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The Toltecs, the Aztecs, the Maya
- Part 3
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by Prof. German Estrada
May 6, 2002. |
Quiche Maya
These were a Maya subgroup that occupied
the highland valley of Guatemala. Their capital was
Utatlan (or Gumarcaj in Quiche Maya). They employed
a caste system in their society. From the top to the
bottom: royalty, vassals, merchants, artisans, serfs,
and slaves. The state took one of two forms in organization.
One: a king, a king-elect, and two captains holding
the reigns of power.
Two: a quadripartite consisting of
four chiefs, one taken from the four dominant royal
lineages (out of a total of 24). They claimed descent
from the exiled Toltecs; however, Dr. Robert Carmack
traces them to "Toltecized Chontal-Nahua speakers
(in other words, Putun Maya) from the Gulf Coast of
the border region of Veracruz and Tabasco"
Mythological Information
The Beginning of Time:
Aztec: There are two accounts as
to how the Aztecs saw the Creation myth. One comes from
the Legend of the Suns and the other from the Latin
Vatican Codex 3738.
Legend of the Suns:
1.Nahui Ocelotl (4 Ocelotl): Lasted 676 years, ruled
by Tezcatlipoca, element was Earth and destroyed in
the year Ce Actal (1 Reed) by ocelotl.
2.Nahui Ehectal (4 Wind): Lasted 364 years, element
was Wind, and destroyed in the year Ce Tecpatl (1 Flint)
by wind.
3.Nahui Quihahuitl (4 Rain): Lasted 312 years, element
was Fire, and destroyed in the year Ce Tecpatl by fiery
rain.
4.Nahui Atl (4 Water): Lasted 676 years, element was
Water, and destroyed in the year Ce Calli (1 House)
by water.
5.5.Ollin Tonatiuh (Movement of the Sun): Began ? Will
be destroyed by ? in the year ?
Latin Vatican Codex 3738
1.Matlactli Atl = Clalchiutlicue presided, lasted 4008
years, and destroyed by Water.
2.Ehecoatl = Ehectal-Quetzalcoatl presided, lasted 4010
years, and destroyed by Wind in the year Ce Itzucintli
(1 Dog). [Considered a golden age]
3.Telquiyahuillo = Xiuhtecuhtli (god of fire) presided,
lasted 4081 years, and destroyed by Fire on the day
Chichunahui Ollin (9 Earthquake).
4.Tzontilic = Occurred 5042 years ago. Tula is founded
and Topiltzin Queztalcoatl is born to the virgin Chimalman.
People killed by a blood rain.
5.4 Movement. It will be destroyed by Earthquakes
Maya: Similar concept, but with only
4 eras. Each eon measured 13 baktuns totaling approximately
5200 years. Using the Thompson correlation, Michael
D. Coe has calculated that the beginning of the present
era was in 3114 BC while its end is on December 23 2012
AD.
Structure of the Universe
Aztec: A primordial serpent was divided
into three sections and each section had a special domain
-- the Head held the thirteen levels of Heaven; the
Center was the Earth; and the Tail made up the nine
levels of the Underworld. Each of the three had their
own cardinal directions and were connected at the center.
Maya: The primordial crocodile rests
in a pool filled with water- lilies. On its back is
the Earth. Flat, it has four corners corresponding to
four colors. (White = North, Yellow = South, East =
Red and West = Black; Green is associated with the center).
The Sky were created form a double- headed serpent.
On the body of this serpent were the paths crossed by
the sun, moon, planets, etc. The Heavens were thirteen
tiered. It was supported either by four skybearers or
five trees ( four in each cardinal direction and one
in the center). One god was assigned to each level.
The Underworld also assigned one god to each of its
nine levels.
What time is it?
Throughout Mesoamerica a similar
notation of time called the Calendar Round was used.
It was based off of the coordination of two wheels,
one containing the numbers 1 through 20 and the other
containing the thirteen day names, that combined to
form the tonalpohualli (Almanac Year). Trecena refers
to the groupings of the thirteen days.
gestrada@pvnet.com.mx
Prof. Germán
Estrada is the author of the best selling book,
"México Mágico: Everything
You Wanted To Know About... But Nobody Told You..."
available in Puerto Vallarta at The Net House, Mail
Boxes, Etc., Books, Books as well as directly from the
author by internet.
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