dark/light skin color differences in pre- and post-conquest Mexico

[Ian Mursell]

This image from the Florentine Codex comes from Book 7, Chapter 11.
Chapters 9-12 are all about the New Fire Ceremony in which a xiuhmolpilli
or Œbundle of [52] reeds¹/years was burned.  This is the only image in these
chapters depicting human sacrifice and one has to assume it relates to this
all-important Aztec-century-welcoming ritual. The only part of the text to
mention the sacrifice (in Chapter 9) includes the following clue: 'And when
they drew the new fire, they drew it there at Uixachtlan, at midnight, when
the night divided in half.  They drew it upon the breast of a captive, and
it was a well-born one on whose breast [the priest] bored the fire drill.
And when a little [fire] fell, when it took flame, then speedily [the
priest] slashed open the breast of the captive, seized his heart, and
quickly cast it there into the fire.  Thus he fed, he served it to the fire.
And the body of [the captive] all came to an end in the flames.  And those
who drew fire were exclusively the  priests, the fire priests, the
devout...'  (from the Anderson & Dibble translation).

I include below a scan of the image which has - I think - a slightly more
accurate colour rendition: less green and more (ash!) grey/black in the skin
tones (of the priests, that is...)


It seems fair to conclude that the artist is here trying to make the victim
stand out symbolically from the surrounding priests, who, as everyone
agrees, would in real life have been painted/daubed black.  Would be good to
find time to research more in-depth into the New Fire ceremony itself from
other sources... 

Good wishes,

Ian

Ian Mursell

MirandaNet Fellow, Institute of Education, London University

Director, 'Mexicolore'
28 Warriner Gardens
London SW11 4EB, U.K.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7622 9577
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7498 0173
www.aztecs.org
Ian.Mursell at btinternet.com
info at mexicolore.co.uk

1980-2005: 25 years of bringing Mexico and the Aztecs to life in schools and
museums throughout England.  Team visits, online teaching resources and
services, live interactive videoconferencing sessions, and much more - all
from Mexicolore, the 'highly successful teaching team' (British Museum
Education Service)



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