Tonalli
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Revision as of 18:45, 5 July 2014 by Itztli ehecatl (Talk | contribs)
Tonalli has three meanings: day, heat of the sun, and luck. [1]
Contents
Tonalli as day
A day in the Anahuaca calendar is a combination of a day number, 1-13 and a day sign, Cipactli-Xochitl. There are 260 unique day signs together known as the tonalpohualli because 260 is the resulting product when 13 is multiplied by 20. This 260 day cycle was used for divination in Pre-Cuauhtemoc times. Each day sign was considered to be good, bad, indifferent, or both good and bad depending on the various influences of the day numbers and day signs. The day number 13 for example was considered to be the luckiest and most powerful day whereas a day sign like malinalli was bad because it is associated with beasts. Many of the surviving Pre-Cuauhtemoc codices contain a complete tonalamatl (book of days) which were consulted by a Tonalpouque (interpreter of day signs)on important days such as childbirth and marriage. Various Teteo were assigned to both the day numbers and the day signs and are widely described as patrons in this context.Relation to the Tonalpohualli and Xiuhpohualli
The tonalli differs from the cempoalilhuitl because it is considered to be "movable" whereas the cempoalilhuitl is considered to be "fixed." This is the result of the inability to match the tonalpohualli with with the solar year exactly. As a result, in one solar year there is one complete tonalpohualli cycle with 105 additional days. Therefore a particular tonalli such as 5-Cuetzpallin in one solar year will fall in a completely different place in subsequent years and will only fall at the same time of the year every 52 years.
Teteo Day Number Assignments
Tlapohualmachiyotl | Teotl | Tototl |
---|---|---|
1 | Xiuhtecuhtli | Blue Hummingbird |
2 | Tlaltecuhtli | Green Hummingbird |
3 | Chalchiutlicue | Hawk |
4 | Tonatiuh | Quail |
5 | Tlazolteotl | Eagle |
6 | Mictlantecuhtli | Screech Owl |
7 | Centeotl | Butterfly |
8 | Tlaloc | Eagle |
9 | Quetzalcoatl or Ehecatl | Turkey |
10 | Tezcatlipoca | Horned Owl |
11 | Chalmecatl or Mictlantecuhtli | Macaw |
12 | Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli | Quetzal |
13 | Ilamatecuhtli | Parrot |
Teteo Day Sign Assignment
Tlanahuatia | Day Sign | Machiyotl | Teotl |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Crocodile | Cipactli | Tonacatecuhtli |
2 | Wind | Ehecatl | Quetzalcoatl |
3 | House | Calli | Tepeyollotl |
4 | Lizard | Cuetzpallin | Huehuecoyotl |
5 | Serpent | Coatl | Chalchiuhtlicue |
6 | Death | Miquitzli | Tecciztecatl |
7 | Deer | Mazatl | Tlaloc |
8 | Rabbit | Tochtli | Mayahuel |
9 | Water | Atl | Xiuhtecuhtli |
10 | Dog | Itzcuintli | Mictlantecuhtli |
11 | Monkey | Ozomahtli | Xochipilli |
12 | Grass | Malinalli | Patecatl |
13 | Reed | Acatl | Tezcatlipoca-Ixquimilli |
14 | Jaguar | Ocelotl | Tlazolteotl |
15 | Eagle | Cuauhtli | Red Tezcatlipoca or Xipe Totec |
16 | Vulture | Cozcacuauhtli | Itzpapalotl |
17 | Movement | Ollin | Xolotl |
18 | Flint | Tecpatl | Chalchiuhtotolin |
19 | Rain | Quiauitl | Tonatiuh |
20 | Flower | Xochitl | Xochiquetzal |