The Mixtec Pictorial Manuscripts The Early Americas: History and Culture General Editor Alexander Geurds, Leiden University Editorial Board Nikolai Grube, Bonn University John Hoopes, University of Kansas Maarten Jansen, Leiden University Arthur Joyce, University of Colorado Michael Smith, Arizona State University Eric Taladoire, Sorbonne Laura Van Broekhoven, National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden VOLUME 1 The Mixtec Pictorial Manuscripts Time, Agency and Memory in Ancient Mexico By Maarten E.R.G.N. Jansen Gabina Aurora Pérez Jiménez LEIDEN • BOSTON 2011 This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the cc-by-nc 4.0 License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided no alterations are made and the original author(s) and source are credited. On the cover: Monument to ancient Mixtec rulers in Yanhuitlan (Oaxaca, Mexico), inspired by a scene in Codex Añute. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jansen, Maarten E. R. G. N. (Maarten Evert Reinoud Gerard Nicolaas), 1952- The Mixtec pictorial manuscripts : time, agency, and memory in ancient Mexico / by Maarten E.R.G.N. Jansen and Gabina Aurora Perez Jimenez. p. cm. — (The early Americas : history and culture, ISSN 1875-3264 ; v. 1) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-18752-8 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Manuscripts, Mixtec. 2. Picture-writing—Mexico. 3. Mixtec language—Writing. 4. Mixtec Indians—History. 5. Mexico—History—To 1519. I. Pérez Jiménez, Gabina Aurora. II. Title. III. Series. F1219.54.M59J37 2010 972’.7401—dc22 2010030391 ISSN 1875-3264 ISBN 978 90 04 18752 8 Copyright 2011 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. contents v To the memory of Luis Reyes García, tlacuilo, tlamatini vi contents contents vii CONTENTS List of Illustrations . ix Preface . xxi PART ONE ÑEE ÑUHU SANAHA: THE ANCIENT BOOKS I. Introduction to Mixtec Pictography . 3 II. Treasures from Ancient Libraries . 42 III. Rediscovery and Decipherment . 96 IV. Contemporary Studies and Discussions . 127 PART TWO TNUNI TANIÑO: SIGNS AND SYMBOLS V. Post Colonial Hermeneutics . 181 VI. Acts and Visions . 217 VII. Memory Landscape . 271 PART THREE YAA TNUHU: DYNASTIC HISTORY VIII. Foundation Narratives . 357 IX. The Noble Houses . 407 X. Colonial Transformation . 462 viii contents CONCLUSION ÑUU TAYU: THE SOVEREIGN COMMUNITY XI. Political and Ideological Dynamics . 503 References . 531 Index . 561 list of illustrations ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1.1. Late Preclassic–Early Classic calendar sign on carved stone found in the Agencia Guadalupe Victoria, San Miguel el Grande, Oax . 6 1.2. Map of the Mixtec region . 8 1.3. The ruined Dominican convent at San Miguel Achiutla . 9 1.4. Yuq yuq or Boustrophedon patterns . 13 1.5. The early colonial palace (Casa de la Cacica) in Yucu Ndaa (Tepozcolula) . 15 1.6. Traditional house . 16 1.7. Codex Mendoza, p. 43: places from the Mixteca Alta and their tributes . 19 1.8. Codex Yuta Tnoho, pp. 11–12: siqui or ‘wards’ . 21 1.9. Codex Yuta Tnoho, p. 45–IV: Ñuu Dzaui . 22 1.10. The twenty day signs of the Mexica and Ñuu Dzaui calendar . 23 1.11. The Mixtec year sign (cuiya) with the four ‘Year-bearers’ . 28 1.12. Day of the Dead: sharing a meal in the cemetery . 29 1.13. Themayordomo carrying his chest . 30 1.14. Cutting the fire wood for the fiesta . 30 1.15. Codex Añute, p. 8–IV: Lord 4 Wind ‘Fire Serpent’ (Yahui) and Lady 10 Flower ‘Spiderweb of Rain’ (Dzinduhua Dzavui) are seated on the marriage mat, and rule the Town of Flints (Ñuu Yuchi) . 32 1.16. Codex Tonindeye, p. 26–III (Top to Bottom): in the year 13 Reed [ad 1103], on the day 13 Serpent, Lord 8 Deer ‘Jaguar Claw’ marries Lady 13 Serpent [here erroneously written as 12 Serpent]. In the year 7 Rabbit [ad 1110] their first son, Lord 4 Dog ‘Coyote Catcher’ is born. In the year 9 Flint [ad 1112] Lord 4 Alligator ‘Sacred Serpent’ is born . 33 1.17. Examples of the quechquemitl (dzico) in Codex Yuta Tnoho . 35 1.18. Priests holding xicolli tunics (dzico) in Codex Tonindeye . 36 1.19. Codex Tonindeye, p. 50: a priest dressed as ‘Fire Serpent’ (Yahui) . 37 1.20. Codex Tonindeye, p. 32–II: Lord 2 Water and his ‘burning foot’ 39 2.1a. Map of Chiyo Cahnu (Teozacualco), left half . 44 2.1b. Map of Chiyo Cahnu (Teozacualco), right half . 