Harriet J. Bauman
The Aztecs believed that several worlds had existed before theirs. Each had been destroyed and mankind was wiped out. These worlds were called the four suns, and the Aztecs’ was the fifth. The Calendar Stone indicates the five periods of the history of the earth: 1) “Water Sun”: the world was destroyed by a great flood and men were turned into fish (this event occurred about four thousand years after the creation of the earth); 2) “Wind Sun”: about four thousand years later, the world was destroyed again, but by violent winds, and men were turned into monkeys; 3) “Fire Sun”" followed and almost completely destroyed the world by fire; 4) about 5,000 years later, man was almost eliminated by famine; and 5) the present age would be destroyed by earthquake.
At the center of the Calendar Stone is a symbol, 4 Olin (4 earthquake), which indicates the destruction of the world by earthquakes. At each corner of the sign is located one of the other days that ended the world: 4 Quiauitl (4 rain) for the great flood, on the bottom left-hand corner; 4 Eecatl (4 wind) which indicated the destruction of the world by wind, on the top left-hand corner; 4 Ocelotl and 4 Atl which showed the other destructions of the Earth, on the top and bottom right-hand side.
(figure available in print form)
Fig. 1
The Aztec Calendar is circular with fifty-two squares or years, which were the equivalent of one cycle or century. At the end of the cycle was held a solemn feast,
Nexiuhilpiliztli
(completion or binding of a perfect circle of years), which was described at the beginning of the unit. The round circle reached the end of its cycle and returned to its starting point. The circle was divided into four equal parts, each containing thirteen years. The first part belonged to the East, whose thirteen years were
Reeds
. This selection has thirteen squares containing a picture of a reed and a number of the year. These years were good, fertile, and abundant. People were healthy and participated in lucky events.
The second part belonged to the West, whose years were
Houses
. Each square contains a picture of a house, and the number of the year. Unhappy events occurred during these years. They symbolized evil. The house was used to indicate that during these years the sun would hide within that house and never help the land to produce crops. These were cloudy years, with much rain, and people were without work.
The third section belonged to the North, which was symbolized by a
Flint Knife
. Each of these thirteen squares shows a flint knife and the number of the year. The Aztecs did not like this cycle of years either. Many unhappy events occurred during these years, too. Also, and more importantly, the underworld,
Mictlampa
(the Infernal Region), was located to the North. The flint knife represented cold, ice, and thin air. These were barren and fruitless years. Little rain fell. The people were hungry.
The fourth part of the Aztec Calendar belonged to the South, and was called
Rabbit
. These thirteen squares contained a picture of a rabbit’s head and the number of the year. These years were not considered favorable by the Aztecs, but they were not as bad as House and Flint Knife, nor as good as Reed. The rabbit became the symbol because it leaps back and forth and does not stay in one place.
(figure available in print form)
Fig.2
The Aztec Calendar is an elaborately decorated disk representing the sun. At the center appears the face of
Tonatiuh
(“the shining one,” “the beautiful child,” “the eagle that soars”) with his tongue sticking out. The tongue seems to be a knife used for sacrifices. On the sides are represented his hands, like eagle’s talons, clutching human hearts. Because the Aztecs considered the sun and the eagle as the same, it was said that when the sun rose in the morning sky it was like the “eagle who ascends” so the Aztecs called it
Cuauhtlehuanitl
. In the evening the sun was called
Cuauhtemoc
, the “eagle who fell." (Caso, p. 67) (see Fig. 1)
Around the figure of the sun are the signs for the four former destructions of the Earth, as well as “4 Earthquake” the day on which the present sun will be destroyed. These signs form large sculptures. Symbols, not words, are used on the Calendar such as the head of Echecatl-Quetzalcoatl to represent wind; the head of Tlaloc to symbolize rain; a jar of water from which rises the bust of Chalchiuhtlicue to symbolize flood; and a jaguar to symbolize fire. (see Fig. 1)
A ring containing the signs for the days surrounds the figures mentioned above. The twenty day signs circling the sun makes the Aztec Calendar a Calendar Stone. At the top of this ring is located the head of the crocodile,
Cipactli
, and reading the calendar clockwise, it ends with the sign for flower,
Xochitl
.
(figure available in print form)
Fig.3
There are other bands which contain illustrations of the rays of the sun, and of jewels made of jade or turquoise, symbols of the sun (which sometimes was called
Xiuhpiltontli
, “the turquoise child”). The sun was the most precious item in the universe to the Aztecs, so they used a jewel quite often to represent the sun. These jewels also symbolized the color of the heavens. Another strip represents signs for the stars, and the sun’s rays. There are symbols of blood and flowers which are connected to the worship of the sun.
(figure available in print form)
Fig.4
The two outer bands of the Calendar Stone form two Fire Serpents (
Xiuhcoatl
), symbols of the year and passage of time, which carry the sun through the sky. The designs on their backs do not represent anything. The Fire Serpents have their mouths open. Between their fangs can be distinguished the faces of the gods who use the Serpents as their disguises. They encircle the whole of the Aztec Calendar and meet face to face at the bottom of the Calendar. (Vaillant, pp. 163-4; Caso, p. 67) A more details description of the Calendar, and the Aztec holidays and customs based on the Calendar, may be found in Duran’s
Book of the Gods and Rites and the Ancient Calendar
(see Bibliography).
(figure available in print form)
Fig.5