Aztec pregnancy

[Frances Karttunen]

At least some years ago Thelma Sullivan was the ultimate authority on
pregnancy and childbirth among the Mexica.  I don't have copies of these
articles of hers at hand, but it would be worth looking into them:

Sullivan 1966.  "Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Deification of Women Who
Died in Childbirth" in Estudios de cultura nahuatl 6: 63-95.

Sullivan 1980.  "O Precious Necklace, O Quetzal Feather!  Aztec Pregnancy
and Childbirth Orations" in Alcheringa/Ethnopoetics 4: 38-56.

Sullivan 1982.  "Tlazolteotl-Ixcuina: The Great Spinner and Weaver" in The
Art and Iconography of Late Post-Classic Central Mexico (E. Boone, ed):
7-35.

----------
>From: SPoole8257 at aol.com
>To: Multiple recipients of list <nahuat-l at server.umt.edu>
>Subject: Aztec pregnancy
>Date: Mon, Nov 22, 1999, 5:24 PM
>

> Dear Neteros:
>
> There is an assertion that is rather often made about the image of Our Lady
> of Guadalupe of Mexico, that is, that the black belt around the Virgin's
> waist was a Nahua symbol of pregnancy.  I have searched various sources from
> Sahagun to Soustelle to more recent ones and have not found mention of such a
> custom.  Has anyone ever encountered this?
>
> It has also been said that this custom was the source of the Spanish word
> "encinta," meaning pregnant, despite the fact that it is derived from Latin
> and has cognates in both French and Italian.
>
> Incidentally, the belt was originally purple and has turned black with time.
>
> Stafford Poole
> SPoole8257 at aol.com
>