Cempoalilhuitl

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The Cempoalilhuitl literally means "20 days". This period of 20 days is also referred to as metztli and veintena in various sources. For each 20 day period, a feast dedicated to the designated Teotl took place on the first day. [1] In addition, there were various ceremonies that took place within each month.

Relation to the Xiuhpohualli

The cempoalilhuitl is considered to be "fixed" because since it is tied exactly to the xiuhpohualli, it can be used for commemorative dates such as La Noche Triste which takes place on 11-Tecuilhuitontli and 11-Tecuilhuitontli in subsequent years will always fall in the same location in the solar year although the tonalli will be different. Therefore it is the cempoalilhuitl that is used to identify a particular time during the solar year rather than the trecena or tonalli.

Meaning, Associated Dates and Teteo

Cempohualilhuitl Date Range [2] Glyph English Translation [3] Teotl [4]
Tlacaxipehualiztli 3/21-4/9 Tlaca.fw.png The Flaying of People Xipe Totec
Tozoztontli 4/10-4/29 Tozoz.fw.png The Perforation Tlaloc
Huey Tozoztli 4/30-5/19 Htozoz.fw.png The Great Perforation Cinteotl
Toxcatl 5/20-6/8 Toxcatl.fw.png Dryness Titlacauan and Tezcatlipoca
Etzalcualiztli 6/9-6/28 Etzalcualiztli.fw.png The Eating of Corn and Beans Tlaloque
Tecuilhuitontli 6/29-7/18 Tecuil.fw.png Small Feast of the Rulers Huixtocihuatl
Huey Tecuilhuitl 7/19-8/7 Htecuil.fw.png Great Feat of the Rulers Xilonen
Miccailhuitontli, Tlaxochimaco 8/8-8/27 Miccail.fw.png The Feast of the Dead, The Gathering of Flowers Huitzilopochtli
Huey Miccailhuitontli, Xocotl Huetzi 8/28-9/16 Hmiccail.fw.png Great Feast of the Dead, The Falling of Fruit Xiuhtecuhtli or Ixcocauhqui
Ochpaniztli 9/17-10/6 Ochpan.fw.png Sweeping Teteo Innan or Toci
Teotleco 10/7-10/26 Pachton.fw.png The Return of Teotl Nochi Teteo
Tepeilhuitl 10/27-11/15 Hpactli.fw.png Feast of the Mountains Tepetl Popocatepetl, Tepetl Itztaccihuatl, Tepetl Tlaloc, and Tepetl Matlalcueye [5]
Quecholli 11/16-12/5 Quecho.fw.png Roseate Spoonbill Mixcoatl
Panquetzaliztli 12/6-12/25 Panquet.fw.png Raising of the Flags Huitzilopochtli
Atemoztli 12/26-1/14 Atemoz.fw.png The Descent of Water Tlaloque
Tititl 1/15-2/3 Tititl.fw.png The Stretching Ilamatecuhtli, Tonan, and Cozcamiauh
Izcalli 2/4-2/23 Izcalli.fw.png Rebirth Xiuhtecuhtli or Ixcocauhqui
Atlcahualo 2/24-3/15 Atlcahu.fw.png The Water has Departed Tlaloque or Quetzalcoatl or Chalchiutlicue
Nemontemi 3/16-3/20 Nemon.fw.png They Fill the Void None
  1. Sahagun, Bernardino. Florentine Codex, Book 2. Pages 1-35.
  2. The given dates correspond to the 2014-2015 Gregorian year. These dates will be the same for all years when the spring equinox occurs on Mach 20th.
  3. Munro, Edmonson. The Book of the Year Middle American Calendrical Systems. Pages 216-217 of
  4. Unless otherwise stated, the Teteo are taken from: Sahagun, Bernardino. Florentine Codex, Book 2. Pages 1-35.
  5. Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel. Handbook to Life in the Aztec World. Page 328