Tōnalpōhualli
The tōnalpōhualli (Nahuatl pronunciation:
Description
The term for the Aztec day signs, tōnalpōhualli, comes from the root word Tona which means to give light or heat.[2] Tōnalpōhualli refers to the count of the days, made up of 20 day signs and a 260 day cycle. In Aztec society there were multiple intertwining calendars, the tōnalpōhualli, and the xiuhpōhualli which refers to the solar year of 365 days. The xiuhpōhualli was divided into eighteen twenty day months, and then an extra five days at the end of the cycle. Each day denoted by a different day sign and number, the double calendars were intertwined so that every 52 years the same combination of day signs and numbers would appear again.[2] The full tōnalpōhualli cycle would take place over 260 days and since each day was unique in number and symbol each had its own intrinsic meaning.[3] It is likely that the root of these units comes from the human body: the Aztecs would count using all digits on their body consisting of the 20 day signs.[4] The 260 cycle likely originated from womans’ gestational cycle, as from the time of the first missed menstruation cycle to the time of giving birth is roughly 260 days.[4]
The tōnalpōhualli as aforementioned consists of twenty different day signs or
Day signs]
№ | Trecena | Glyph[8] | Spirit | Cardinal point |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 Cipactli (Caiman or aquatic monster) | Tōnacātēcuhtli | East | |
2 | 1 Ehēcatl (Wind) | Quetzalcoatl | North | |
3 | 1 Calli (House) | Tepēyōllōtl | West | |
4 | 1 Cuetzpalin (Lizard) | Huēhuecoyōtl | South | |
5 | 1 Cōātl (Snake) | Chalchiuhtlicue | East | |
6 | 1 Miquiztli (Death) | Tecuciztecatl
|
North | |
7 | 1 Mazātl (Deer) | Tlāloc
|
West | |
8 | 1 Tōchtli (Rabbit) | Mayahuel | South | |
9 | 1 Ātl (Water) | Xiuhtecuhtli | East | |
10 | 1 Itzcuintli (Dog) | Mictlāntēcutli | North | |
11 | 1 Ozomahtli (Monkey) | Xochipilli
|
West | |
12 | 1 Malīnalli (Grass) | Patecatl | South | |
13 | 1 Ācatl (Reed) | Tezcatlipōca | East | |
14 | 1 Ocēlōtl (Ocelot or Jaguar) | Tlazōlteōtl | North | |
15 | 1 Cuāuhtli (Eagle) | Xīpe Totēc | West | |
16 | 1 Cōzcacuāuhtli (Vulture) | Itzpapalotl
|
South | |
17 | 1 Olīn (Movement or Earthquake)
|
Xolotl | East | |
18 | 1 Tecpatl (Flint or Knife) | Chalchiuhtotolin | North | |
19 | 1 Quiyahuitl (Rain) | Tōnatiuh | West | |
20 | 1 Xōchitl (Flower) | Xōchiquetzal | South |
Gallery of day signs
Note that the symbols are arranged counterclockwise around the calendar stone.
-
Flower, Rain, Flint, Earthquake
-
Vulture, Eagle, Jaguar
-
Reed, Grass, Monkey, Dog
-
Water, Rabbit, Deer
-
Death, Snake, Lizard
-
House, Wind, Alligator
See also
- Aztec calendar
- Aztec calendar stone
- Aztec mythology
- Maya calendar
References
- ^ Macri, Martha J. "Day-Signs." In David Carrasco (ed). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures. : Oxford University Press, 2001
- ^ JSTOR 1462338.
- ^ a b "The Aztec Calendar Systems". rubens.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ S2CID 240129657, retrieved 2023-04-21
- ^ OCLC 1286806608.
- ISBN 9781607322214, retrieved 2023-04-21
- ISSN 2365-2225.
- ^ The glyphs shown are taken from the Codex Magliabechiano
External links
- Discussion of origin of the 260-day cycle Archived 2008-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
- Animated tōnalpōhualli Archived 2010-02-12 at the Wayback Machine