Download Anna Tedstrom Objects as History 4/14/1 Iconography Essay The

Anna Tedstrom
Objects as History
4/14/1
Iconography Essay
The Aztec stone of the Sun is a large flat, round stone engraved with symbols
relating to the Sun that represent the calendar of the Aztec civilization. The stone is
not a functioning calendar itself but it monumentalizes the intricate Aztec calendar
and may have been used as a sacrificial altar.
The Sun held a very important role in the Aztec religion as it represented
their most important deity, Tonatiuh. The stone’s carvings are in a circular form to
relate to the behavior of the sun, the moon, and Venus orbiting in space. Tonatiuh is
placed at the center. Each of his hands hold a human heart and his tongue is
illustrated as a ritual blade for sacrifice. Human sacrifice was believed to keep the
sun god strong and was given as an offering to keep him and the other gods healthy
for the people’s good fortune.
The two bands in the center represent parts of their primary ritual calendar.
The four squares around the head of Tonatuih represent the four elements earth,
wind, fire, and water and the collapse of each of the prior solar eras. Within the
squares you see a jaguar, wind, fiery rain, and flooding waters representing how the
earth’s earliest inhabitants found their demise. The squares surrounding Tonatiuh
are placed in a specific shape relating to an abstract motif of an Ollin. An Ollin is a
symbol for the movement of the sun god.
The smaller band has 20 “day” signs of the ceremonial “month”. This marks their
first calendar made up 18 months and 365 days in a year. The bigger band
represents the ritual calendar with 20 signs and 13 numbers—each of the 20 signs
were assigned a number. This calendar worked like a gear within a gear and made a
total of 260 days. Not only did a god rule every day but each week could be ruled by
another god.