45 2.2a: Codex Yecu showing the four directions: North and West (left half) . 62 2.2b. Codex Yecu showing the four directions: East and South (right half) . 63 2.3. Codex Ñuu Tnoo–Ndisi Nuu, p. 20–II: Lord 8 Grass (Malinaltzin) ‘Rain Sun’ and his wife Lady 9 Deer ‘Flower Ornament’, rulers of Ndisi Nuu (Tlaxiaco) . 67 x list of illustrations 2.4. Codex Tonindeye, p. 33: Lord 5 Flower of the Xipe Dynasty marries Lady 4 Rabbit ‘Quetzal’ (from Chiyo Cahnu) . 73 2.5. Lord 8 Deer (left) and Lady 6 Monkey (right) in Codex Ñuu Tnoo–Ndisi Nuu and Codex Añute, respectively . 75 2.6. Codex Iya Nacuaa II (Becker I), p. 8–I: funerary orchestra . 75 2.7. Final pages of the Codex Añute (or Codex Selden) . 81 2.8. Coat of Arms of Saha Yucu (Cuilapan), copy preserved in the collection of unpublished works of Manuel Martínez Gracida 87 2.9. Codex Iya Cochi (Becker II), p. 3 (Left to Right): intermar- riages between the local ruling lineage and the dynasties of other towns. Lord 5 Rain ‘Coyote Sun’ marries Lady ? Monkey ‘Jewel Arrow’ from Black Frieze, i.e. Ñuu Tnoo (Tilantongo). Their first daughter marries the ruler of Town of the Warband (pos- sibly Ñuu Yecu, Yauhtepec in the State of Guerrero), while the second marries Lord 3 Monkey, the ruler of Plain of the Eagle, i.e. Yodzo Yaha (Tecomaxtlahuaca). Their son, Lord 11 Flint ‘Eagle of Precious Feathers’, inherits the kingdom and marries Lady 13 Reed ‘Garland of Flowers’ from Altar of the Rosette. Their daughter, Lady 7 House, marries Lord 2 Rabbit, ruler of ‘Plain of the Year Sign, i.e. Yodzo Cuiya (Juxtlahuaca) . 90 2.10a. Map of Tuhu (Sosola), left half . 92 2.10b. Map of Tuhu (Sosola), right half . 93 3.1. Anders’ comparison of spirit figures with roots in the Codex Yuta Tnoho to the contemporary papercuttings from San Pablito . 122 4.1. Kaua Kandiui, the Mountain of Heaven, East of Yutsa Tohon (Apoala) . 129 4.2. Codex Yuta Tnoho, p. 35 (Lower Right to Lower Left, boustro- phedon): Invocation of the Ñuhu. The elderly couple Lord 1 Flower and Lady 13 Flower have a daughter, Lady 9 Alligator. The father speaks to Lord 9 Wind, who acts as a ‘marriage ambas- sador’ and visits Lord 5 Rain in the Place of Heaven. As a con- sequence of his mediation, Lord 5 Rain weds Lady 9 Alligator in River of the Hand Holding Feathers, i.e. Yuta Tnoho (Apoala) 130 4.3. Carved stone, representing a Ñuhu, set in the wall of the church of San Martín Huamelulpan . 131 4.4. Town of Flints . 135 4.5. Codex Añute, p. 8–IV: the birth of Lord 4 Wind ‘Fire Serpent’ in year 2 Flint [ad 1092] . 136 4.6. Codex Ñuu Tnoo–Ndisi Nuu, p. 7–III: Lord 5 Alligator ‘Rain Sun’ . 137 4.7. The Council of Four Priests in Ñuu Tnoo (Tilantongo) . 139 4.8. Codex Añute, p. 7–III : Two priests (‘Long Hairs’) of Tocuisi (Zaachila) shout ‘knife, knife’ (yuchi yuchi) to Lady 6 Monkey, who is carried by two officials in the marriage procession . 144 4.9. Stone of Red and White Bundle (left) and Town of Red and White Bundle (right) . 155 list of illustrations xi 4.10. The market sign . 168 4.11. Codex Yuta Tnoho, p. 24 (Lower Right to Lower Left, boustro- phedon). Conversations of the Ñuhu in Yuta Tnoho (Apoala), conversations of Lord 9 Wind and Lord 2 Dog. Lord 9 Wind brings the Mushroom Ladies 4 Lizard and 11 Lizard. Rituals for the Dead, for Rain and Maize. Visionary ritual: Lord 9 Wind sings and produces funerary music with bones and skull. Eight Primordial Lords and Ladies consume pairs of (hallucino- genic) mushrooms. Their vision deals with the cradle and the town (the foundation of settlements), the mat and the throne (the city-states). After that, a priest enters the river or a cave in Yuta Tnoho (Apoala), to which the ‘market’ sign is added. Two Primordial Lords participate in the same ritual and receive the branch that the priest brought back from his visionary voyage . 170 6.1. Codex Ñuu Tnoo–Ndisi Nuu, p. 6–I: The ruler of Place of the River at the Foot of Curved Jaguar Mountain and Black Mountain (possibly Ayuta near Tilantongo), Lord 13 Dog ‘White Eagle’, marries Lady 1 Vulture ‘Rain Skirt’ (Huatu Dzavui, ‘Glory of the Rain God’). They have a son: Lord 5 Alligator ‘Rain Sun’ . 225 6.2. Codex Tonindeye, p. 5: the marriage of Lord 8 Wind ‘Eagle’ (else- where: ‘Twenty Eagles’) and Lady 10 Deer ‘Jaguar Quechquemitl’ (Dzico Ñaña, i.e.