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Stone of Motecuhzoma I
The Stone of Motecuhzoma I is a pre-Columbian stone monolith dating back to the rule of Motecuhzoma I (1440-1469), the fifth Tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlan. The monolith measures approximately 12 feet in diameter and 39 inches tall, and is also known as the Stone of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Archbishop's Stone, the Ex-Arzobispado Stone, and the Sánchez-Nava Monolith. Historical sources refer to it simply as "temalacatl," literally meaning "round stone."
Motecuhzoma I, also known as Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, was the grandson of the first Tlaltoani of Tenochtitlan, succeeding Itzcoatl, and he turned the position of King into an imperial one. He is credited with the expansion and consolidation of the Aztec Empire (though he is often mistaken for his popular descendant Motecuhzoma II, who ruled during the Spanish conquest nearly a century later). In Nahuatl, Motecuhzoma means "He Becomes Angry Like a Lord," and Ilhuicamina means "He Shoots Arrows at the Sky."
Under Motecuhzoma I's rule, Tenochtitlan began to solidify its place as the capital city of the Aztec (Mexica) Empire. His conquests extended Aztec rule far beyond the Valley of Mexico, bringing in a large amount of tribute offerings. These conquests are depicted along the sides of the stone. Motecuhzoma I's rule and military expeditions also coincided with a rise in ritual human sacrifice, reflected in the sacrificial well on the top of the monolith.
The Stone of Motecuhzoma I was discovered in July 1988 under the colonial Archbishop's palace, or Palacio del Arzobispado, on Moneda Street in modern-day Mexico City. For this reason, the stone is sometimes referred to as the Archbishop's Stone. Built shortly after the Spanish destroyed the center of Tenochtitlan, the palace rested on many valuable pre-Columbian artifacts. The Palacio del Arzobispado was built in 1530 under the direction of Spanish Friar Juan de Zumárraga on the base of the destroyed Temple of Tezcatlipoca. The stone was unearthed during excavations under the palace, and immediately drew comparisons to the already-known Stone of Tizoc and Calendar Stone for its large size and circular shape.
Originally, the stone lay in front of the Temple of Tezcatlipoca. This placement was intentional — on the side panels of the stone, Motecuhzoma I is dressed as Tezcatlipoca dominating his enemies in battle. Currently, the stone is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.[citation needed]
The stone is approximately 12 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall, and was intended to be placed face-up. The solar disc on the upper face has a circular basin in the center, inside of which is the face of the sun deity Toniatuh, wearing his characteristic headdress. Toniatuh's mouth is open, and the tongue (now broken off) was intended to stick out in the form of a sacrificial knife. The protruding tongue was used as a crosspiece to tie sacrificial victims to. Surrounding the carving of Toniatuh is a band of concentric circles, representing the precious green stone, or jade. There are large arrows pointing in each of the cardinal directions, with smaller arrows in between. On the outer band, there is an alternating pattern of jade and cuauhxicalli, or "eagle-box," the stone receptacles used to house human hearts after sacrifice.
The sides of the stone depict eleven individual scenes of conquest, sandwiched between two borders composed of small squares with symbols alluding to human sacrifice: crossed bones, skulls, hearts, knives, and human hands.
Each of the eleven side panels depicts Motecuhzoma I's conquest of another kingdom. In order, these kingdoms include Culhuacan, Tenayuca, Xochimilco, Chalco, Tamazulapan, Acolhuacan, Texaxic o Tepanoaya, Tlatelolco, Tonatiuhco, Mixtlan, and Cuetlaxtlan. Each kingdom is denoted by a glyph in the upper righthand corner of the panel. In his Historia de las Indias, Durán writes: "it was ordered that around [the stone] it should be depicted, as a border or frieze, every war they had fought up until then where the sun, with its protection and help, had granted them victories." In each panel, Motecuhzoma I is dressed as Tezcatlipoca and grasps his enemy's hair, symbolizing subjugation.
