What type of culture is known as Toltec?
Toltec Weapons, Armor, and Warfare
- Toltec Arms and Armor. Although the site has been heavily looted over the centuries, there are enough surviving statues, friezes and stelae at Tula to indicate what sort of weapons ...
- Warrior Cults. ...
- The Toltecs and Human Sacrifice. ...
- Military Iconography at Tula. ...
- Conquest and Subject States. ...
- Conclusions. ...
- Sources. ...
What are Toltec beliefs?
- Toltec mythology and mystery.
- How to explore the human mind and how it creates our reality and beliefs.
- Effective ways to master awareness and transformation.
- What's stopping you from expressing unconditional love.
- Tools for identifying and confronting your minds strategies for limitation.
What is Toltec known for?
What were the most significant accomplishments contributions of the Mayan empire?
- The Mayans developed an advanced language and writing system as well as books. …
- The Fabled Mayan Calendar: Their most famous invention. …
- Mayan astronomy was incredibly accurate. …
- Mayan art was both beautiful and ominous. …
- Mayan Medicine was surprisingly advanced. …
- Mayan agriculture was highly advanced for the time.
What did the Toltec civilizations do?
Toltec Civilization
- Roots of the Toltec Empire. The Toltecs are believed to have originated from the Tolteca-Chichimeca people who had migrated from the deserts of the northwest to the Mexico Valley.
- The seat of Toltec Civilization. ...
- Economy and Social Structure. ...
- Art and Architecture. ...
- Decline. ...
- References
What is Toltec tradition?
In Toltec tradition we must work our way through the fog that confuses us with opinions rather than facts. We must learn to return to our own nature," observes Ruiz. He adds, "The four agreements are a perfect mirror that lets you see yourself as you are. Not as you wish to be.
What culture did the Toltecs influence?
Toltec culture proved to be very influential throughout Mesoamerica, impacting the Maya to the south and the other Nahuatl-speaking people of central Mexico (eventually including the Aztecs as well).
What gods did Toltec worship?
They worshiped only one god, whom they called Quetzalcoatl ("quetzal-feathered serpent"), a name also given to the highest priest of the deity.
What was unique about the Toltec empire?
The civilization flourished from around 900-1150 A.D. when Tula was destroyed. The Toltecs were legendary sculptors and artists who left many impressive monuments and stone carvings behind. They were also ferocious warriors dedicated to conquest and the spread of the Cult of Quetzalcoatl, greatest of their gods.
What was Toltec religion?
Toltec theology and mythology were based on polytheism, centered on the deity Quetzalcoatl, “the feathered-serpent,” which later became the central figure of the Aztec pantheon. Their religious ceremonies included human sacrifices.
What social and religious characteristics define Toltec society?
Toltec society was highly militaristic, with religion playing an equal or secondary role to the military. In this, it was similar to the later Aztec culture. Still, religion was extremely important to the Toltecs.
What did the Toltecs eat?
They relied on food such as Maize, Avocados, beans, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, chiles, cotton, fruits, and cacao beans. Maiz was the most important, women would grind maize into a meal by rubbing the maize on grinding stone. The kinds of meats that the Toltec;s would eat were rabbits, deer, turkey, birds and rodents.
What did the Toltecs wear?
The body coverings of male Toltecs fall into eight cate- gories: belts, loincloth, hipcloth, aprons, quechquemitl, feathered capes, skirts, and tunic/armor. Belt: Almost all male Toltecs are depicted wearing some type of belt.
What crops did the Toltec grow?
The Toltec economy depended upon agriculture and trade. Their main crops were maize (corn), beans, and chili peppers. Toltec artisans used obsidian – volcanic glass similar to granite – to created weapons, which they exported to nearby civilizations. Other exports included textiles and ceramics.
How did the Toltec run their society?
Toltec empire's society was structured as a militaristic aristocracy. Since it was essentially a warrior tribe, warriors and tribes were the most...
What was the Toltec social structure?
The mix of Toltec warrior nobility and holy priests occupied the upper class, while farmers, artisans, and astronomers took up the middle class. The work of their artisans was renowned, even the Aztecs called their own artisans ''tolteca.
Are Toltecs Aztecs?
The "Toltec Empire" was a semi-mythical origin story told by the Aztecs. Aztec oral histories described the Toltec capital Tollan as having buildings made of jade and gold. The Toltecs were said to have invented all the arts and sciences of the Aztecs, and their leaders were the noblest and wisest of people.
What is the Toltec religion?
