Episode 80 of SfS — Indigenous Astronomy: The Aztecs — is now Live!
In this week’s episode, I returned to the ongoing series on Indigenous Astronomy with a look at the Aztec Empire and its traditions. Like all Mesoamerican cultures, the Aztecs had a rich astronomical and cosmological tradition that was as complex as anything created by the Babylonians, Greeks, Indians, Chinese, and others. In fact, their traditions demonstrate the type of universality that observations of the heavens inspire.
To the Aztecs, the movements of the Sun, the Moon, and the visible planets were seen as evidence of a cosmic order. Every activity they performed during the year was dictated by this order and even influenced their urban planning. In addition, they followed two calendars: a 365-day solar calendar ( xiuhpōhualli) and a 260-day ritual calendar ( tōnalpōhualli). Every 52 years, these calendars would coincide, which was seen as the end of a historical cycle.
What is also very interesting is the number of ignorant misconceptions about the Aztecs that have endured until this day. These include but are not limited to the belief that the Aztecs were an illiterate culture, that they lacked the wheel, and that they engaged in ritual cannibalism. This last myth has been especially hard to shake and seems to have been assumed about many Indigenous cultures all across the Americas — including the Anasazi, Inca, and most cultures in North America.
In any case, I hope this episode proves enlightening to all who hear it and inspires them as it inspired me while researching and recording it. Check out the links below to learn more…
Where to Listen:
Originally published at http://storiesbywilliams.com on September 18, 2024.
