The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical SystemsNuttall, Zelia
Religion
The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical Systems
The upper surface of this exhibits the same division into eight parts,
marked by four large and four smaller rays, pointing to the quarters and
half-quarters. Observation shows that of the sixteen localities four were
assigned to each quarter and it is evident that the monument determined
the time and the order in which the tribute for each was paid and
collected at the capital. The one-footed man again graphically symbolizes
axial rotation and conveys the idea of a central ruler who in turn seizes
and exerts control upon 4×4 tribal chiefs. The monument establishes,
moreover, the interesting fact that amongst the subjugated communities
were two gynocracies, represented by women who, instead of spear-throwers,
present their weaving shuttle to the victor.
We shall next consider a monument whose uncouth and ugly form embodies a
deep and nobly planned conception of the “divine twin,” or “divine Four,”
that so completely dominated the minds of the native philosophers.
Let us now carefully examine the monolith now preserved in the National
Museum of Mexico (fig. 57). Leon y Gama, having observed that what
appeared to be the foundation of the statue was carved and that massive
projections existed under its so-called arms, logically concluded that the
original design had been to support the figure from the sides, so that its
base was lifted from the ground and the figure upon it exposed to view
from underneath. His inference is borne out by the carving on the base
which belongs to the same category as the image of Mictlan-tecuhtli, and
represents a semi-human body, of quadriform shape soaring downward.
[Illustration.]
Figure 57.
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