HANDBOOK TO LIFE IN THE AZTEC WORLD MANUEL AGUILAR-MORENO California State University, Los Angeles Handbook to Life in the Aztec World Copyright © 2006 by Manuel Aguilar-Moreno, foreword by John M. D. Pohl All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel. Handbook to life in the Aztec world / by Manuel Aguilar-Moreno. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-5673-0 1. Aztecs—History. 2. Aztecs—Social life and customs. 3. Aztecs—Antiquities. 4. Mexico—Antiquities. I. Title. F1219.73.A35 2005 972’.018—dc222005006636 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text design by Cathy Rincon Cover design by Semadar Megged Maps by Dale Williams based on drawings by Lluvia Arras Printed in the United States of America VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. To the mestizo and Indian people who struggle daily to improve the quality of life and social justice in our beloved, but long-suffering country of Mexico —Manuel Aguilar-Moreno On August 13th of 1521, heroically defended by Cuauhtemoc, the City of Tlatelolco fell in the hands of Hernán Cortés. It was not a triumph neither a defeat, but the painful birth of the Mexican people. —Memorial inscription in the Plaza of the Three Cultures, Tlatelolco, Mexico City CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii 3 GEOGRAPHY OF THE AZTEC WORLD 51 LIST OF MAPS ix The Concept of Sacred Landscape 52 The Valley of Mexico: The Land, the LIST OF TABLES ix Lake, and Natural Resources 56 The Island City of Tenochtitlan 59 City-States and Neighboring FOREWORD BY JOHN M. D. POHL xi Peoples 65 Linguistic History and Distribution of ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xvii the Nahua Peoples 67 Reading 71 INTRODUCTION xix 4 SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT 73 GUIDE TO PRONUNCIATION AND Social Structure and Class SPELLING OF NAHUATL TERMS xxiii Hierarchy 74 Tlatoani 75 1 MESOAMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS Cihuacoatl 86 AND AZTEC ARCHAEOLOGY1 Priests 87 The Area of Mesoamerica2 Tecuhtli 92 The People of Mesoamerica5 Calpulli 92 Brief History of Aztec Archaeology 19 Household 93 Main Historical Primary Sources about Reading 95 the Aztec 24 Reading 26 5 WARFARE 97 Training 98 2 EVOLUTION OF AZTEC Military Ranks and Orders 102 CIVILIZATION 27 Military Intelligence 106 Origins and the Great Migration 28 Women and War 107 Mexica-Aztec History 36 Uniforms and Weapons 108 Reading 49 Battle Tactics and Strategies 120 Principal Aztec Military Campaigns 127 11 THE CALENDAR, ASTRONOMY, Tribute 131 AND MATHEMATICS 289 Flower Wars 133 The Calendar System 290 Reading 134 Concept of the Universe 300 Astronomy 304 6 RELIGION, COSMOLOGY, AND Mathematics 311 MYTHOLOGY 137 Reading 315 Structure of the Universe 138 Main Myths 139 12 ECONOMY, INDUSTRY, The Aztec Gods 144 AND TRADE 317 Rituals 152 Modes of Production 318 Ritual Human Sacrifice 153 Agriculture and Chinampas 321 Reading 157 Use of Water in the Valley of Mexico 326 Food Sources 328 7 FUNERARY BELIEFS AND Laborers and Artisans 332 CUSTOMS 159 The Marketplace 338 Creation Myths and Concepts about Transportation 341 Death 160 Long-Distance Trade 343 Funerary Places of The Pochtecah 346 Destination 162 Tribute 349 Burials and Cremation 166 Reading 349 Souls 170 Human Sacrifice 172 13 DAILY LIFE 351 Reading 175 Family 352 Women 353 8 AZTEC ART 177 Education 357 Aztec Artists and Craftsmen 178 Shamanism and Medicine 359 Monumental Stone Sculpture 179 Games 361 Terra-cotta Sculpture 204 Personal Appearance and Attire 364 Ceramics 206 Royal Court Life 369 Wood Art 208 Food and Drink 371 Feather Work 210 Music and Dance 374 Lapidary Arts 212 Reading 377 Gold Work 214 14 THE AZTEC AFTER THE Reading 215 CONQUEST AND TODAY 379 9 AZTEC ARCHITECTURE 217 The Conquest of Mexico 380 Symbolism 218 Colonial Mexico: The Process of Types of Architecture 220 Transculturation 384 Building Materials and Tequitqui Art 390 Techniques 225 Mexico and Its Mestizo Identity 392 The Precinct of Tenochtitlan 225 The Indians of Central Mexico Today 398 Other Cities 238 Reading 399 Reading 260 MAIN MUSEUMS CONTAINING AZTEC COLLECTIONS 401 10 NAHUATL LITERATURE 261 Tlacuilos and Their Techniques 262 AZTEC POEMS 403 Codices 264 Pictographic-Phonetic Writing 275 BIBLIOGRAPHY 407 Poetry and Narrative 282 Reading 288 INDEX 419 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Manos and Metates for Grinding Maize Uniforms of the Tlatoani and the Pochtecah 117 and Seeds 6 Uniforms of the Tlacateccatl, Tlacochcalcatl, Olmec Colossal Head from San Lorenzo 9 