ASB 222 - Buried Civilizations of the Americas - Keith Kintigh

Lecture 19 - Aztec Writing, Origins & Tenochtitlan

After Teotihuacan collapsed, there was regional fragmentation and smaller scale state competition without large scale empires
Tula (Tollan) capital of the Toltecs rose as a center

may have originated in N & W Mexico and moved here, perhaps forced south by climate
height of influence, ca 900-1100; continued occupation into Aztec times
probably not involved in the collapse of Teotihuacan
control based in part on obsidian sources
Tula population ca. 35K-60K people, 14 km²
Other states probably allied themselves to Tula (rather than simple conquest)

Famous for Pyramid B sculpture
Lots of military iconography, eagle and, jaguar
Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoa, Chacmool--reclining warrior figure holding plate (for human hearts?)
Chacmool found at related sites, Chichen Itza

trading connections and perhaps political control was widespread; extended S to Oaxaca, the Maya lowlands and Costa Rica, E to central and northern Gulf Coast (N to SW US?)
Later Aztecs legitimate themselves through Tula, so lots of (exaggerated) Aztec descriptions of Toltec history, Tula was over before Aztecs rose

Aztecs were barbarians from N&W Mexico with their origin on island Aztlan (real or legendary?)
Mexica left last and migrated to the Valley of Mexico, which was already populated by other Nahuatl (Aztec) groups
Mexica settled next to Culhuacan, people are associated with Tula. The Mexica acted in their service, with access only to poor land. They had to suffer and make good to prove themselves. They did so, and intermarried establishing a tie to Tula.
A Mexica lord asks for Culhuacan's daughter in marriage, following Huitzilopochli's instructions, and tricks king into ceremony in which he kills and flays her. Mexica expelled.
Migrate according to prophesy, until they find an island with a cactus growing from a rock with an eagle on it with a serpent in its mouth. There, in Lake Texcoco,they establish Tenochtitlan. Note Mexica=>Mexico, Flag/emblem of Mexico follows this prophesy.
Justification for ascendancy, connection with the Toltecs--"Gimme that old time Religion"
Moral: Start as barbarian hunters and gatherers, follow your god's directions, endure hardship, make good, reestablish Aztlan as Tenochtitlan and Triumph. <<>>

In all of Mesoamerica, 5 writing systems: Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya, epi-Olmec
Maya could record anything spoken, but Atecs had picture writing. Thus Aztec written language is much more limited, pictures are mnemonics.
Records on on bark paper or skins; style of writing continues after conquest
Subjects: year by year pictorial history, ritual almanacs, tribute records, maps, Aztec life cycle from birth to death
Lots of Spanish documentation, especially Father Sahagún, who annotated Aztec picture writing on paper; 15 painted books survive

20 named days interdigitated with 13 numbers for 260 day calendar, e.g. 1 alligator, 3 flint knife. Named days & numbers had properties
365 day year with 18 months of 20 days and 5 unlucky days; also like Maya
Meshing of 365 day year and 260 day cycle led to 52 year cycle

each year in the 52 year cycle had 1 of 4 symbols: rabbit, reed, flint, house, and numbers 1-13, (3x14=52) e.g. 1 rabbit 2 reed 3 flint etc. Year combinations had properties, 1 flint a year of beginnings.
Unlike the Maya, no long count, dates recorded within the 52 year cycle

now with tie to Tula
Modeled on Teotihuacan with quarters and formal layout, on an even grander scale.
Faction established Tlatelco on next island to N

Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan, took over most of Valley
At a major renovation of the Templo Major in 1487 there were 20,000 sacrificial victims (maybe 4x that)

By Early 16th Century 150,000-300,000 people in Tenochtitlan, 1,000,000 in Valley
Tenochtitlan now mostly buried by Mexico City, so we rely mainly on accounts <<>>

Took over territories; left local rulers in place; create alliances through intermarriage <<>>
Allows other nobles to be part of the big show.
Little Aztec Infrastructure in the provinces
Extracted tribute from most, others strategic territories: no tribute but supported armies.