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Mexica/Aztec Calendar Systems

The Civil Calendar

The solar year was the basis for the civil calendar by which the Mexicas
(Aztecs) determined the myriad ceremonies and rituals linked to
agricultural cycles. The calendar was made up of 18 months, each
lasting 20 days. The months were divided into four five-day weeks. The
year was rounded out to 365 days by the addition of the five-day
nemontemi (empty days), an omnious period marked by the cessation
of normal activities and general abstinence. The correlation of dates in
the Gregorian calendar is uncertain, although most authors on the
subject affix the beginning of the Aztec year to early Febuary. A variety
of sources were consulted in developing the following chart of some of
the ritualistic activities associated with each month.

No. Name of Month Patron Gods and Rituals

Tlaloc, Chachihutlicue
Atlacacauallo (ceasing of
I.
water) Children sacrificed to
water gods
Xipe-Totec
Tlacaxipehualiztli
II. Gladitorial sacrifice;
(flaying of men)
dances by priest wearing
the flayed skin of victims
Coatlicue, Tlaloc
III. Tozoztontli (little vigil) Flayed skins buried,
child sacrifices
Centeotl,
Chicomecacoatl
IV. Hueytozoztli (great vigil)
Blessing of new corn;
maiden sacrificed
Tezcatlipoca,
Huitzilopochtli
V. Toxcatl (dryness)
Impersonators of these
major gods sacrified

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Tlaloques

Etzalcualiztli (meal of Impersonators of water

VI.
maize & beans) dieties sacrified by
drowning; ritual bathing
and dances
Huixtocihuatl,
Xochipilli
Tecuilhuitontli (small Impersonators of the
VII.
feast of the lords)
gods sacrificed;
ceremony of salt
workers
Xilonen

Hueytecuihutli (great Feast for godess of

VIII.
feast of the lords) young corn, lords offer
gifts and feast for
commoners
Huizilopochtli

Tlaxochimaco (birth of All the gods festooned

IX.
flowers) with garlands; feasting
on corn-meal cakes and
turkey
Xiuhtecuhtli
Xocotlhuetzin (fall of
fruit) Ceremonial pole
X. climbing competition
Hueymiccaihuitl (great
feast of the dead) Sacrifice to fire gods by
roasting victims alive
Tlazolteotl
Ochpaniztli (sweeping of
XI. Sweeping of house and
the roads)
roads; mock combat
Tezcatlipoca

Teoleco (return of the Ceremonies welcoming

XII.
gods) gods returning to earth;
ceremonial drunkeness,
sacrifices by fire
Tlaloc

Tepeihuitl (feast of the Ceremonies for

XIII. mountain rain gods;
hills)
human sacrifices and
ceremonial cannibalism
Mixcoatl-Camaxtli
Quecholli (precious Ritualistic hunt following
XIV.
feather) fast; sacrifice of game
and ceremonial feasting

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Huitzilopochtli

Homes and fruit trees

Panquetzaliztli (raising of
XV. decorated with paper
the banner)
banners;
race-procession; massive
sacrifices
Tlaloc
Atemoztli (water Festival honoring water
XVI.
decends)
gods; children and slaves
sacrificed
Llamatecuhtli

Sympathetic magic to
XVII. Tititl (streching)
bring rain; women
beaten with straw-filled
bags to make them cry
Xiuhtecuhtli

Image of god made from

XVIII. Izcalli (resuscitation) amaranth dough;
feasting on tamales
stuffed with greens
Five unlucky days; no
Nemontemi (empty days)
rituals, general fasting

Tonalpohualli - The Ritual Calendar

The tonalpohualli (count of days) was the sacred almanac of the
Mexicas. This ritual calendar was registered in the tonalamatl (book of
days), a green-fold bark paper or deerskin codex from which a priest
(called tonalpouque) cast horoscopes and predicated favorable and
unfavorable days of the cycle. The almanac year comprised of 260
days, each of which was assigned a date by intermeshing one of 20
day-signs, represented graphically with a gylph, and a number from 1
to13, represented by dots so that no two days in the cycle could be
confused. The almanac year was thus made up of 20 13-day weeks,
with the first week beginning on 1-Crocodile and ending on 13-Reed,
the second week running from 1-Ocelot to 13-Deaths' Head and so on.
A god or godess was believed to preside over each day-sign, as shown
in the following chart.

Cipactli-Crocodile

Tonacatecuhtli- Lord of our Sustenance; male aspect of dual gods

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Ehecatl-Wind

Quetzalcoatyl- Plumbed Serpent; god of knowledge and the preisthood

Calli-House

Tepeyolohtli- Heart of the Mountain; jaguar god of the interior earth

Cuetzpallin-Lizard

Huehuecoyotl- Old Coyote; back-biiter or mischief-maker

Coatl-Serpant

Chalchiuhtlicue- Lady of the jade skirt; godess of ground waters

Miquiztli-Deaths' Head

Tecciztecatl-He from the sea-snail; moon god

Mazatl-Deer

Tlaloc- He who makes things sprout; god of rain and earth fertility

Tochtli-Rabbit

Mayahuel- She of the maguey plant; godess of pulque (maguey wine)

Atl-Water

Xiuhtecuhtli- Lord of the year; fire god, patron of rulers

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Itzcuintli-Dog

Miclantecuhtli- Lord of Mictlan (Region of the Dead);god of death

Ozomatli-Monkey

Xochipilli- Flower Prince; god of flowers and plants

Malinalli-Grass

Patecatl- He from the Land of Medicines; god of medicinal plants

Acatl-Reed

Tezcatlipoca- Smoking mirror; major creator of god, god of fate

Ocelotl-Ocelot

Tlazolteotl- Eater of Filth; earth mother

Cuauhtli-Eagle

Xipe- Totec- Our Flayed Lord; god of seeding and planting

Cozcaquauhtli-Vulture

Itzapapalotl- Obsidian Butterfly; stellar and agricultural godess

Ollin-Motion

Xolotl- Double; Monster god, twin of Quetzalcoatl

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Tecpatl-Flint Knife

Chalchiuhtotolin- Guise of Tezcatlipoca; god of night and the

mysterious

Quiahuitl-Rain

Chantico- In the House; godess of the hearth

Xochitl- Flower

Xochiquetzal- Flower of the Rich Plume; godess of flowers

Other Ancient Mexico Articles

Gods Fasting Corn Aztec Calendar

AZTEC Godess Amaranth Fertility

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