TOLTEC RELIGION . In pre-Columbian central Mexico, Tolteca literally meant "people living at a place named Tollan [i.e., among the rushes]." However, even then the name had no single application, and it has none today. Because there was more than one place called Tollan, the word Toltec refers not to a single culture or religion, but rather to at least five specific groups of people, all belonging to Postclassic Mesoamerica: (1) the inhabitants of what is now the archaeological site of Tula de Allende near Mexico City, (2) the inhabitants or, more precisely, the elite, called Toltec-Maya, of Chich é n Itz á, Yucat á n, (3) the inhabitants of Tollan as it is described in central Mexican historical documents of the sixteenth century, (4) militant leading groups in other parts of Mesoamerica claiming descent from a place called Tollan, (5) members of various, often quite different, ethnic groups, all bearing the typological name Tolteca, that migrated to central Mexico. In addition, the term Toltec was generally applied to any person who exhibited extraordinary skills, arts, or wisdom.
What is the Tollan Xicocotitlan?
As described in the written sources, Tollan Xicocotitlan was a sort of paradise. Thanks to their prudence, the inhabitants of Tollan possessed everything they needed in abundance, including maize and cotton, precious stones, and gold.
Where is the Tula de Allende?
The rather extensive archaeological site of Tula de Allende in the modern Mexican state of Hidalgo, 75 kilometers north-northwest of Mexico City, has been excavated professionally since 1940. Its main ceremonial center, Tula Grande, flourished from about 950 to 1200 ce (dates established by ceramic crossties but only very few radiocarbon readings). In its final shape, Tula Grande consisted of some ten hectares of magnificently arranged buildings, surrounded by ten to twelve square kilometers of living quarters. So far, Tula-Toltec religion can be reconstructed only from the archaeological remains of the main ceremonial center. In contrast to buildings of the earlier metropolitan civilization of the region, Teotihuacan, Tula-Toltec religious buildings were designed for the full participation of large groups of people, who gathered in pillared halls, or colonnades, along one side of the huge central square. Different types of benches along the walls of the colonnades suggest that they were intended for groups of people of varying rank, although all participants probably belonged to the social elite. Numerous bas-reliefs show them dressed as warriors and aligned in rows, emphasizing their function in the cult as a homogeneous group: no single person is highlighted.
Where are the Toltec temples?
Toltec Temples. Most of the temples of Toltec culture that have been discovered and studied are to be found at the ancient city of Tula , which served as the capital of the Toltec civilization. Interestingly, the city shares a similar design and layout to the Mayan city of Chichen Itza.
What is the nature of Tlaloc?
Tlaloc had a bit of a dual nature. On the one hand, he was a benevolent provider of rain to sustain the land. On the other, he was the creator of storms and destructive natural forces. When Quetzalcoatl and his brother created the world, Tlaloc was born when the two creators killed the ancient monster, Cipactli.
What was the skull rack used for?
Finally, in the center of the city is an alter and the remains of what was a skull rack, which was used to place the heads of victims sacrificed to the gods. While there were several gods and goddesses in Toltec religion, only a handful were considered of the greatest importance.
What did Tezcatlipoca do to lure him out of the water?
To lure him out of the water, Tezcatlipoca cut off his own foot to use as bait. After they killed the monster, he replaced this foot with an obsidian mirror or a snake. Note in this image of Tezcatlipoca his leg is missing and is replaced by a snake-like prosthetic.
Which pyramids did Tula have?
Tula had several pyramids, which served as temples to these various gods, however exactly which temples served which gods is still up for minor debate. Pyramid C is the largest of these temples and has only partially been excavated.
Who is the god of rain, water, storms, and agriculture?
This is one of the more common depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent. Tlaloc: Tlaloc was the god of rain, water, storms, and agriculture. Tlaloc had a bit of a dual nature.
Who was the goddess of youth, love, and beauty?
Xochiquetzal: Goddess of youth, love, and beauty, Xochiquetzal was no push-over among the Toltec gods. To show off just what kind of power she wielded, she once turned a priest into a scorpion after first seducing him. She was also the creator of humans and was mother to the first generation of gods.
Where did the Toltecs get their information?
Most information on the Toltec comes from Aztec and Post-colonial texts documenting earlier oral traditions.
What was the Toltec era?
The Toltec name carried a certain prestige and they were very highly regarded by the Maya and the Aztecs, in particular, who seem to have copied many aspects of Toltec religious practices and art and looked on the Toltec period as a golden era when such wonders as writing, medicine, and metallurgy were invented.
What were the Tollan's buildings made of?
