Aztec sun stone
The Aztec sun stone is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, and is perhaps the most famous work of Aztec sculpture. The stone is 358 centimetres in diameter and 98 centimetres thick, and it weighs about 24 short tons. Shortly after t…
Full Answer
¿Cuál es el nombre azteca de la piedra del Sol?
Tampoco están representados los meses del ciclo solar, ni el ciclo ritual de los mexicas. Por otra parte, el nombre azteca de la Piedra del Sol es Cuauhxicalli, que ha sido interpretado como “vaso de las águilas”.
¿Qué es la piedra del Sol?
La Piedra del Sol es un disco monolítico de basalto de olivino con inscripciones alusivas a la cosmogonía mexica y los cultos solares, popularmente llamado calendario Azteca o calendario Mexica por tener la cuenta de los días, las eras y aspectos calendáricos.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre un calendario y una piedra del Sol?
Un calendario organiza el tiempo, mientras que los símbolos y los elementos que contiene la Piedra del Sol solo nos muestran una representación del tiempo según el entendimiento del pueblo mexica.
¿Cuáles son los mejores libros sobre la piedra del Sol?
The Aztec Calendar and other Solar Monuments. Grupo Azabache, Mexico. 2004. Smith, Michael E. The Aztecs. 2nd ed. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. Solis, Felipe. "La Piedra del Sol." Arqueologia Mexicana 7 (41):32–39. Enero – Febrero 2000. Umberger, Emily. "The Structure of Aztec History." Archaeoastronomy IV, no. 4 (Oct–Dec 1981): 10–18.
How big is the Aztec sun stone?
When was the sun stone discovered?
What are the motifs on the Aztec monument?
How many Aztec centuries are there?
How did the Aztecs influence the Mexican people?
What is the central figure of the monolith?
What is the edge of a stone?
See more
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What is the Piedra del Sol used for?
Scholars suggest that it may have been used as an eagle vessel, a repository for human hearts (quauhxicalli), or as a base for the final sacrifice of a gladiatorial combatant (temalacatl).
What is the purpose of the Aztec Sun Stone?
The Aztec Sun Stone (or Calendar Stone) depicts the five consecutive worlds of the sun from Aztec mythology. The stone is not, therefore, in any sense a functioning calendar, but rather it is an elaborately carved solar disk, which for the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures represented rulership.
Who made the Aztec Sun Stone?
Although earlier scholars thought that the stone was carved in the 1470s, during the reign of the Aztec emperor Axayacatl, most writers today believe Moctezuma Xocoyotzin commissioned the Calendar Stone sometime between 1502 and the conquest of Mexico in 1521.
What are the 2 types of Aztec calendars?
The calendar consists of a 365-day calendar cycle called xiuhpōhualli (year count) and a 260-day ritual cycle called tōnalpōhualli (day count). These two cycles together form a 52-year "century", sometimes called the "calendar round".
How do you read an Aztec sun stone?
Filsinger, author of The Aztec Cosmos, ©1984 , the following information is a guide to the Sun Stone:The outer ring of the stone is carved with two Fire Serpents representing the sun and stars. ... Surrounding the center face of the stone are the glyphs of the four past suns. ... The center face represents the Earth itself.More items...•
Is the Sun Stone Mayan or Aztec?
The Aztec sun stone (Spanish: Piedra del Sol) is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, and is perhaps the most famous work of Mexica sculpture.
When was Piedra del Sol discovered?
Nobel prize-winning poet and essayist Octavio Paz immortalized the stone in his epic poem "Piedra del Sol." The stone was carved in the late 1400s; it was discovered buried beneath the Zócalo in 1790.
What did the Aztecs predict?
A new study on one of the most important remaining artifacts from the Aztec Empire, a 24-ton basalt calendar stone, interprets the stone's central image as the death of the sun god Tonatiuh during an eclipse, an event Aztecs believed would lead to a global apocalypse accompanied by earthquakes.
How does the sun stone work?
Here's how it works: If you put a dot on top of the crystal and look through it from below, two dots will appear. "Then you rotate the crystal until the two points have exactly the same intensity or darkness. At that angle, the upward-facing surface indicates the direction of the Sun," Ropars explained by phone.
Is the Mayan and Aztec calendar the same?
The Aztec calendar was an adaptation of the Mayan calendar. It consisted of a 365-day agricultural calendar, as well as a 260-day sacred calendar.
Are Aztecs the same as Mayans?
The main difference between Aztec and Mayan is that Aztec civilization was in central Mexico from 14th to 16th century and expanded throughout Mesoamerica, while the Mayan empire branched all over a vast territory in northern Central America and southern Mexico from 2600 BC.
