Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish AmericaJoyce, Thomas Athol
History
Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish America
Joyce, Thomas Athol
Mayas -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities
Tepeiluitl, the thirteenth month (September 30th), ushered in the
festival in honour of the mountain-gods, and was signified by the
figure of a mountain with the head of Tlaloc. Numbers of snake-figures
of wood (emblems of the lightning) were prepared, as well as images
of the mountains in meal-paste, and certain victims, identified with
fertility-deities were sacrificed to Tlaloc. The festival was held
partly in honour of those who had perished by drowning or the lightning
stroke, or by some other death which necessitated burial as opposed to
cremation.
In Quecholli, the fourteenth month (October 20th), was held the
festival of Mixcoatl, whose figure appears as its symbol. A strict fast
was observed, during which large numbers of arrows were made, which
were offered in bundles of twenty to Uitzilopochtli. Miniature arrows
were deposited on the graves of the dead, and, on the tenth day, a
great communal hunt was organized, on the mountain called Zacatepec, in
which various surrounding tribes joined. A victim, the representative
of the god, was offered to Mixcoatl, and a number of slaves to
Tezcatlipoca; some of the latter being carried up the temple steps
bound hand and foot like captive deer.
Panquetzaliztli, the fifteenth month (November 9th), ushered in the
great feast of Uitzilopochtli, whose figure is shown as its emblem.
The proceedings were symbolical in part of the mythical fight between
this god and his hostile brothers, the Centzon Uitznaua, since a
great ceremonial combat was organized between the slaves destined
as sacrifices. In this one party represented the god, the other the
Uitznaua, and a great figure of the Xiuhcoatl, the mythical weapon of
Uitzilopochtli, figured later in the proceedings. During the fight, the
image of Paynal made a rapid ceremonial tour of certain temples, and
the sacrifice which terminated the festival was accompanied by music.
In the sixteenth month, Atemoztli (November 29th), the first rains
usually appeared in the mountains (according to Sahagun, but see
footnote on p. 65), and sacrifices were offered to Tlaloc, who appears
as the symbol. Figures of the mountain-gods were made from meal-paste,
and these were “sacrificed” with a weaver’s sword.
The seventeenth month, Tititl (December 19th), was symbolized by a
figure of Ilamatecutli, whose representative, a woman, was sacrificed
in the ordinary way in the temple of Uitzilopochtli, though her head
was immediately removed, and carried by the officiating priest in the
ceremonial dance which followed.
The last month, Izcalli (January 8th), was dedicated to Xiuhtecutli,
whose portrait appears as emblem. Various land and water animals were
captured by children and young men, who gave them to the officiating
priest to cast into the sacrificial fire before the god. Human
sacrifice was offered only every fourth year, and the ears of children
born in the interval were pierced in the presence of the god.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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