Rare Aztec Map Reveals a Glimpse of Life in 1500s Mexico

nationalgeographic.com ^ | Greg Miller

[BenLurkin]

The map shows the land holdings and geneology of a family in central Mexico. It covers an area that runs from just north of Mexico City to just below Puebla, roughly 100 miles away to the southeast. The family, identified as “de Leon,” traced their lineage to the red figure seated in the middle of the image above, who was known as Lord-11 Quetzalecatzin. A century before the map was made, he was the major political leader of the region writes John Hessler, curator of the Jay I. Kislak Collection of the Archaeology of the Early Americas at the Library of Congress in a recent blog post about the map. Many other family members appear on the map too.

The map shows both indigenous and Spanish influences. “On the one hand, the map is a traditional Aztec cartographic history with its composition and design showing Nahuatl hieroglyphics, and typical illustrations,” Hessler writes, referring to the indigenous language of the region. The bold colors on the map come from natural dyes, including Maya Blue (made from indigo plant leaves and a type of clay) and carmine (made from a cactus-dwelling insect).

“On the other hand,” Hessler continues, “it also shows churches, some Spanish place names, and other images suggesting a community adapting to Spanish rule.” The names of several indigenous leaders include the Spanish honorific “don,” and the names of some, such as “don Alonso” and “don Matheo,” indicate that they’d been baptized with Spanish names.

[BenLurkin]

Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

[BenLurkin]

gnip

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4701g.ct009133/

[Red Badger]

Enthroned figure has a big belly....................

[vladimir998]

“The map shows both indigenous and Spanish influences.”

Then it’s not really Aztec. It’s Mexican.

[Cicero]

Probably ate a lot of peasants.

[Jolla]

Enthroned figure has a big belly..

and from the figure just below they either experience hurricanes or he has serious flatulence

[blueunicorn6]

Wow!

That looks just like Uncle Ed.

I’m the King of Mexico!

[Ezekiel]

Rare Aztec Map Reveals a Glimpse of Life in 1500s Mexico

"Walter was a human sacrifice." ~ Art Weingartner

[Sam's Army]

"and from the figure just below they either experience hurricanes or he has serious flatulence"

That's a good catch. I was thinking it might be a blast-off since ancient civilizations (who couldn't defeat evil white oppressors) had access to spacecraft and other secret technologies. At least according to some shows on the "history" channel....

[Jolla]

the spacecraft theory sounds good, the shape - and the jet flames and exhaust

[Cowboy Bob]

Or, he’s really excited...

[Buckeye McFrog]

I thought all Mexican maps were just a series of arrows pointing north towards the Rio Grande.

[Sam's Army]

"The names of several indigenous leaders include the Spanish honorific “don,” and the names of some, such as “don Alonso” and “don Matheo,” indicate that they’d been baptized with Spanish names."

Is Ron Mexico also on the map? I mean since we are talking about ancient history and all...?

[Verginius Rufus]

Using the Latin alphabet also shows Spanish influences. The Aztecs rarely used the Latin alphabet before 1519.

The Aztecs were actually the Mexica (pronounced "me-SHEE-ka"). That is the source of the name "Mexico."

[exPBRrat]

That was just after the time of St Juan Diego on who cape the Lady of Guadalupe cast her miraculous image...

...I wonder?

[GingisK]

I don't see how that map would give any clues whatsoever regarding what life was like in the 1500s. They had at least one chair, acorns with flags on top, four peas, 8 1/2 raindrops, and an Omega symbol wrapped with a snake.

Anyone who thinks that they could learn much about life in the 1500s from that drawing is smoking some heavy duty stuff.

[shotgun]

re-fried beans...

[Mastador1]

Enthroned figure has a big belly....................

That's not his belly