Huitznahuatl, and Ticocyahuacatl 118 Atlantes on Temple of Uniforms of a Warrior Priest and Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Tula 17 a Mexica Warrior 119 Illustration of Coatlicue 20 Burning of a Temple 124 Image of Aztlan, Codex Boturini 28 Flower War 133 Chicomoztoc, Historia tolteca-chichimeca and First Human Couple, Oxomoco Map of Cuauhtinchan No. 2 30 and Cipactonal 141 Chicomoztoc, Codex Vaticanus A and Mayahuel, Goddess of Maguey and Pulque 141 Atlas of Durán 31 Huitzilopochtli, the War and Sun God 148 Birth of Huitzilopochtli at Coatepec, Codex Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent 150 Azcatitlan 34 Xipe Totec, God of the Renewal of Vegetation 151 Foundation of Tenochtitlan, Codex Mendoza 37 Xiuhtecuhtli, God of Fire 152 Genealogy of Aztec Rulers 38 Types of Human Sacrifice 155 Mt. Tlaloc and Temple of Ehecatl, Huexotla 54 Mictlantecuhtli and Mictlancihuatl, View of the city of Tenochtitlan-Tlatelolco 62 the God and Goddess of Death 160 Tlatoani Seated on His Icpalli 75 Chichihuacuauhco 163 Palace of Motecuhzoma II 86 The Thirteen Heavens and Nine Hells 164 Portrait of Tlacaelel 87 Tlalocan, Tepantitla Mural, Teotihuacan 165 Types of Priests 88 Mummy Bundle of an Aztec King 168 Students Arrive at the Telpochcalli 99 Souls Leaving the Body 171 Veteran Soldier and Two Novices 101 Ocelotl-Cuauhxicalli 180 Aztec Warriors, Including an Otomitl, Cuauhtli-Cuauhxicalli 181 a Cuauhchic, and a Tlacateccatl 104 The Sun Stone 181 The Cuauhcalli 105 Stone of Tizoc 182 Terra-cotta Image of Eagle Warrior 106 Temalacatl-Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma I 183 Women Defending Their Community 108 Detail of the Stone of Tizoc 183 Aztec Weaponry and Equipment 112 Dedication Stone of Emperors Tizoc A Maquahuitl 114 and Ahuitzotl 184 Eagle, Jaguar, and Coyote Helmets Stone of the Warriors 185 and Tlahuiztli 116 The Bench Relief 185 Ichcahuipilli and Ehuatl 117 The Temple Stone 187 L IST OF I LLUSTRATIONS vii Stone Portrait of Motecuhzoma II 187 Interior of the House of the Eagle Warriors 236 The Caracol 188 Plan of the Sacred Precinct of Tenochtitlan 238 Tlaltecuhtli 189 Pyramid of Tenayuca 239 Coatlicue 190 Coatepantli of Tenayuca 240 Coatlicue of Coxcatlan (Earth Goddess) 191 Dual Pyramid of Santa Cecilia Acatitlan 240 Cihuacoatl 192 Main Pyramid of Teopanzolco 241 Xiuhtecuhtli-Huitzilopochtli 193 Twin Pyramid of Tlatelolco 242 Coyolxauhqui Relief 193 Temple of the Calendar, Tlatelolco 243 Head of Coyolxauhqui 194 View of Tetzcotzinco and Its Aqueduct 245 Xochipilli 194 Plan of Tetzcotzinco 246 The Feathered Serpent 195 The “King’s Baths” in Tetzcotzinco 247 Xiuhcoatl 196 Pyramid of Tepoztlan 248 Chacmool of the Tlaloc Shrine 196 Atrio of the Church of San Luis, Huexotla 249 Tlaloc-Chacmool 197 Wall of Huexotla 250 Chicomecoatl 197 Temple of Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl in Huehueteotl 198 Calixtlahuaca 252 Cihuateotl 199 Tlaloc Cluster with Tzompantli, Calixtlahuaca 252 Altar of the Planet Venus 199 Plan of the Site of Coatetelco 253 Altar of Itzpapalotl 200 Temple I (the Cuauhcalli) of Malinalco 254 Tepetlacalli with Zacatapayolli and Plan of the Site of Malinalco 255 Bloodletting Figure 200 Details of the Facade of Temple I, Malinalco 256 Stone Box of Motecuhzoma II 201 Detail of the Eagle Representing Jaguar Warrior 202 Huitzilopochtli, Temple I, Malinalco 257 Feathered Coyote 202 Temples III, IV, and VI, Malinalco 259 Eagle Warrior 204 Map of Colhuacan from Las Relaciones Mictlantecuhtli 205 Geográficas del Siglo XVI 265 Vessel with Mask of Tlaloc 206 Chalchiuhtlicue in the Codex Borbonicus 267 Funerary Urn with Image of Tezcatlipoca 207 Writing of the Word Balam 275 Huehuetl of Malinalco 208 Pictographic Writing of the Word Xochimilli 276 Wooden Teponaztli in the Shape of an Animal 210 Pictographic Example of Ce huehuetlacatl Chalice Cover Made of Feathers 212 xaltlahtoa 277 Turquoise Mask 213 Example of the Use of Nahuatl Phoneticism Double-Headed Serpent Pectoral 213 in the Name San Francisco 278 Knife Blade with Image of a Face 214 The Name Pablo Macuilcoatl Written Orientation of a Pyramid-Temple 219 Pictographically and Phonetically 280 The Pyramid-Temple as an Axis Mundi 221 The toponym Tollantzinco Written in a Ball Court at Coatetelco 223 Pictographic-Phonetic Combination 282 Aqueduct of Chapultepec 224 Representation of the Tonalpohualli Cycle 291 Superimpositions of the Great Temple 230 Cosmogram Incorporating the Frontal View of the Great Temple 231 260-Day Calendar 293 The Seven Phases of Construction of The Hill of the Star