The influence and importance of Tolteca during the Aztec time
Originally, Aztec were nomads and had no artists or craftsmen. They had arrived in the valley of Mexico in 1325 by overpowering other tribes who occupied the region like the Xochimilco and Colhuacan. They preserved the ancient art traditions of the Tula after it had fallen along with its customs and traditions. Tula was the capital of the Toleca which is also referred to as Tolec. Tolecas flourished around 900-1187 and they were native of Hehuetlapallan, village found in 576 BC by the Northwest Mexico immigrants. This essay elaborates on the influence and importance of Tolteca during the time of Aztec.
The present knowledge about Aztec ideology and religion is strappingly tilted toward the recognized Tenochtitlan religion. The ethno-historic description of community or domestic religion is few compared to the abundant 16th century descriptions of Aztec religion and its complex mythology, iconography, music, dance, flamboyant ritual that entailed human sacrifice and its elaborate cosmology. The word Toltecs plainly means- a group of skilled craftsmen. They were generally very skilled, and for one to have the title Tolteca or Toltec it was an honor for Aztec artisans and reminded the Toltec's that they were affiliated to the artistic traditions of the time. According to McCafferty and Chiykowski (2008) Aztec craftsmen were motivated by the ancestral Toltecas who worked with gold among other precious metal and created bravura feather mosaics. The Toltecas also carved stoned to create monumental carvings for their kings and gods.
Significantly, Toltec was a culture but not a race. The etimology of Toltec denotes artist, craftsman, civilizer or constructor. It was from this Tolteca culture that Quetzalcoatl imaged. They imaged from Cuahuanahuac town, the today's Cuevnavaca. These were teachers in fine arts and architecture and they constituted a warring society as observed from many warrior sculptures. Notably, the Toltecas exercised great authority in the whole of Mayan territory during Postclassical period and resemblance exists in many of their architecture and sculptures since around 900-1527 AC. Toltecas imposed their religion, cultural attributes and political influence to the Mayans. With time Aztec rulers, extended their political boundary and reached to even more secluded tropical regions. From this point wealth started to accumulate fast and Toltecas grew in social status since their demand increased significantly. The Tolteca class brought certain privileges and to artisans and their families. Nonetheless, most artisans failed to rise from their own stations to any position of power, as such; they maintained peaceful relations with the ruling class. It would seem artists with their unique talents, opted to stay in positions where they maintained their respect where they were admired for their unique abilities.
Those artisans who used to work directly for Aztec rulers performed their jobs inside the palace but some would work from their homes where the raw materials for their work would be sent. However, the Toltecas did not work unaccompanied. Intriguingly, the artists workshop had the participation of the entire family and each member of the family was designated a particular role to complete pieces. For instance, the artisan's wife would weave the blankets with rabbit hair, embroider clothing or dye feathers depending on the husband's line of specialization. In such households, children would inherit these artistic traditions from their parents. There were very rare accounts regarding the artists' salaries and one account showed that artists were well paid. This was the stone sculpture of Motecuhzoma II, which was completed by 14 sculptors. These sculptors were paid with clothing for their families, ten loads of calabashes; cotton and maize were issued as an advance. After the completion of work, the sculptors were paid with two servants, crockery, cocoa, additional clothing and salt. Even though the artists received good payment, they were taxed. Nevertheless, they did not provide agricultural labor or any form of personal services. In case of any form of dispute, the Tolteca class had leaders who stand for them before the ruling authority.
Aztec sculpture was not as a result of unsystematic inspiration but a massive synthesis of cultural and religious concepts. A fundamental characteristic of Aztec sculpture involves abstraction of entire images that retain concrete and realistic details. Sculpture represented Aztec's dreams, myths and illusions of death and life. Notably, monumentality was a significant development in Aztec sculpting. Although, monumentality art did not just represent something massive and great; it was a visual symbol of power of an idea, which was accomplished and manifested in the connection to different dimensions. Aztec monumentality impressed and frightened spectators and also imposed manipulated impression of power which State invested in most Aztec art.
For many centuries, Toltecas classic cultures were invaded by tribes coming from the north i.e. Nahuas tribes. It is these tribes that attributed to Tolteca decadence, although most invaders were influenced by Toltecas and their gods, urbanism, constructions, arts among numerous cultural manifestations. Such were the cases of Chichimecas, Tarascos, Tlaxcaltecas and other subcultures that had established in the central Mexico.
