Aztec astrology
For the Aztec population, the intermediary between humans and the stars was the sun, as it constitutes the center of the planetary system. That's why it was placed at the center of the famous "Sun Stone," a representation of the Aztec Calendar.
The "Sun Stone," often called the "Aztec Calendar" but actually named "Cuauhxicalli" meaning "eagle bowl," is not only a calendar but also a commemorative stone of a sacred date. The Aztecs placed these stones in the Great Temple, the double temple, and particularly on this "Sun Stone" was carved the date 13 Acatl, marking the New Fire Ceremony in the year 1479.
The Stone is composed of 8 concentric circles that form circular crowns. In the outer circle surrounding everything, two serpents meet, head down, representing day and night (Tonatiuh-Xiutecutli) but are two aspects of the same thing.
The concentric distribution is suited to the function of the planets. The two serpents are divided into 13 segments (13 heavens) which depict the image of the universe containing everything. They are yin and yang, the day and night that envelop us. They are also the Milky Way, the galaxy that contains our solar system. For the Aztecs, the Milky Way represents the greatest force of expansion beyond humanity, before reaching the Absolute Totality.
- 1st Circle: The Central Circle, represented by the face of the Sun Ollin Tonatiuh. Its tongue is made of obsidian knife and symbolizes self-sacrifice, a source of vitality and creation.
- 2nd Circle: The arms of the cross or quincunx are formed by glyphs of the four previous eras, linked to the four elements where the dates corresponding to the end of the Ages appear.
- 3rd Circle: Comprises the 20 days of the month. The civil year consisted of 18 months of 20 days each, linking to the 13 months of the magical calendar. Perfect alignment between the two calendars occurred every 52 years, when the two calendar wheels returned to their initial point. The 20 days of the month were also linked to the human body.
- 4th Circle: Comprises the 8 sections of the Sun and expresses the relationship between the Sun and Venus. This circle consists of 40 squares with quincunxes in each of them. Recall that 5 Venus revolutions are equivalent to 8 Earth revolutions (5 x 8 = 40; 8 x 365 = 5 x 584). 40 Venus revolutions are equivalent to 126 Mercury revolutions with a difference of 9 days. In the "Sun Stone," the 40 squares, 5 crosses, and 8 aforementioned sections refer to the signs of Quetzalcoatl. The 5 crosses allude to the twin brother of Venus, Mercury-Xolotl, because 5 Mercury revolutions equal one Venus revolution.
- 5th Circle: Linked to the planet Mars, whose synodic revolution is 780 days and equivalent to 260 x 3. The worship of Tlaloc, the burnt water, is as old as that of the moon Tecciztecatl Tezcatlipoca and also personifies the 4 Chacs or guardians of the corners who regulated the rains. The number 17 is important in the actions of Mars, as it constitutes the last day of evening sensitivity and the first day of morning sensitivity.
- 6th Circle: Corresponds to the planet Jupiter, the jewel of the sky Tezcatlipoca as it is the starry sky and the night. It is the relentless rival of Quetzalcoatl because it refuses to give fire. It appears as Tepeyotl, the heart of the mountain (Jaguar), to which the month of Death was dedicated.
- 7th Circle: The Circle of Saturn. This section is composed of 28 small arches (resembling the vertebrae of the snake): indeed, Saturn completes 28 synodic revolutions in almost 29 tropical years. In half of this time, there are 9 Venus revolutions.
- 8th Circle: Is the circle of the Milky Way. The two serpents are born from the hieroglyph of the 13 Acatl indicating the date of the New Fire celebration. The tails of the two serpents have 12 scales on each side, and their heads represent the different heavens.
The 20 days of the month correspond to the 20 zodiac signs. These are in no way comparable to Traditional Signs or those of the Chinese Horoscope and are as follows:
- Cipactli = Crocodile.
- Eecatl = Wind.
- Calli = House.
- Cuetzpalin = Lizard.
- Coatl = Snake.
- Miquiztli = Death.
- Mazatl = Deer.
- Tochtli = Rabbit.
- Atl = Water.
- Itzcuintli = Dog.
- Ozomatli = Monkey.
- Malinalli = Grass.
- Acatl = Reed.
- Ocelotl = Ocelot.
- Quauhtli = Eagle.
- Cozcaquauhtli = Vulture.
- Ollin = Movement.
- Tecpatl = Flint.
- Quiahuitl = Rain.
- Xochitl = Flower.
The 20 days of the month corresponded to the seven Celestial Bodies, givers of life, distributed in triads and diads:
1. Cipactli - 2. Eecatl... Venus - 3. Calli - 4. Cuetzpallin - 5. Coatl... Saturn - 6. Miquiztli - 7. Mazatl - 8. Tochtli... Moon - 9. Atl - 10. Itzcuintli - 11. Ozomatli... Mars - 12. Malinalli - 13. Acatl - 14. Ocelotl... Jupiter - 15. Qauhtli - 16. Cozcaquauhtli - 17. Ollin... Sun - 18. Tecpatl - 19. Quihuitl - 20. Xochitl... Mercury/Venus.
