Codex Borbonicus
The Codex Borbonicus is an
History
The Codex Borbonicus is one of a very few Aztec codices that survived the colonial Spanish inquisition. When the Spanish conquistadors (led by Hernán Cortés) entered Aztec cities, they would often find libraries filled with thousands of native works.[2] However, most of the works were destroyed during the conquest as a means to hasten the conversion of the Aztec to European ideals.[3]
The Codex Borbonicus was acquired in 1826 for 1,300 golds francs at auction by a French Benedictine monk, deputy-curator of the library of the National Assembly, Pierre-Paul Druon.[2] At the time, he sought out and entrusted many rare and valuable works to the French Parliament. The Codex is considered a French national treasure and has not been allowed to leave the country since the 1960s.[2]
Production
The early printed word of the early Aztec Civilization is quite interesting, as it contains only pictographs. It was not until the colonial era that Aztec scribes, after learning the Roman alphabet, began to incorporate text into their codices, both in Nahuatl (the native language) and Spanish.[3] As a result, it is unknown whether Aztec codices were created by a native method or created with the help of imported methods after the arrival of the Spanish.[2]
The Codex Borbonicus is a single 46.5-foot (14.2 m) long sheet of
Sections
The first section is one of the most intricate surviving divinatory calendars (or
With these 26 symbols, the priests were able to create horoscopes and divine the future. The first 18 pages of the codex (all that remain of the original 20) show considerably more wear than the last sections, very likely indicating that these pages were consulted more often.
The second section of the codex documents the
The third section is focused on rituals and ceremonies, particularly those that end the 52-year cycle, when the "new fire" must be lit. This section is unfinished.
See also
- Aztec calendar
- Aztec codices
- Codex Borgia
Notes
- ISBN 9780195188431
- ^ a b c d Ter Minassian, V. (November 28, 2014). "Aztec Manuscript Under the Microscope". The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-1510733329.
References
- S2CID 163136552.
- Keber, Eloise Quiñones (2001). "Borbonicus, Codex". In David Carrasco (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures: The Civilizations of Mexico and Central America. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195188431.
- Famsi.org: Links to each of the 36 pages of Codex Borbonicus
- The Guardian "Aztec manuscript under the microscope"