CODEX MENDOZA AZTEC MANUSCRIPT

THE FOUNDATION OF TENOCHTITLAN

The foundation of Tenochtitlan (1325) and its history until 1375, when Tenochtli died, after a reign lasting 51 years. 

Each blue square represents one year, reading clockwise around the margin. The Aztecs [Mexica] had a curious way of counting time: each month had 20 days, named after things or animals (there were 18 months in a year, with five “unlucky days” left over). Each year was named after its first day, and the year, having 365 days, could only begin with four day- names: they were House, Rabbit, Reed and Flint Knife.

The Aztec [Mexica] century consisted of 52 years, which were counted by combining these four symbols with blue dots from one to thirteen (4 x 13 = 52). Though they numbered the individual years within each “century”, the “centuries” themselves were not numbered, and are thus not as easily identifiable as ours. 

Every 52 years the Aztecs [Mexica] thought that the world was coming to an end; in order for life to continue, the New Fire had to be kindled. This is the meaning of the fire drilling - glyph over the year 2-Reed, in the lower right - hand corner (corresponding to our 1351)

The eagle, cactus fruit and rock in the middle symbolize Tenochtitlan and the circumstances in which the wandering Aztecs [Mexica] settled here. The Mexican shield, with seven eagle - down feathers, and the bundle of spears denote the authority of the Aztec [Mexica] lords: it occurs frequently in the Codex. The large blue cross, the blue square, and the various plants (sedge and cain) denote Lake Texcoco.

Tenochtli, the Aztec [Mexica] chief during this period, is the only figure sitting on a palm leaf mat, symbolizing power. His name means “Stone Prickly Pear” (tetl, stone, nochtli, prickly pear), as can be seen from the glyph behind him. The blue speech scroll here means authority.

The other seated figures are high ranking warriors (note column - like hairstyle). The Aztecs [Mexica] used to line up their enemies' skulls on special racks as shown here (center right).

Bottom: the Aztecs [Mexica] defeating Colhuacan and Tenayuca and taking many prisoners.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

NOTE: Concerning the ending of the century (52 years) it is said that the Mexica "thought" that the world was coming to an end. 

However, let us remember that the Mexica had a passion for using metaphors and aside from being warriors they had a supreme knowledge and understanding of time.

It was a world, "Cemanahuac", in a time cycle of 52 years. The New Fire was thus the welcoming of another.

ACAMAPICHTLI

Acamapichtli was the first ruler (Tlatoani) of the Aztecs [Mexica] from 1375 to 1396 (One Flint Knife in the blue margin). His name means "Hands Grasping Arrow-Canes" , as the glyph suggests (acatl, reed, and mapichtli, handful). He is shown twice: once when he became ruler ( the snake and head glyph represent his former title) and a second time, in1383 (Eight Reed) when he took the four towns shown on the right. The Spanish scribe has written the names of the towns over each glyph, followed by the abbreviation pu, for pueblo. 

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

HUITZILIHUITL

Huitzilihuitl, the second Tlatoani of the Aztecs, [Mexica] ruled from 1396 to 1417. His name means"Humming - bird feather". Behind him, note the fire drilling glyph, denoting the ceremony of the " bond between the years" which occurred at the end of each Aztec [Mexica] "century"; it is the year Two Reed (1403). In the first two glyphs, note the teeth (tlantli), which are not attached to anyone's body. This is the conventional sign for "among" or "near"; it appears in place - names as -tlan.

The legs and rump (tzintli) similarly stand for "small" ; watch for place - names with the syllable -tzin. Another common sign in the Codex is the hand (maitl) signifying "capture" ; it occurs in place - names as -ma.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

CHIMALPOPOCA

Chimalpopoca was the third ruler of Mexico, from 1417 to 1427. His name means "Smoking Shield". The fact that the spears in the power - glyph are not straight is thought to signify rebellion; and Chimalpopoca was confronted with precisely this problem after his capture of Chalco, when five of his troops were killed and four canoes damaged by enemy action.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

ITZCOATL

Itzcoatzin, fourth Tlatoani, the son of Chimalpopoca by a slave, conquered 24 towns during his reign, which lasted from 1427 to  1440. He was a fearless wise leader with a brilliant grasp of tactics in war. His name means “Snake with Obsidian Arrow - Heads”. -Tzin, in this case, is a title of respect . 

