Aztec codices
The Aztekencodices ( singular codex ) are illuminated manuscripts, which were written by the Aztecs in the form of pictograms and ideograms.
It is about painted or illustrated books, in which he was held mainly historical and mythical events, but also calendar and information about Tribute and lineages. These manuscripts are now used as important sources for the culture and life of the Aztecs.
Production
The codices were painted either in specially prepared animal skins (such as deerskin ) or amatl, obtained from the bark of the fig tree. From cotton towels was a kind of canvas are produced, which also found use in the codices. For the lettering or decoration natural colors were used, the individual pages were painted on both sides. The manuscripts were folded after completion in a zig -zag folding ( fanfold ) to books.
Picture writing
In the pre-colonial period available to the language of the Aztecs - Nahuatl - on no alphabet in the European sense. Only through the Spanish colonization, the Nahuatl was literate. However, even after the colonization continues codices were made (usually under the supervision of the Spaniards ), a distinction today between pre-Columbian codices with only images in the form of pictograms and ideograms, and codices of the colonial period, in which both pictograms and the literate Nahuatl ( and partly Latin) was used.
Destruction
Immediately after their arrival, the Spaniards destroyed a large part of the pre-Columbian codices (see also the main article Spanish conquest of Mexico ), and only a small part came as Sammlergut in European museums and libraries. The main reason for the destruction was also here that tried to Christianity, which looked at other cultures as inferior.
Only after the complete subjugation of the Aztecs, the interest of the European conquerors of the Aztec culture slowly began to develop (especially by people like Bernardino de Sahagún ) and so the tradition of the Codex painter could continue well into the colonial period. From this time, now comes a large part of today's known Aztekencodices. During this time, copies or transcripts originated from already destroyed pre-Columbian codices.
Overview of the codices
Codex Borbonicus
The Codex Borbonicus was made at about the time of the Spanish invasion of Aztec priests. It contains the original nor a non-latin characters, but only consists of pictograms. Only later individual descriptions were added by the Spaniards.
This Code consists of three parts:
- Gallery
Codex Boturini
(also: Tira de la Peregrinación Azteca )
The Codex Boturini, named after Lorenzo Boturini Bernaducci (1702-1755), was made 1530-1541 by an unknown Aztec, ie about a decade after the Spanish conquest. It describes the history of the legendary migration of the Aztecs from Aztlán ( the mythological home of the Aztecs ) in the Valley of Mexico.
Unlike many other Aztec codices, the drawings are not colored, but made with black ink. On some pages later added short glosses found in the Latin alphabet. The content is closely related to the Codex Aubin.
Codex Mendoza
- See Also: Main article Codex Mendoza
The Codex Mendoza was made about 1541-1542 on behalf of Antonio de Mendoza for Charles V. It contains important information about the origin, the wars and the faith of the Aztecs. The Codex Mendoza is in the format 32.7 x 22.9 cm and consists of 71 pages. He is now in the Bodleian Library in Oxford under the signature MS. Arch Selden. A. 1
Florentine Codex
- See Also: Main article Florentine Codex
The Florentine Codex is one of two editions of the "Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva España " by Bernardino de Sahagún ( 1499-1590 ).
To Bernardino de Sahagún in 1540 was commissioned to write an encyclopedia to " all the important things in New Spain ." The twelve-volume work entitled "Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España " was completed in 1569 and is written in two languages, Spanish and Nahuatl. There are mainly copies and transcripts of original materials that were probably destroyed by the Spaniards during the conquest.
The work contains illustrated stories and legends of the Aztecs, information about the religion and mythology, the Aztec Calendar as well as flora and fauna. It is still regarded as one of the main sources of the life and culture of the Aztecs.
Codex Nuttall
- See Also: Main article Codex Nuttall
The Codex Nuttall (also Codex Zouche - Nuttall ) is one of the surviving pre-Columbian manuscripts of the Mixtec, probably dating from the 14th century.
Codex Osuna
The Codex Osuna was produced from January to August 1565 and consists of seven parts. Originally, this Codex also only of pictograms, first by the Spaniards in Nahuatl comments have been made. It is located in Madrid today in the Biblioteca Nacional de España.
Codex Magliabechiano
The Codex Magliabechiano was made about the middle of the 16th century and consists of 92 pages on European paper. It is primarily a religious work that describes the ritual calendar tonalpohualli ( day [ sign ] count ), the 52 -year cycle, various deities and rites.
It is named after Antonio Magliabechi this Codex, an Italian manuscript collector of the 17th century. Today is the codex in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale in Florence.
Codex Aubin
The Codex Aubin, named after Joseph Marius Alexis Aubin (1802-1891), was probably begun around 1576 and consists of 81 leaves. It describes the history of the Aztec pictograms, starting at its legendary origin Aztlán to the time of Spanish colonization.
Among other things, a description of the massacre in the destruction of the Temple of Tenochtitlan on May 10, 1520 included. This codex is located in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.
Codex Cozcatzin
The Codex Cozcatzin is a bound manuscript consists of 18 sheets on European paper. Dated is the work of 1572, although it was probably made later. The majority of this code consists of pictograms, but has short passages with descriptions in Spanish and Nahuatl.
The first part contains a list of land ownership Itzcoatl and is part of a complaint against Diego Mendoza. In addition, historical and genealogical information is recorded. The last page consists of astronomical descriptions in Spanish.
This codex was named after Don Juan Luis Cozcatzin, referred to in this Code as " alcalde de esta ciudad de México Ordinario " ( " ordinary mayor of Mexico City "). Today is the Codex Cozcatzin in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.
Codex Ixtlilxochitl
In the Codex Ixtlilxochitl is a fragment from the 17th century, consisting of 50 pages, including 27 separate sheets of European paper with 29 drawings. It contains, among other descriptions of the calendar of annual festivals and rituals of the Aztecs.
Was named the Codex to Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxochitl, a family member of the ruling family in Texcoco, and is now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.
Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis
(also Badianus Codex, Codex de la Cruz - Badiano or Codex Barberini)
When Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis (Latin: " little book of medicinal herbs of the Indians " ) is a herbal book herbal medicine, in which various plants and their effects are described.
Originally the work in 1552 by Martín de la Cruz was written in Nahuatl, this version is missing. The text was then translated into Latin by Juan Badiano. Both authors were Indians from Xochimilco, which had been formed on the run by Franciscan Colegio de Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco. The manuscript was given by the then director of the colegio for the son of the Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza in order. Mendoza sent the manuscript to Spain, where it was in the Royal Library. Through numerous intermediate stations it came into the library of the Italian Cardinal Francesco Barberini, which merged in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana in 1902 and was kept under the signature Codex bar Rinus Latinus 241 In 1990, prompted Pope John Paul II, the " return " of the manuscript to Mexico since it is in Mexico at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
Other codices
- Codex Azcatitlan Historical manuscript for Aztec history
- Codex Borgia - pre-Columbian ritual codex. The name is also used for a number of codices, the " Borgia Group " means: Codex Fejervary -Mayer - pre-Columbian calendar Codex ( Free Public Museum, Liverpool )
- Codex Ríos, or Codex Vaticanus A ( also Codex Vaticanus 3738 )
- Codex Vaticanus 3773, Codex Vaticanus or B
- Codex Cospi