The Tollan of Aztec mythology was renowned for its sumptuous palaces and awe-inspiring buildings made from gold, jade, turquoise, and quetzal feathers. The city was also thought to have been flooded with wealth generated by the gifted Toltec craftsmen, highly skilled in metallurgy and pottery - so much so that their potters were said to have 'taught the clay to lie' (Coe, 156) and later Aztec metal -workers and jewellers were even known as tolteca. The Toltecs were also credited with mastering nature and producing huge maize crops and natural coloured cotton of red, yellow, green, and blue. Unsurprisingly, following centuries of looting, no artefacts survive to attest this material wealth except indications that the Toltecs did do a major trade in obsidian (used for blades and arrowheads) which was mined from nearby Pachuca.
Where did the Toltecs live?
The Toltec civilization flourished in ancient central Mexico between the 10th and mid-12th centuries. Continuing the Mesoamerican heritage left to them by earlier cultures, the Toltecs built an impressive capital at Tollan. Ultimately, they passed on that heritage to civilizations such as the Aztecs, who regarded the Toltecs as a great ...
Who was the first Toltec leader?
According to the Aztecs, the first Toltec leader was Ce Técpatl Mixcoatl (One Flint Cloud Serpent, i.e. the Milky Way), and his son Ce Acatl Topiltzin (One Reed Sacrificer, born in either 935 or 947) would go on to gain fame as a great ruler and acquire the name of the great god Quetzalcoatl ('Feathered Serpent') amongst his titles.
What are the two pyramids in Tollan?
The archaeological site of Tollan, sitting on a limestone promontory, although not quite as splendid as the legend, nevertheless, has an impressive number of surviving monuments. These include two large pyramids, a collonaded walkway, a large palace building, and two ball-courts, all surrounded by a dense area of urban housing.
What was the Toltec culture?
Toltec culture It is one of the many pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica, which inhabited the area of present-day Mexico and its development spanned part of the Mesoamerican classic and post-classic periods, that is, between 800 AD and 1200 AD.
History of the Toltec culture
The Toltecs had roots in the Toltec-Chichimeca people and during the 9th century AD migrated from the deserts of the northwest to Culhuacán in the Valley of Mexico.
Location of the Toltecs
At first, the Toltecs were a nomadic people, which led them to travel through various regions. At the beginning of 800 AD settled after founding the city of Tula, located 60 km from what is now Mexico City.
Contributions of the Toltec culture
The Toltec name had a certain prestige, which is why other civilizations (such as the Mayans and Aztecs) appreciated Toltec practices in terms of art, religion, writing, medicine, and the work of artisans.
Toltec culture religion
The religion practiced by the Toltecs was polytheistic. However, they worshiped two gods in particular: Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca. They had different ceremonial centers (where they practiced rituals) and one of the most important was “El Palacio Quemado”.
Toltec culture economy
The Toltec economy was based on agriculture, through extensive crops supplied by a complex system of irrigation canals. They grew cotton, maguey, corn, chili, and beans. Handicrafts and precious stone work were also part of its economic development.
What were the Toltec beliefs?
Toltec Religious Beliefs. The Toltec religion surrounded two gods. The first god was Quetzlcoatl, the plumed serpent god. Quetzlcoatl represented many ideas, including, but not limited to, learning, fertility, holiness, gentility, culture, philosophy, as well as good.
What is the Toltec myth?
It is much like basketball, as the goal is to get the ball through the hole on the wall, but one cannot touch the ball with one's hands. The Toltec peoples left no evidence of their creation myth, although it is believed that they had a general belief of life after death.
What was the second god in the Toltecs?
The second god in the religion was Tezcatlipoca, the smoked mirror. Texcatlipoca was the opposite of Quetzlcoatl, as he represented war, tyranny, and evil. In addition to Quetzlcoatl and Tezactlipoca , the Toltecs had many other gods, though little is known of what their names were and what they represented. Their religion thus was polytheistic.
What was the change in the Toltec tradition?
An important change in the Toltec tradition is the shift from fear-based to love-based teachings. The early writers, again especially Castaneda, described the need for personal power to use in defense against attack from all manner of forces, seen and unseen.
What is the history of the Toltecs?
Not much is known about the ancient Toltecs of central Mexico. They had no written language, and were gone from their cities many years before the Aztecs arrived to build the center their culture at what is now Mexico City.
What was the greatest artistic achievement of the Toltecs?
Perhaps the greatest artistry of the ancient Toltecs was their spiritual realization. There is much evidence in Tula, Teotihuacán, and other cities of ancient Mexico, that the people who lived there experienced and shared deep spiritual truths. The questions they explored about their place in the universe, and life beyond death, were the same ones asked by humans throughout history. Those questions are still being asked, and answered, on the Toltec path today.
