HOME | DD

Description

For info about commissions: fav.me/dd1rfla
Follow me on instagram: www.instagram.com/saxtorphillu…

The Prehispanic Mexica (Aztecs) used many forms of divination, but the most widespread aspect was calendar-based, particularly regarding the sacred day count – Tonalpohualli. This calendar featured 20 daysigns which would all have a big influence on the outcome of your life. Some days were held in positive regard and some were bad signs. For example – people born under Cipactli were thought to be destined to be hard-working and honest (I already did an artwork representing the Cipactli sign fav.me/ddctjz1 ) However, those born under Quiahuitl (me!) were said to be prone to sickness, poor eyesight, and insanity (… ain’t gonna argue with that tho). [1]

The significance of these days was not solely constrained to birthdays, but also held significance for daily activities such as farming, fishing, and worship. Many layers of magical thinking went into Mexica mystical practices. To determine whether some endeavor would have good luck, you had to keep in mind not only the day of someone’s birth but also the day they were starting their task. For more complicated cases, one would often consult a maize-caster. A maize-caster or tlaolxiniani would cast maize kernels or stones across a mat or into water and then make predictions from the arrangements that resulted. Upon the birth of a child, lots would be cast upon a painted mat. Across the mat would be squares with representations of various deities, and how the lots fell across the various god-squares would be seen as predictive of the child’s life. [2]

Oxomoco was the Mexica goddess of astrology and divination. She was often depicted as an old woman casting maize kernels. Oxomoco casting kernels: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxomoco#…
Tonalpohualli from the Tover codex: www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=ht…
Day and night symbol: www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=ht…

Day-keepers or counters still exist today in many native Mesoamerican communities, and they interpret a 260-day ritual calendar using divinatory codices as a guide to determine the fate or auspiciousness of specific day sign-number combinations in the calendar. Day keepers would be consulted when a child was born, before its naming ceremony, since one of an Aztec person’s names was always based on their day of birth and many characteristics of their lives are predetermined by this date/name. In many Mesoamerican traditions, dreams are also considered to be a type of communication with the supernatural world. [3]

Further reading:

www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/ar…

Mary Miller / Karl Taube, An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. London: Thames & Hudson 1993, 1997.

Rojas, 2016. Reading Maize: A Narrative and Psychological Approach to the Study of Divination in Mesoamerica

[1] Sahagun, 1569. General History of the Things of New Spain. Book 10: The People, Anderson and Dibble 1981 trans.

[2] Durán, 1579. Book of Gods and Rites, and the Ancient Calendar. Horcasitas and Heyden 1977 trans.

[3] www.faena.com/aleph/articles/d…

Description

For info about commissions: fav.me/dd1rfla
Follow me on instagram: www.instagram.com/saxtorphillu…

The Prehispanic Mexica (Aztecs) used many forms of divination, but the most widespread aspect was calendar-based, particularly regarding the sacred day count – Tonalpohualli. This calendar featured 20 daysigns which would all have a big influence on the outcome of your life. Some days were held in positive regard and some were bad signs. For example – people born under Cipactli were thought to be destined to be hard-working and honest (I already did an artwork representing the Cipactli sign fav.me/ddctjz1 ) However, those born under Quiahuitl (me!) were said to be prone to sickness, poor eyesight, and insanity (… ain’t gonna argue with that tho). [1]

The significance of these days was not solely constrained to birthdays, but also held significance for daily activities such as farming, fishing, and worship. Many layers of magical thinking went into Mexica mystical practices. To determine whether some endeavor would have good luck, you had to keep in mind not only the day of someone’s birth but also the day they were starting their task. For more complicated cases, one would often consult a maize-caster. A maize-caster or tlaolxiniani would cast maize kernels or stones across a mat or into water and then make predictions from the arrangements that resulted. Upon the birth of a child, lots would be cast upon a painted mat. Across the mat would be squares with representations of various deities, and how the lots fell across the various god-squares would be seen as predictive of the child’s life. [2]

Oxomoco was the Mexica goddess of astrology and divination. She was often depicted as an old woman casting maize kernels. Oxomoco casting kernels: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxomoco#…
Tonalpohualli from the Tover codex: www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=ht…
Day and night symbol: www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=ht…

Day-keepers or counters still exist today in many native Mesoamerican communities, and they interpret a 260-day ritual calendar using divinatory codices as a guide to determine the fate or auspiciousness of specific day sign-number combinations in the calendar. Day keepers would be consulted when a child was born, before its naming ceremony, since one of an Aztec person’s names was always based on their day of birth and many characteristics of their lives are predetermined by this date/name. In many Mesoamerican traditions, dreams are also considered to be a type of communication with the supernatural world. [3]

Further reading:

www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/ar…

Mary Miller / Karl Taube, An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. London: Thames & Hudson 1993, 1997.

Rojas, 2016. Reading Maize: A Narrative and Psychological Approach to the Study of Divination in Mesoamerica

[1] Sahagun, 1569. General History of the Things of New Spain. Book 10: The People, Anderson and Dibble 1981 trans.

[2] Durán, 1579. Book of Gods and Rites, and the Ancient Calendar. Horcasitas and Heyden 1977 trans.

[3] www.faena.com/aleph/articles/d…