Who is the god in the Aztec calendar?
The Aztec calendar The most important figure in the stone is Tonatiuh, the sun god, located in the center.
The Aztec Sun Stone
The Aztec Calendar Stone was a remarkable work of architecture and geometry by the Aztecs and represented their way of calculating time. It consisted of a solar and a sacred calendar. The solar calendar was used to calculate the ordinary days and consisted of 365 days.
How big is the Aztec sun stone?
It measures 358 centimetres (141 in) in diameter and 98 centimetres (39 in) thick, and weighs 24,590 kg (54,210 lb).
When was the sun stone discovered?
It was rediscovered on 17 December 1790 during repairs on the Mexico City Cathedral. Following its rediscovery, the sun stone was mounted on an exterior wall of the cathedral, where it remained until 1885.
What are the motifs on the Aztec monument?
The state-sponsored monument linked aspects of Aztec ideology such as the importance of violence and warfare, the cosmic cycles, and the nature of the relationship between gods and man. The Aztec elite used this relationship with the cosmos and the bloodshed often associated with it to maintain control over the population, and the sun stone was a tool in which the ideology was visually manifested.
How many Aztec centuries are there?
In fact the common thread of figures 676, 364 and 312 is that they are multiples of 52, and 52 years is the duration of one Aztec "century", and that is how they can express a certain amount of Aztec centuries. Thus, 676 years are 13 Aztec centuries; 364 years are 7, and 312 years are 6 Aztec centuries.
How did the Aztecs influence the Mexican people?
The methods of Aztec rule were influenced by the story of their Mexica ancestry, who were migrants to the Mexican territory. The lived history was marked by violence and the conquering of native groups, and their mythic history was used to legitimize their conquests and the establishment of the capital Tenochtitlan. As the Aztecs grew in power, the state needed to find ways to maintain order and control over the conquered peoples, and they used religion and violence to accomplish the task.
What is the central figure of the monolith?
This debate on the identity of the central figure is based on representations of the deities in other works as well as the role of the sun stone in sacrificial context, which involved the actions of deities and humans to preserve the cycles of time. The central figure is shown holding a human heart in each of his clawed hands, and his tongue is represented by a stone sacrificial knife ( Tecpatl ).
What is the edge of a stone?
Edge of stone. The edge of the stone measures approximately 8 inches and contains a band of a series of dots as well as what have been said to be flint knives. This area has been interpreted as representing a starry night sky.
Primer círculo (Quinto Sol)
Los aztecas dividían el tiempo en soles o eras. Cada era estaba presidida por una deidad. Cada una de estas eras o soles tenía un principio y un final, que era precipitado por catástrofes.
Tercer círculo (días del mes)
Los cuatro soles o eras están rodeados de un círculo que contiene 20 ideogramas que corresponden a los 20 días del mes azteca. Cada uno de los días del mes tenía un nombre asociado con un elemento de la naturaleza.
Cuarto círculo (ciclos venusinos)
Este anillo está compuesto por 40 secciones de cinco puntos llamadas quinqunces (figuras de cinco puntos que forman un cuadrilátero) y 8 triángulos o rayos.
Quinto, sexto y séptimo círculo
En estas secciones hay distintos elementos, como figuras con forma de arcos, plumas y otros detalles de los que han surgido varias interpretaciones: la unión del cielo y la Tierra, a los planetas Marte, Mercurio y Saturno o a la Vía Láctea.
Octavo círculo (dualidad)
Este último anillo tiene dos serpientes de fuego o xiuhcoatls enfrentadas y rodeando con sus colas todo el monolito para “cerrar” la piedra. Se cree que son la representación de conceptos duales como el día y la noche, el oriente y el poniente, cielo y tierra, etc.
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Editorial Reviews
On September 15th 2007 at the Hollywood Key Club - legendary Latin Rock Fusion act Azteca appeared for the first time in more than 30 years. The concert reunited original members Pete Escovedo, Wendy Haas, Errol Knowles, Paul Jackson, Bill Courtial, Victor Pantoja, Jules Rowell and Lenny White.
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How big is the Aztec sun stone?
It measures 358 centimetres (141 in) in diameter and 98 centimetres (39 in) thick, and weighs 24,590 kg (54,210 lb).
When was the sun stone discovered?
It was rediscovered on 17 December 1790 during repairs on the Mexico City Cathedral. Following its rediscovery, the sun stone was mounted on an exterior wall of the cathedral, where it remained until 1885.
What are the motifs on the Aztec monument?
