The Aztec Tonalpohualli Calendar and Ritual Sacrifice

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the sacred Aztec calendar known as the tonalpohualli — the 260-day divinatory cycle that governed fate, ritual, and daily life in Tenochtitlan. They explore how priests used this calendar to determine auspicious days for war, agriculture, and human sacrifice, and how it connected to the larger xiuhpohualli solar calendar of 365 days. The conversation touches on the role of diviners called tlapouhque, the significance of day signs like cipactli (crocodile) and ehecatl (wind), and the binding of the 52-year cycle during the xiuhmolpilli ceremony. Lucas explains how the tonalpohualli was not just a timekeeping device but a spiritual blueprint that shaped every aspect of Mexica life, from naming children to choosing sacrificial victims. The episode also discusses the Florentine Codex and Codex Borbonicus as key sources, and the lingering question of whether the calendar's origins predate the Aztecs. #AztecCalendar #Tonalpohualli #Tenochtitlan #Mesoamerica #RitualSacrifice #FlorentineCodex #CodexBorbonicus #Nahuatl #Xiuhpohualli #Tlapouhque #Cipactli #Ehecatl #Xiuhmolpilli #AztecReligion #Mexica #History #FexingoHistory #AncientCalendars Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo