Oct 31, 2012 the florentine codex, a unique manuscript dating from 1577 preserved in the medicea laurenziana library in florence, is for the first time available online in digital format, the library of congress announced today. The florentine codex has bound pages, a type of book introduced to nahuas by europeans. The ahuizotl included within book 11 of the florentine codex, which describes it as. This edition of the book is outofprint and no longer available from the publisher. General history of the things of new spain by fray. Papers of the school of american research by edgar l hewett and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. My translation this version of the codice florentine is based on the version of the codex held in florence as well as on the summary of the original codex. Adjoining houses, florentine codex book 11 click on image to enlarge if you had visited tenochtitlan in the sixteenth century, you would eventually have stepped from one of the thousands of sunlit courtyards into one of the surrounding calli, windowless adobe rooms whose doorways always opened onto the flowerfilled patios.
Montezuma goes out to meet cortes the spaniards arrived in xoloco, near the entrance to tenochtitlan. Creation of the florentine codex and its effect on people. Commonly referred to as the florentine codex, the manuscript consists of 12 books devoted to different topics. Nov 15, 2016 the codex held in the laurentian library of florence, italy is a copy of a lost original that originates from the sixteenth century. The excerpts from the florentine codex in our book, the midwife addresses the woman who has died in childbirth and the midwife addresses the newly delivered woman, provide fascinating examples of gender treatment in aztec society. Alcantara rojas further notes that in the florentine the most potent flowering trees are composed in an indigenous foursided cosmogram book 11, fol. The sequence of the florentine codexs twelve books aligns with the hierar. The florentine codex is divided by subject area into twelve books and includes over 2,000 illustrations drawn by nahua artists in the sixteenth century. These practice questions will help you master the material. It does have minimal liquid stains on the edges of the illustration pages only. The florentine codex, otherwise known as the history of the things of new spain is a groundbreaking research on aztec civilization carried out 15401590s. Painters, pigments, and the making of the florentine codex. The nahuas recorded their culture and history in their own language in the right text column, and sahagun had the nahuatl translated into spanish in the left text column.
The people were also terrified, debating the news among themselves. Montezuma now arrayed himself in his finery, preparing to go out to meet them. Death and cremation of moctezuma ii as depicted in the florentine codex, book 12. This process is embodied in the characteristics and physical appearance of the florentine codex. It is written in alphabetic script, another introduction. Florentine codex book is part ii, book 1 of the florentine codex. The florentine codex, world digital library, library of congress, full text online in spanish and nahuatl, with illustrations by native artists arthur j. The florentine codex was a 16thcentury exploration of aztec culture. See florentine codex, pages 125 and 126, book 11, folio 63. The ancient greek inscription revealed that this was a totenpassea passport for the dead dating from 300 to 350 bc, the tablet contained specific instructions to quench the deceaseds incredible thirst.
Book one describes in detail the gods of the aztec people, including uitzilopochtli, tlatoc, and quetzalcoatl. The three bound volumes of the florentine codex are found in the biblioteca medicealorenziana palat. The general history of the things of new spain, introductions and indices. Aztec feather painters from the digital edition of the.
Dec 09, 20 the excerpts from the florentine codex in our book, the midwife addresses the woman who has died in childbirth and the midwife addresses the newly delivered woman, provide fascinating examples of gender treatment in aztec society. Book xii recounts the spanish conquest of mexico, which took place between 1519, when cortes landed on the coast with just over 100 men and a few horses, and 1521, when tenochtitlan was taken and the aztecs subjugated. The story is written in both english and aztec and is the largest of the series. Book eleven is a beautifully written and careful documentation of all of the animals and plants known to the aztecs in the sixteenth century. The florentine codex shanthis cca world lit course. The spanish called this plant the soapbead tree, and were very impressed with its effectiveness. Other articles where florentine codex is discussed. World digital library adds florentine codex library of congress. The florentine codex, a unique manuscript dating from 1577 preserved in the medicea laurenziana library in florence, is for the first time available online in digital format, the library of congress announced today. Montezumas zoo in tenochtitlan was an aztec paradise filled with amazing. Read and learn for free about the following article. General history of the things of new spain by fray bernardino. Sahagun was not working for the benefit of the aztecs.
Book four delves into the aztecs complex astrological beliefs. Sutherland the florentine codex is an ancient document that describes the life of the aztecs, their religious ceremonies, astronomy, economy, social order, the conquest of mexico and customs in precolumbian mexico. It is said to live in or near the water and to use the hand on the end of its tail to snatch its prey, dragging the person into the depths to drown them. Take a quick interactive quiz on the concepts in aztec florentine codex. World digital library adds florentine codex library of. Earthly things monographs of the school of american re volume 11 9781607811664. Thus, having dealt with higher beings and humans, sahagun turns to. The florentine codex medieval life, medieval art, mexican people, book. We have new and used copies available, in 0 edition starting at.
The florentine codex is a complex document, assembled, edited, and appended over decades. A general history of the things of new spain 2nd ed. Victims of the ahuizotl, aztec beliefs state, are destined for the paradise of the god tlaloc. Archaeological and historical evidence florentine codex.
Composed of twelve books, a total of some 2,400 pages of text accompanied by a staggering 2,468 ink and color illustrations, and organized by individual topic e. Although it has been amply appreciated and studied since the late nineteenth century, its ongoing ethnographic, linguistic, and historical utility cannot be overstated. The digital florentine codex latin america visualized. A mysterious golden tablet was found folded into the ashes of the deceased in a bronze urn unearthed in thessaly. Also from europe are the style of tunic worn by the craftsmen shown here and images of christian saints. The word tamoanchan does not actually come from the nahuatl languages, but is instead demonstrated to have its roots in mayan etymology, with a meaning which could be glossed as place of the misty sky, or similar. Aztec gods from the digital edition of the florentine codex. Painting prophecy english language notes duke university press. Bernardinos goals of orientating fellow missionaries to aztec culture, providing a rich nahuatl vocabulary, and recording the indigenous cultural heritage at times compete with each other within it. Featherworking scenes, florentine codex, book 9, ca. Aztecs documented ancient giants, videos descriptions of giants are common among religious books and ancient. The other great princes also adorned their persons, as did the nobles and their chieftains and knights. Following the traditional division of knowledge common to many european encyclopedic works, the florentine codex deals with all things divine or rather idolatrous, human and natural of new spain.
Using the temazcal, aztec steam bath, florentine codex book 11 click on image to enlarge to wash their clothes, the aztecs used a plant called copalxocotl, or cyrtocarpa procera. Two of the worlds leading scholars of the aztec language and culture hav. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. The painted books of mesoamerica belong to an imagebased form of. Book xi, the longest in the codex, is a treatise on natural history. Each page of the florentine codex contains parallel columns of nahuatl and spanish text.
The peripatetic print in the florentine codex, mexico brill. Book seven tells the origin stories of the sun, the moon, and the starswhich gods created them, what powers they each embody, and how they are related to aztec astrology. Anderson and charles dibble, following in the tradition of nineteenthcentury mexican scholars francisco del paso y troncoso and joaquin garcia icazbalceta. That was the end of the march, for they had reached their goal. Two of the worlds leading scholars of the aztec language and culture h. Book eight lists the rulers of tenochtitlan from the first, acamapichtli, to the sixteenth, don cristobal cecepatic. Birthing was revered as a battle of sorts and the new child as a captured captive. Book eleven is a beautifully written and careful documentation of all of the animals and. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Cityhome on the rangemade in heavenhistory photosold photosvintage photos. Mar 16, 2016 this process is embodied in the characteristics and physical appearance of the florentine codex.
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