The state-sponsored monument linked aspects of Aztec ideology such as the importance of violence and warfare, the cosmic cycles, and the nature of the relationship between gods and man. The Aztec elite used this relationship with the cosmos and the bloodshed often associated with it to maintain control over the population, and the sun stone was a tool in which the ideology was visually manifested.
How many Aztec centuries are there?
In fact the common thread of figures 676, 364 and 312 is that they are multiples of 52, and 52 years is the duration of one Aztec "century", and that is how they can express a certain amount of Aztec centuries. Thus, 676 years are 13 Aztec centuries; 364 years are 7, and 312 years are 6 Aztec centuries.
How did the Aztecs influence the Mexican people?
The methods of Aztec rule were influenced by the story of their Mexica ancestry, who were migrants to the Mexican territory. The lived history was marked by violence and the conquering of native groups, and their mythic history was used to legitimize their conquests and the establishment of the capital Tenochtitlan. As the Aztecs grew in power, the state needed to find ways to maintain order and control over the conquered peoples, and they used religion and violence to accomplish the task.
What is the central figure of the monolith?
This debate on the identity of the central figure is based on representations of the deities in other works as well as the role of the sun stone in sacrificial context, which involved the actions of deities and humans to preserve the cycles of time. The central figure is shown holding a human heart in each of his clawed hands, and his tongue is represented by a stone sacrificial knife ( Tecpatl ).
What is the edge of a stone?
Edge of stone. The edge of the stone measures approximately 8 inches and contains a band of a series of dots as well as what have been said to be flint knives. This area has been interpreted as representing a starry night sky.
Overview
The Aztec sun stone (Spanish: Piedra del Sol) is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, and is perhaps the most famous work of Mexica sculpture. It measures 358 centimetres (141 in) in diameter and 98 centimetres (39 in) thick, and weighs 24,590 kg (54,210 lb). Shortly after the Spanish conquest, the monolithic sculpt…
History
The monolith was carved by the Mexica at the end of the Mesoamerican Postclassic Period. Although the exact date of its creation is unknown, the name glyph of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II in the central disc dates the monument to his reign between 1502 and 1520. There are no clear indications about the authorship or purpose of the monolith, although there are certain references to the construction of a huge block of stone by the Mexicas in their last stage of splendor. Accor…
Physical description and iconography
The sculpted motifs that cover the surface of the stone refer to central components of the Mexica cosmogony. The state-sponsored monument linked aspects of Aztec ideology such as the importance of violence and warfare, the cosmic cycles, and the nature of the relationship between gods and man. The Aztec elite used this relationship with the cosmos and the bloodshed often as…
History of interpretations
From the moment the Sun Stone was discovered in 1790, many scholars have worked at making sense of the stone's complexity. This provides a long history of over 200 years of archaeologists, scholars, and historians adding to the interpretation of the stone. Modern research continues to shed light or cast doubt on existing interpretations as discoveries such as further evidence of the stone's pigmentation. As Eduardo Matos Moctezuma stated in 2004:
Modern use
The sun stone image is displayed on the obverse the Mexican 20 Peso gold coin, which has a gold content of 15 grams (0.4823 troy ounces) and was minted from 1917 to 1921 and restruck with the date 1959 from the mid 1940s to the late 1970s. Different parts of the sun stone are represented on the current Mexican coins, each denomination has a different section.
Other sun stones
There are several other known monuments and sculptures that bear similar inscriptions. Most of them were found underneath the center of Mexico City, while others are of unknown origin. Many fall under a category known as temalacatl, large stones built for ritual combat and sacrifice. Matos Moctezuma has proposed that the Aztec Sun Stone might also be one of these.
See also
• Coyolxauhqui stone disk
External links
• Mysteries of the Fifth Sun: The Aztec Calendar
• Introduction to the Aztec Calendar
• The Aztec Sun Stone
• The Sun Stone
¿Qué Es La Piedra Del Sol?
Significado de Los Símbolos de La Piedra Del Sol
- La Piedra del Sol es un monolito de roca de basalto de 3,60 metros de diámetro y 25 toneladas de peso que se encuentra en el Museo de Antropología e Historia de México. Está compuesta por una serie de círculos concéntricos con símbolos o ideogramas que sintetizan la idea del tiempo que tenían los mexicas según su forma de concebir el mundo y su historia.
Historia de La Piedra Del Sol
- La Piedra del Sol estuvo en el centro de México-Tenochtitlán, capital del imperio azteca, hasta la llegada de los españoles en el siglo XV. Luego fue desplazada hasta el Templo Mayor, cerca del Palacio Virreinal, en donde estuvo expuesta hasta que Alonso de Montúfar, arzobispo de México, ordenó enterrarla. El 17 de diciembre de 1790 la Piedra del Sol fue descubierta mientras se reali…