Tovar Codex, Tepeilhuitl, 13th Month Aztec Calendar

A woman's head is shown upon the sign for a mountain. The head wears a headdress with green feathers and a necklace with blue beads and gold pendants. Above it is a recumbent head of a woman which is topped by a large flower and circled by golden feathers. This month, identified as that of Luke the Evangelist, is called Tepeilhuitl (Festival of the Hills). This month was dedicated to Tlaloc, the god of rain, but the headdress of the head upon the mountain resembles that of Xochiquetzal (Flower Feather), goddess of the earth, love, artists, pregnant women, and the moon, who is sometimes named the wife of Tlaloc. The recumbent head above her with its flower may also allude to Xochiquetzal. The Tovar Codex (16th century) contains detailed information about the rites and ceremonies of the Aztecs. The codex is illustrated with 51 full-page paintings in watercolor. Illustration taken from a 19th century transcript of Juan de Tovar's Historia de la benida de los yndios apoblar a Mexico (the Codex Tovar)

Picture No

12696121

Media ID

47670692

Size

3255px x 4350px (1.9MB)

Credit

LOC/Jay I. Kislak Collection/Science Source/Mary Evans