THE AZTEC CALENDAR
Like the Mayans, the Aztecs have both a 260 day
calendar, called Tonalpohualli (or The Count of the Destinies), and 365 day solar, or agricultural
calendar callled Xihuitl.
The 260 day cycle of 13 months of 20 days each is constructed by interlocking 13
numbered days with 20 named days.
Days:
- cipactli [crocodile]
- ehecatl [wind]
- calli [house]
- cuetzpalin (cuetzpallin) [lizard]
- coatl [snake]
- miquiztli [death]
- mazatl [deer]
- tochtli [rabbit]
- atl [water]
- itzcuintli (itzcuintl) [dog]
- ozomahtli (ozomatli) [monkey]
- malinalli [grass]
- acatl [reed]
- ocelotl [jaguar]
- cuauhtli [eagle]
- cozcacuauhtli (cozcauauhtli) [vulture]
- ollin [movement]
- tecpatl [stone knife]
- quiahuitl (quiauitl) [rain]
- xochitl [flower]
The 365 day cycle has 18 months of 20 days each, plus 5 "useless" or "unlucky" days.
Months:
- atlacahualo
- tlacaxipehualiztli (tacaxipehualiztli)
- tozoztontli
- hueytozoztli
- txcatl
- etzalcualiztli
- tecuilhuitontli (tecuihuitontli)
- hueytecuilthuitli
- tlaxochimaco
- hueymiccailhuitl (hueymiccaihuitl)
- ochpaniztli
- pachtontli
- hueypachtli
- quecholli
- panquetzaliztli
- atemoztli
- tititl
- izcalli
- namontemi (nemontemi)
NOTE: Yes, I know that's 19. As I explain at the
beginning of this page, all of this information is second-hand from research on the web. I found a
site that first stated the calendar had 18 months, then went on to name 19. Then, it listed them
again, with a corresponding symbol and their Gregorian equivalents, and in this second list,
spelled five of the names slightly different (I'm sure it's probably just typos, but I don't which is
correct, so I've provided both). I hope to clear this 19 name discrepancy up with further research,
but this will stand for now.
The solar calendar was also divided into 5 Cocij (seasons).
Cocij:
- cocij piye cogaa ([time of droughts]) - 73 days
- cocij yoocho (tiger [time of sickness and miseries]) - 73 days
- cocij cogaa (crocodile [time of rain and wind]) - 73 days
- cocij col lapa (corn [time of harvests]) - 73 days
- cocij piye chij (eagle or warrior [holy time or holiday]) - 73 days
Links:
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