It is known as literature Aztec to the literary artistic manifestations of the Aztec culture. The Aztecs were not a community with the habit of recording their own history, but literature had other objectives.
But access to his literary works has not been easy for several reasons. On the one hand, very few samples in good condition are preserved.
Unfortunately, most of the original texts were lost during the colonial era. They were burned by the Spaniards thinking they were prayers of black magic.
The few remaining samples are codices with the Aztec writing system, which was composed of ideograms and signs.
On the other hand, the strangeness of this language makes translation more complicated, since there are no common elements with Spanish on which to rely.
But the pieces that have been successfully translated have been sufficient to understand the literary style of the Aztecs.
Main characteristics
In written Aztec literature there are no records of a historical or narrative type. The myths about his creation and the stories of great battles were oral, not written.
The written records that exist are called codices, and almost entirely record religious poems and chants.
But in general, Aztec literature was designed to be recited, not read. The texts that are preserved functioned as records of these works. It is characterized by being rich in literary resources, such as metaphor and euphony.
For the Aztecs, literature-especially poetry-was associated with the nobility. He was held in such high esteem that the three largest cities of the empire, Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Cualhtitlan, were the great literary centers.
The Borgia codex
The most complete and extensive piece translated is the Borgia Codex. Its importance is that it provides much information about the cultural and religious customs of the Aztecs.
It's 76 pages and starts with the Tonalpohualli calendar. This is constituted by a year of 260 days. Record the priests' predictions about good or bad dates for certain actions.
After the calendar there is a record of the pantheon of the Aztec gods. In the text there are physical descriptions and personalities, as well as some myths of creation.
In third place the most important religious rites of their religion are described. They even briefly describe the most cruel and controversial of the Aztec rites: human sacrifice.
Central themes of aztec literature to
Literature was an art of great importance in Aztec society. It was considered a superior art form, and for this reason only the noblest had easy access to it.
Even the children of the wealthiest paid to attend schools where they were taught poetry.
Due to this elitist treatment, the central themes in this literature are war and religion, branches that only the most privileged directed.
Songs for the gods
Religious literature was the highest in the Aztec culture. This consisted of songs of praise to the gods and hymns to recite during the sacrificial rituals.
They were called teocuícatl to those songs that were intended exclusively for priests.
These poems and songs were accompanied by dances and staging, dramatizing the lyrics.
War literature
It is known that the Aztec people were warrior by nature, and that part of their greatness was obtained through conquest.
It is not uncommon to assume that within the Aztec literature the songs of war were also of great relevance.
They are called yaocuícatl, and they are songs that call to the war and inspire bravery to the fighters. They record myths about battles of heroes or the gods themselves.
References
- Nahualt languages. (2017) britannica.com
- Ancient Aztec Art. (2017) aztec-history.com
- Aztec. (2012) ancientscripts.com
- Aztec writing and literature. sutori.com
- The literature of the Aztec civilization. escuela.net