently they were taken to the ealpuleo where they were bound 1Jaya in tepetiepac ic om! during the night and sacrificed the following day.17 muehintin q'valeuia in r. Mention of the xalaquia ceremony occurs also in Book IX, where motenevaya teteuh :talaq the activities of the merchants are described. lt may wel1 be the refers to the sacrifice of same ceremony as the one described for the month Panquetzaliztli. 18 The pictorial scene accorr The Nahuatl text records: "And the fourth time that they invited sacred banners (teteuitl) guests was at the time when, on the morrow, the bathed ones were Froro the several lnstal1 to die. While the sun was stiU a little strong they took them to [the to construct a composite temple oI] Vitzilopochtli. There they brought them into the sand, during the months of O there they made them drink the obsidian-knife-wash-water." "Auh quetzaliztli, Izcalli. T~e inieinic nappa tenotzaia: tcoacteoae in ie iuh moztla miquizque tlatlaaltilti, rating the goddess Xllor

oc aehi uei in tonatiuh, in quinhuiea ispan VitzilobuehtliJ in ompa Vitzilopochtli. It involv( quimoxalaquiaia, ompa quioalitia in itzpatlactli." 19 Dr. Garibay chants. It related to tI translates the phrase ct quim on xalaquiaya ompa quiualitia itzpaetli" offering of incense, tO"Íl as "los metían en arena (es decir), les daban a beber las lavazas to the entering at four 1 de la piedra del sacrificio". 20 circling of the s~crifici¡ H Seler translates #11aquizquexalaquizque as "das sie in den Sand hineingehen. (geopfert directions, the year-be¡ werden}". Cf. Seler, 1927, 209. .i{)ur places is limited to lS Sahagún, 1950, rr,n, 133-4­133-4- 16 In addition to Yacatecntli, Xiuhtecutli was a god oí the rnerchants. Cf. ¡bid., 119-20. -n Seler translate teteuhxala. 17 lbú.t, 150-1. Sand.Pflanzen der Opfersl ·22 For alternative trans]ation 18 Sallagún's Spanish text informs us: "De esta manera dicha hacían.hacían banquete los mercaderes en la fiesta de panquetzaliztli." Sahagún, 1956, III, 56. 292; Jiménez: Moreno, 1~ 19 Sahagún, 1950, IX, 63. =3 Sahagún, 1905-8, vr. fol. 20 Sahagún. 196], 146-7. THE XALAQUIA CEREMONY 201

they had been completely In an artic1e presentIy in press, entitled Tite Institution o/ Slave­ they had been given gifts bathíng, Dr. Arthur J. O. Anderson, citing Dr. Garibay's transla­ ey rnight enter the sand. 1~ tion and Durán's severa! referenees to the stupifying effcet of ~ytzpa­ -pyramid of the demon, cala ti, suggests that "the sand-entering ceremony (xalaquia) either they carne to the top, then accompanied the drinking of obsidian-knife-blade-wash-water or was a tenn which meant the same thing". tecencaoalocJ in oncenvetz ~~ tlaaltilti,. xalaquizque: i~ Finally, apart from the oecurrenc~s in Sahagún's Historia, a si­ zn teucalttcpac, in vmpan­ milar ceremony is m~ntioned in his Primeros Memoriales. It oc­ Subsequently they were currcd during the month of Cuauitlcua and r~ads as follows: "And they held vigil over them when the sun set, then the sacred banners were implanted in the e folIowing day. 15 sand. Everyone took there the sacred banners which had beenbecn ~ aves were adorned as Ix­ prepared in the houses. They ascended to the top of the mountain, tli. 16 The Nahuatl text whercllponwhcrcllpon all the commoners offered blood sacrifiées there in the ~. g oí [the feast oí] Izcalli, courtyard of the deviI. AH the commoners, nobles, lords carried ,ey bn:ug?t them .into the the sacred banners. For this reasanreason was it called 'sacred banners are implantedjmpla~ted in the sand'.2l.sand'.2l. And there was a circular procession." zz pztlaJ zn te oallatvz Izcalli: i vmpa tzommolco. Subse­ Auh in iquac :ve onaquiz tonatiuh. Auk in iq... leteuh xalla­ ~ fO where they were bound quilo, vnca mochi quivalcuja~ y calpa mochivaya tetevitl vncá one­ vaya in tepeticpac ic omoxtlavaya ma~evalti in vnca diablo itoalco, rwing day. 17 fj ~urs aIso in Book IX, where muchintin q'valcuia in macevalti, in !Ji!Jilti, in tetccuhti, iPáPa 2 ' ·hed. It may welI be the motenevaya teteuh xalaquillztla miquizque tlatlaaltilti quetzaliztli, Jzcalli. The ceremony was associated with rituals vene­ J rating the goddess XilonenXiloncn and the gods Tlaloc, Xiuhtecutli and an Vitzilobuchtli, in ompa Vitzilopochtli. It jnvolved bathed slaves, sacred banners, the mer­ , patlactli." 19 Dr. Garibay . Qmpa quiualitia itzpactli" chants. Jt re1ated to the obsidian-knife-blade-wash-water, to the ,daban~ a beber las lavazas offering of incense~ to,-the four year-bearers, to the four directíoJl!". to the entering at four places on the island and perhaps to the en­ circ1ing of the s~crificial stone. However, rcference to the four :den. Sand hineingeken (geop!ert I directions, the year-bearers, entering the sand .or entering at four places js limited to the Xilonen example. god oí the merchants. Cf. ¡bid., 21 Seler translate teteuhxalaquilloya as "das (IlClCh den.den vier RichtungenJ In.den­In.den· S4nd.Pflanzen der Opferstreifen?'. Cí. Seler, 192i, 55. I manera dicha hacían banquete 22 For alternative trans]ations oí thistllis paesage, see Seter,Seler, 192i, 54·5; Garibay, 1948, SahagÚn, 1956, In, 56. 292; Jiménez Moreno, 19i4, 19·22. ~3 Sahagún, 1905·8, VI. fol. 250. 202 CHARLES E. DlBBLE