Note that the usual blazing and collapsing temple, meaning defeat of a town, is shown differently in the top right - hand corner; this is because the name of the town itself ( Teocalhueyacan ) begins with the word for temple, -teocalli, or “god - house”. Incidentally, for a people which could not possibly have been influenced by Indo - European civilization before the coming of Cortes, the root for “god” in the Nahuatl language, -teo, is amazingly similar to its Old World counterpart, e.g., Latin deus.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

NOTE:

Dyeu - Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine," in derivatives "sky, heaven, god." *https://www.etymonline.com/word/god

God - Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch god and German Gott .

*Definition from Oxford Languages.

Teotl - Translate to “sacred power”, “sacred”, “divine”, “divinity”. It is not the equivalent to what Europeans call god. And deus is not the equivalent to teo.

Nahuatl words beginning with Teo: Teoyotl - divinity, teopixqui - priest, teotia - worship, teoatl - ocean (sacred waters), teocalli - temple (sacred temple), teoamoxtli - sacred book, scripture.

*Hippocrene Concise Dictionary Nahuatl-English/English Nahuatl By Fermin Herrera. This dictionary reflects usage largely based on classical norms. 

Also: Cemanahuac is our Old World. What today is falsely known as the “Western Hemisphere” or the Americas. Cemanahuac ( Entire Land Between Water / Entire Land Surrounded By Water).

HUEHUEMOTECEUCZOMA

Huehuemoteuczuma, fifth lord of Tenochtitlan, who reigned from 1440 - 1469, conquered the 33 towns shown here and in B. For some reason the Mexican scribe has not mentioned the kindling of the New Fire, which took place in the year Two Reed, or 1455 (4 up from the bottom in the blue margin).

Note here the dark green glyph for "hill", which appears in place - names as -Tepec.

It occurs on this page seven times. Atotonilco, first town in the penultimate line, must have been hard to subdue (glyph: pot of boiling water, black from smoke), it appears here twice on the same page.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

AXAYACATZIN

Axayacatzin, the 6th Tlatoani of the Aztecs [Mexica], ruled from 1469 to 1482, conquering a total of 37 towns. The double hill sign in the first two names means “deep gorge”, the second one being sandy as well, as can be seen from the dots on a light background. Metepec, the name of a modern town about a 100 miles south - east of Mexico City, means “maguey plant” (metl) “on hill” (tepec). The bridge across a stream, lower right, also occurs in Part 3, pg 96. In the same line we have an extremely odd symbol - a nose, meaning “the beginning”.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

TEZOTZICATZIN

Tezotzicatzin was the seventh ruler of the Aztecs [Mexica], from 1481 to 1486. The “tortuous” ways of Aztec thinking are well illustrated by the first place - name which means “where the heat of the sun is great”. The idea “great” is expressed by the sign for “rising” - a leg in the tip - toe position; the four circles are the sun's heat.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

ANITZOTZIN

Anitzotzin, eighth Tlatoani of the Aztecs [Mexica], ruled from 1486 to 1502, capturing 45 towns.

The first official act of his reign was a vast human sacrifice, at which 20,000 prisoners were slain at 14 temples, over 4 days. This was the dedication of the huge temple of Huitzilipochtli, the foundation stone of which had been laid by his predecessor. In Aztec [Mexica] sacrifices, after the priest had cut out the victim's heart with a flint knife, the body was tossed over the side of the temple terrace; the skull went on to the skull - rack, while most of the remainder of the body was eaten in the form of “man - stew” with maize.

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript

Note:

The idea that our ancestors ate human flesh and sacrificed to appease a "god" was a claim made by the Spaniards who first massacred our people and went on to rape, pillage and destroy our Anahuac culture and population. There is no evidence that exists today that points to this allegation. It has been agreed by scholars that this type of act is a human impossibility. False claims were made that up to 80,000 individuals were sacrificed in the span of 4 days. These claims were made by Spanish invaders to justify their cruelty against the Mexica and other Indigenous people of what today is known as Mexico and Central America.

MOCTEZUMA XOCOYOTZIN

Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, 9th and last ruler of Tenochtitlan, from 1502-1520.

Note behind his name-glyph (meaning “brave Lord”), the sign for the kindling of the New Fire, in 1506 (Two Reed). 

Cocolan (line 1, No. 2) derives from the word for “old and dilapidated” : note the threadbare mantle with the bone needle stuck through it. The blue diadem (No. 4) is for -tecuhtli “lord” plus the hill glyph, making Tecutepec. The female bosom in line 4 derives from a tribal custom of the Otomi, whose females used to make blue puncture marks on their breast. 

CODEX MENDOZA

Aztec Manuscript