The Aztecs are the most well known culture in the prehispanic times. The tradition indicates that Toltecs were dispersed due to great famine that resulted from drought that was followed by Bubonic plague that left very few people surviving. The Aztecs were driven out of their civilization by these catastrophe and the few inhabitants that remained made their way to Central America and Yucatan where their names and traditions exists. Not much is known about the Toltecs; although some of them were discovered to have made their way further to Ecuador and Peru. These are the lot that influenced Inca civilizations of the entire South American continent. Arguably, Toltecs has been ascribed as the most sophisticated civilization in the antediluvian America. This was a culture that imaged from a very inferior culture of Aztec. The Toltecas wrought magnificently in silver, gold and cotton fabrics and the remarkable character of their structures and building is shown by the left ruins as at Teotihuacan and Cholula.
The art of picture writing has been attributed to the Toltecs and so is the famous Mexican calendar. From the middle of the obscure history of the Toltecs, the culture of deity that largely influenced the primeval Mexican religion; the mystic Quetzalcoatl- god of air and the feathered serpent. Arguably, this eccentric personage was inflicted upon the minds of people as a white man from a foreign race who had noble features, flowing garments and long beard taught them sane religion that was dominated by austerity and virtue; a religion where sacrifice of human and animal was forbidden.
In summary, the Toltecas occupied the northern part of Mexico approximately 950-1300 AD. These people build the Mexico’s most beautiful cities –Tula and they were fine craftsmen. After they went to way with the Mayans and defeated them they created a cross Toltec-Mayan society. These people are believed to have mastered the art of melting metals which they used for making sculptures and monuments. On the other hand, the Aztec were master builders and they imitated Mexico’s previous cultures. They borrowed heavily from Mayan, Olmec and Toltec and developed a complex linguistic, artistic, religious, military and architectural heritage. The Aztec culture end in 1521 but its influence is evident today in the central plateau region.
Bibliography
Aguilar-Moreno M. (2006). Handbook to life in the Aztec world. California State University, Los Angeles. Retrieved from: www.mexicauprising.net/HandbooktoLifeintheAztecWorld.pdf
Apart from explaining the role of the Toltecas and their position in the Aztec community, the article presents the present knowledge about Aztec ideologies, their culture and religion. It also elaborates on the role of sculptures and monumentalities to both the culture and religion.
Fargher L., Espinoza V., & Blanton R. (2011). Alternative pathways to power in late Post classic Highland Mesoamerica Original Research Article. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Pages 306-326
The article elaborates on how the Toltecas worked. It explained on their position in the society and the privileges they got for their works.
McCafferty G and Chiykowski T. (2008). Maya Migrants to Tollan Cholollan. Paper presented at the Canadian Archaeological Association. Retrieved from: http://arky.ucalgary.ca/mccafferty/sites/arky.ucalgary.ca.mccafferty/files/Maya_migrants_illustrated.pdf
The article explains how Aztec craftsmen were motivated by the ancestral Toltecas who worked with gold among other precious metal and created bravura feather mosaics. It also explains how the Toltecas also carved stoned to create monumental carvings for their kings and gods.
Paula T. (2004). Food and status in the pre-Hispanic Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, Mexico Original Research Article. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 23, Issue 2, Pages 225-251
The article by Paula is on the Aztec prehistoric times. It indicates on how the Toltecas disappeared due to drought and famine and later Bibonic plague that invaded their territory.
According to the article Aztec civilization were eroded by these catastrophe and the few inhabitants that remained made their way to Central America and Yucatan where their names and traditions exists.
Smith M., & Montiel L. (2001). The Archaeological Study of Empires and Imperialism in Pre-Hispanic Central Mexico Original Research Article. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 20, Issue 3, Pages 245-284
In their work Smith and Montiel have analyzed how Toltec made their way to Peru and Ecuador. They also elaborate on the role played by Toltecs on Inca civilization in the prehistoric America.
Not much is known about the Toltecs; although some of them were discovered to have made their way further to Ecuador and Peru. These are the lot that influenced Inca civilizations of the entire South American continent. The articles analysis Tolteca civilization and it sophistication and how this civilization used silver gold iron among other metals for their art work.
Webb D. (2005). The nahua annal'. Genre from the sixteenth and seventeenth century (Mexico) Scripta Ethnologica, vol. XXVII, pp. 9-23. Retrieved: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=14811516001
The article by Webb elaborates on how Sculpting and sculpture were fundamental on their culture and religion. It also analysis monumentality art and how this art was used among Aztec community. The article further explains the role of Tolteca in monumentality art.