A factoring out of the common denollÚnators in the several íns­íns• tances proves more difficult. The ceremony was performed by the impersonator of a diety or by those sacrificed in honor of a diety. The ceremony, usually in the afternoon, was a prelude to the actual ASPECTOS SO< sacrifice on the following day and a portent of the impending sacri­ 260 D1 fice. The ceremony seems to have been íntimately associated with a linúted category of sacrificial victims, that is, children who were a linúted category of sacrificial victims, that is, children who were Información de especially purchased for the Cuauitleua ceremony and slaves who had been purchased and "ritually bathed" or "purified".

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Consideraciones prel¡ calendario de 260 dI Caso, Alfonso, "Los barrios antiguos de Tenochtitlan y Tlatelolco", Me­ morias de la Academia Mexicana de la Historia, México, 1956, 15 El calendario de 260 d (7): 7-63. que caracterizan a Meso; Garibay K., Ángel María, "Relación breve de las fiestas de los dioses. cultura en México y Ce¡ Fray Bernardino de Sahagún", Tlalocan. Azcapotzalco, 1948,2 (4): está documentado a pa 289-320. nicaraos de Nicaragua, Desde el punto de vis Gibson, Charles, The Aztecs under Spanish rule: A history 01of the dario existió ya en un Valley 01 Mexico, 1519-1810. Stanford UniversityUniversíty Press. 1964. textos culturales mesoan Jiménez Moreno, Wigberto, Primeros Memoriales de Fray Bernardino muestran que este calen de Sahagún. México, INAH, 1974. más tempranas de las m, Marquina, Ignacio, El templo mayor de México, México, INAH, 1960. en Mesoamérica, como e Este calendario de 26 Sahagún, Bernardino de, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España, les, se inscribía en los tie ed. Francisco del Paso y Troncoso. Madrid, Fototipia de Hauser y o códices, algunas muest Menet, 1905,-8, v. V-VIII. como, por ejemplo, los . -, Florentine Codex: General History 01of the Things 01 New Spain. mayas que se conocen. . Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble, trs, and eds.; 12 do este calendario en al vols., Santa Fe: The School of American Research and the Uni­Uní• se transcribieron con el versityversíty of Utah. 1950. guarismos arábigos. Así -, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España. Ángel María Gari­ de la región del Itsmo· bay K., ed.: 4 vols., México, Editorial Porrúa, 1956. .. Este artículo ha sido trad -, Vida Económica de T enochtitlan. 1. Pochtecá)'otl (Arte de tralicar)traficar),, 1 Kirchhoff, ]960, p. 9. Ángel María Garibay K., tr. and ed.; México, UNAM, Instituto de Thompson, 1960, p. 97·98 Investigaciones Históricas, 1961. 3 Prem, 1971. 4 Alcina Franch, 1966. Seler, Eduard, Einige K apitel aus dem Geschichtswerke des Fray Ber­ nardino de Sahagún aus den Aztekischen übersetzt. Stuttgart, 1927.