What is the Toltec spiritual warrior?
The Toltec of today is a Spiritual Warrior, struggling against the lies and beliefs that deny his place in the perfection of creation. He uses the tools of stalking, dreaming, recapitulation, and many others from the ancients, to break the bonds of his cultural programming, and be free.
What was the Toltec wisdom?
A frequent criticism of the early writings about the Toltec wisdom, especially Castaneda’s, was that although the books were fascinating to read, they were not very practical for solving modern issues. Later authors, particularly Miguel Ruiz, who’s first book in 1997, The Four Agreements—A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, captured the minds and hearts of millions of readers all over the world, distilled the teachings into useful tools for personal transformation . An important change in the Toltec tradition is the shift from fear-based to love-based teachings. The early writers, again especially Castaneda, described the need for personal power to use in defense against attack from all manner of forces, seen and unseen. Castaneda often describes himself shaking in terror, waiting for some force or entity to attack him. It is intriguing that don Juan’s final words on earth to Carlos were “I hope you find love!” (The Active Side of Infinity). Newer writers stress the importance of acceptance and love as the healing power for troubled individuals and the world.
What does the Toltec warrior learn?
The Toltec Warrior sees her life as a work of art, and herself as the artist. She learns that she is dreaming reality, and she becomes the master of her dream. She knows everything she thinks, every action, every choice, and every word she speaks, are the tools of her art.
What did the Toltecs do?
The ancient people of Mexico and much of Latin America were master artists in stone, gold, silver, and precious stones, and used their art to celebrate life and their gods. Although the Toltecs did not leave many clues about their origins, language, religion, ...
The Toltec Civilization
The Sacred Precinct of Tula
- Religion and gods were important to the Toltecs. Their mighty city of Tula is dominated by the sacred precinct, a compound of pyramids, temples, ball courts, and other structures around an airy plaza. Pyramid C: The largest pyramid at Tula, Pyramid C has not been completely excavated and was extensively looted even before the Spanish arrived. It shares certain characteristics wit…
The Toltecs and Human Sacrifice
- Ample evidence at Tula shows that the Toltecs were dedicated practitioners of human sacrifice. On the western side of the main plaza, there is a tzompantli, or skull rack. It is not far from Ballcourt Two (which is probably not a coincidence). The heads and skulls of sacrificed victims were placed here for display. It is one of the earliest known tzompantlis, and probably the one th…
The Gods of The Toltecs
- The ancient Toltec civilization had many gods, chief among them Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatl was the most important of these, and representations of his abound at Tula. During the apogee of the Toltec civilization, the cult of Quetzalcoatl spread throughout Mesoamerica. It even reached as far as the ancestral lands of the Maya, where similarities betw…
New Age Toltec Beliefs
- Some practitioners of "New Age" Spiritualism have adopted the term "Toltec" to refer to their beliefs. Chief among them is the writer Miguel Angel Ruiz, whose 1997 book has sold millions of copies. Very loosely stated, this new "Toltec" spiritual belief system focuses on the self and one's relationship to things one cannot change. This modern spirituality has little or nothing to do wit…
Sources
- Charles River Editors. The History and Culture of the Toltec. Lexington: Charles River Editors, 2014. Cobean, Robert H., Elizabeth Jiménez García and Alba Guadalupe Mastache. Tula.Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2012. Coe, Michael D, and Rex Koontz. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Davies, Nigel. The Toltecs: Until the Fall of Tula. Norman: the Univers…
Toltecs of Tula
Toltec-Maya
Toltecs of Tollan Xicocotitlan
Tolteca Chichimeca
Conclusion
- Only a few characteristic elements common to various facets of "Toltec" religion can be singled out so far: a supreme deity, Quetzalcoatl, who gave his name to priests and rulers; a cult dominated by eagles and jaguars (i.e., the warriors); a ritual ball game as reenactment of cosmic processes; and the importance of human sacrifice. These traits, w...
Bibliography
Content
What Was The Toltec Culture?
- The Tollan of Aztec mythology was renowned for its sumptuous palaces and awe-inspiring buildings made from gold, jade, turquoise, and quetzal feathers. The city was also thought to have been flooded with wealth generated by the gifted Toltec craftsmen, highly skilled in metallurgy and pottery - so much so that their potters were said to have 'taugh...
History of The Toltec Culture
Location of The Toltecs
Contributions of The Toltec Culture
General Characteristics of The Toltec Culture
Toltec Culture Religion
Toltec Culture Economy
References