Monthly Archives: September 2008

Toltec Naguals

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Ernie Fitzpatrick asked:


In the heart of the Mayan hoopla about 2012 and thier long count calendar or 13 baktun, the Toltec’s have been overlooked. The word Toltec in Mesoamerican studies has been used in different ways by different scholars to refer to actual populations and polities of pre-Columbian central Mexico or to the mythical ancestors mentioned in the mythical/historical narratives of the Aztecs.

People like don Miguel Ruiz do not see the Toltec as a race or nation but “scientists and artists who formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of the ancient ones.”

It is an ongoing debate whether the Toltecs can be understood to have formed an actual ethnic group at any point in Mesoamerican history or if they are mostly or only a product of Aztec myth. But, the scholars who have understood the Toltecs to have been an actual ethnic group often connect them to the archeological site of Tula, Hidalgo which is then supposed to have been the Tollan of Aztec myth.

But let us go on to the next word: nagual.

Nagual has a two sided meaning as well. In modern rural Mexico the nagual is often the same as “witches” or “brujos” who are thought to be able to shapeshift into animals at night (normally into an owl or  bat). Others see naguals ass the wise masters with spiritual knowledge from the ancient of days.

The ancient prophet-ruler of the Toltecs, Quetzalcoatl (the Feathered Serpent). Spaniards made a slaughter of the Indians in the name of Christ, though His message was love, and so too had the Aztecs fallen away from the similar teachings of Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl’s message of love and wisdom is reflected in the following advice of an Aztec noble to his sons- “Take great pains to make yourselves friends of God who is in all parts, and is invisible and impalpable, and it is meet that you give Him all your heart and body”.

Quetzalcoatl delivered a message of love, forbidding the blood sacrifice, teaching of the One Supreme God, and giving the Toltecs many material things of their culture, such as the calendar. And it’s from that calendar that so much of the 2012 bruhaha has come.

Maybe we need a little more attention to the Toltecs and less about the Mayans. Maybe?   :-)



Fiona

Discovering The Allure Of Chichen Itza

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Justin Burch asked:


Just over 100 miles from the glamorous resorts and pristine beaches of Cancun, rests Mexico’s most celebrated historical site. Chichen Itza, once a prominent regional capital of the Mayan civilization, is a sprawling complex of pre-Columbian ruins. Though the city lay neglected until archeologists began exploring and preserving the site in the 1920s, the Mayan capital has become one of Mexico’s most visited attractions. Chichen Itza – meaning “at the mouth of the well of Itza” – is also a World Heritage Site and finalist for the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The most well-known structure at the Chichen Itza site is the Temple of Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo. In addition to being one of the most famous remains of the Mayan civilization, this wonderfully preserved step pyramid once served as a monument to the culture’s greatest mythical creature. Kukulcan, the feathered serpent deity more commonly known as Quetzalcoatl, is celebrated in an incredibly unique architectural flourish. During the spring and fall equinoxes, the structure casts ornate shadows in the form of a feathered serpent along the northern staircase.

Demonstrating a common Mesoamerican architectural tradition, El Castillo was actually constructed atop another smaller temple. At the base of the northern staircase, visitors can enter a tunnel to the interior temple. The small room at the top of the staircase still houses King Kukulcan’s Jaguar Throne, carved from stone and painted red with jade spots.

These temples are at the heart of the debate surrounding the age of the city and the year of its decline. For decades, it was believed that the interior temple dated to a period just before 1000 AD, soon after the ruler of the Toltec civilization of central Mexico – who would later call himself Kukulcan in honor of the god – came to Chichen Itza. The historical belief held that Kukulcan, working with his Mayan allies, expanded Chichen Itza into the most powerful city in the Yucatan region. While many of the remaining structures at Chichen Itza represent a mixture of Mayan and Toltec styles, advanced technology has shown that the city most likely rose to prominence around 600 AD. Furthermore, while Mayan chronicles reference a revolt and civil war in 1221 – the previously held date of Chichen Itza’s decline and Mayapan’s rise – archeologists now believe Chichen Itza may have fallen by 1000 AD, creating a mysterious historical gap between the peaks of these Mayan capitals.

El Castillo and its inner structure are not the only temples at Chichen Itza. The High Priest’s Temple – a smaller version of El Castillo – served as the burial site for elite members of society. The Temple of the Warriors is another well-preserved step pyramid surrounded by carved columns with depictions of Mayan fighters. The Temple of the Warriors is also near the large plaza now known as The Great Market.

To the northwest of El Castillo is a large open space that might seem like another market at first glance. However, this area is the largest Mesoamerican ballcourt in all of Mexico, measuring 545 feet by 232 feet. The field is lined with sculptures of athletes, most notably a depiction of the losing team captain being decapitated. On the ballcourt’s exterior wall, The Temple of the Jaguar and another jaguar throne – similar to the interior of El Castillo – were built into the structure.

Another pair of popular structures is the complex known as Las Monjas (The Nunnery) and El Caracol (The Snail). Though referred to as a nunnery by Spanish conquistadores, Las Monjas was actually the primary governmental palace of Chichen Itza. El Caracol – a large round building on a square platform – served as the city’s observatory.

Called “the snail” for its spiral staircase, the Mayans incorporated many unique features into El Caracol. From the doors aligned for viewing of the vernal equinox to the stone cups designed to hold water and reflect the stars, Mayans based their understanding of the universe on this observatory’s technology.

Whether you visit Chichen Itza on your own or with a tour group, getting to the site from Cancun is a breeze. Tours can be arranged directly through your resort and most feature knowledgeable guides. However, guided day tours don’t always allow much free time at the site. If you want to explore the site on your own schedule or just beat the early afternoon crowds, consider renting a vehicle or spending a night at the pleasant villa near the ruins.



Wyatt