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Stone of Motecuhzoma I
The Stone of Motecuhzoma I is a pre-Columbian stone monolith dating back to the rule of Motecuhzoma I (1440-1469), the fifth Tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlan. The monolith measures approximately 12 feet in diameter and 39 inches tall, and is also known as the Stone of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Archbishop's Stone, the Ex-Arzobispado Stone, and the Sánchez-Nava Monolith. Historical sources refer to it simply as "temalacatl," literally meaning "round stone."
Motecuhzoma I, also known as Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, was the grandson of the first Tlaltoani of Tenochtitlan, succeeding Itzcoatl, and he turned the position of King into an imperial one. He is credited with the expansion and consolidation of the Aztec Empire (though he is often mistaken for his popular descendant Motecuhzoma II, who ruled during the Spanish conquest nearly a century later). In Nahuatl, Motecuhzoma means "He Becomes Angry Like a Lord," and Ilhuicamina means "He Shoots Arrows at the Sky."
Under Motecuhzoma I's rule, Tenochtitlan began to solidify its place as the capital city of the Aztec (Mexica) Empire. His conquests extended Aztec rule far beyond the Valley of Mexico, bringing in a large amount of tribute offerings. These conquests are depicted along the sides of the stone. Motecuhzoma I's rule and military expeditions also coincided with a rise in ritual human sacrifice, reflected in the sacrificial well on the top of the monolith.
The Stone of Motecuhzoma I was discovered in July 1988 under the colonial Archbishop's palace, or Palacio del Arzobispado, on Moneda Street in modern-day Mexico City. For this reason, the stone is sometimes referred to as the Archbishop's Stone. Built shortly after the Spanish destroyed the center of Tenochtitlan, the palace rested on many valuable pre-Columbian artifacts. The Palacio del Arzobispado was built in 1530 under the direction of Spanish Friar Juan de Zumárraga on the base of the destroyed Temple of Tezcatlipoca. The stone was unearthed during excavations under the palace, and immediately drew comparisons to the already-known Stone of Tizoc and Calendar Stone for its large size and circular shape.
Originally, the stone lay in front of the Temple of Tezcatlipoca. This placement was intentional — on the side panels of the stone, Motecuhzoma I is dressed as Tezcatlipoca dominating his enemies in battle. Currently, the stone is on display in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.[citation needed]
The stone is approximately 12 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall, and was intended to be placed face-up. The solar disc on the upper face has a circular basin in the center, inside of which is the face of the sun deity Toniatuh, wearing his characteristic headdress. Toniatuh's mouth is open, and the tongue (now broken off) was intended to stick out in the form of a sacrificial knife. The protruding tongue was used as a crosspiece to tie sacrificial victims to. Surrounding the carving of Toniatuh is a band of concentric circles, representing the precious green stone, or jade. There are large arrows pointing in each of the cardinal directions, with smaller arrows in between. On the outer band, there is an alternating pattern of jade and cuauhxicalli, or "eagle-box," the stone receptacles used to house human hearts after sacrifice.
The sides of the stone depict eleven individual scenes of conquest, sandwiched between two borders composed of small squares with symbols alluding to human sacrifice: crossed bones, skulls, hearts, knives, and human hands.
Each of the eleven side panels depicts Motecuhzoma I's conquest of another kingdom. In order, these kingdoms include Culhuacan, Tenayuca, Xochimilco, Chalco, Tamazulapan, Acolhuacan, Texaxic o Tepanoaya, Tlatelolco, Tonatiuhco, Mixtlan, and Cuetlaxtlan. Each kingdom is denoted by a glyph in the upper righthand corner of the panel. In his Historia de las Indias, Durán writes: "it was ordered that around [the stone] it should be depicted, as a border or frieze, every war they had fought up until then where the sun, with its protection and help, had granted them victories." In each panel, Motecuhzoma I is dressed as Tezcatlipoca and grasps his enemy's hair, symbolizing subjugation.