Az: Aztlan date

[by way of "John F. Schwaller" <schwallr@selway.umt.edu>]

In a message dated 2/25/00 1:02:07 PM, you wrote:

<<We were raised to believe Aztlan was real. Only in euro-centric
sources did I learn of the so-called myth. Where/how did this
myth-thing originate?>>

The Mexica themselves claimed that they burnt their history books
and rewrote their earlier history.  The Florentine Codex has a
statement to this effect. In other words the Mexica themselves
said it was myth.

... Then they devised the book of days, the book of years, the
count of the years, the book of dreams.  They arranged the
reckoning just as it has been kept.  And thus was time recorded
during all the time the  Tolteca, the Tepaneca, the Mexica, and
all the Chichimeca reign endured.  No longer can it be remembered,
no longer can it be investigated... The history of it was saved,
but it was burned when Itzcoatl ruled in Mexico.  A council of
rulers of Mexico took place.  They said: "It is not necessary for
all the common people to know of the writings; government will be
defamed, and this will only spread sorcery in the land..."

Or if you prefer to read it in Nahua--  Niman ic quijiocuxque, in
tonalpoalli, in xioamatl, in xippoalli, in temjc amatl.
Qujtecpanque in iuhomopix: auh ic otlaotlatoctiloc in jxquijch
cauijtl omanca tolteca tlatocaiotl, tepaneca tlatocaiotl, mexica
tlatocaiotl: ioan in jxquijch chichimeca tlatocaiotl, aocmo vel
molnamjquij, aocmo vel onmocxitoca ...   caiquac tlatlac in
tlatocat Itzcoatl, in mexico: innenonotzal mochiuh in mexica
tlatoque, quijtoque: amo monequj mochi tlacatl qujmatiz, in
tlilli, in tapalli, in tlatconj, in tlamamalonj, avilquij=E7az...


LH Feldman