A god for each of the 18 months of the calendar: the detailed description of Aztecs rituals on their mighty pyramids
Codex Ixtlilxochitl
Middle America — End of the 16th century or begin of the 17th century

Codex Ixtlilxochitl
Middle America — End of the 16th century or begin of the 17th century
The esoteric rituals performed by the Aztecs atop their massive pyramids are detailed in this manuscript
It details inter alia a religious calendar with a god representing each of the 18 months of the Aztec year
Named after Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxochitl (ca. 1568/80–1648), an author and member of the ruling family of Texcoco
Codex Ixtlilxochitl
- Codex of Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxóchitl
- Codex des Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxóchitl
Short Description
Documents from the early days of Spanish colonization not only provide valuable information about cultures that were quickly going extinct, but also about the perspective of the conquerors. The Codex Ixtlilxochitl is just such a manuscript and details the rituals and ceremonies held atop the massive pyramids of the Aztecs. The 17th century manuscript is written on European paper and features 29 illustrations of the festivals and rituals of ancient Mexico.
Codex Ixtlilxochitl
The Codex Ixtlilxochitl is an early 17th century fragment detailing, among other subjects, a calendar of the annual festivals and rituals celebrated at the Aztec teocalli ("pyramids") during the Mexican calendar year. Each of the 18 months is represented by a god or an historical character. Written in Spanish, the Codex Ixtlilxochitl has 50 pages comprising 27 separate sheets of European paper with 29 illustrations. It was derived from the same source as the Codex Magliabechiano. It was named after Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxochitl (between 1568 & 1578 – c. 1650), the author of Obras Historicas and a member of the ruling family of Texcoco, and is held in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. The manuscript consists of four different sections, all written out and illustrated on European paper, of which at least the first section is fragmentary. Sections 1–3 have been reproduced in the original colors, section 4 is in b/w.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Codex of Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxóchitl
Codex des Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxóchitl - Type
- Manuscript on paper
- Size / Format
- 50 pages / 34.0 x 24.5 cm
- Origin
- Middle America
- Date
- End of the 16th century or begin of the 17th century
- Epochs
- Style
- Language
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Codex Ixtlilxochitl“
Codex Ixtlilxochitl
- Publisher
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 1976
- Binding
- Cloth
- Commentary
-
1 volume (36 pages) by J. de Durand-Forest
Language: French
Attached commentary: Jacqueline de Durant-Forest, Paris. 36 pp in French, summaries in French, English and Spanish. - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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