Analogies between cycles of human life and other cycles in the
tonalpohualli (key iconographic symbols in bold)
Human family
Kinship relations
(social functions)
Analogies with plant Analogies with
and mineral kingdoms animal kingdom
The “heart-seed” or The external soul
essence of matter
or animal
double of matter
Analogies with
Analogies with
heavenly bodies The cosmography
“head” of matter as The “houses” or stations
source of vital
of matter
energies whose rays
are like arrows that
“pierce” various parts
of the body
Ancestors
NOBILITY: The
Butterfly (spirit Deities: Lords of fire The “house” of the center,
(founders of the
condition of possibility double of flames) and the hearth,
the tree of life, the place
major ethnicities)
for both life and light. Vulture (spirit
Ancient ones
of seven caves
Plant kingdom:
double of those of (associated icons: fire
teocintli or primitive advanced age)
serpents)
corn. Mineral
Body parts: navel,
kingdom: turquoise,
womb
obsidian, granite,
basalt
Grandparents
CREATIVITY:
Coyote and
Deities: Lords of
The place of duality (home
(first humans,
Originators of the
peccary (spirit
duality, Lords of
of the numeral two), the
diviners, healers,
principle of dynamic doubles of
sustenance
place of origin (home of
daykeepers)
equilibrium. Together matchmakers)
(associated icons:
the broken tree)
they form the divine Opossum and
bone piercing tool,
duality that underlies coati (spirit
calendar)
the cycles of life and doubles of
Body parts: organs of
light . Plant kingdom: midwives)
knowledge and
the elote or kernel of Caiman or fish- judgment (eye as
corn used as basis for reptile (spirit
organ of reasoning,
new harvest as well double of the sky- nose as organ of
as for divination.
earth)
truth and morality,
Mineral kingdom:
ear as organ of
flint as condition of
counsel and
possibility for fire
understanding)
Lovers (first couple, PRODUCTIVITY:
Lizard (spirit
Deities: Rain god,
The bath “house” (sweat
fertile ones, patrons Those who engender double of rain)
Goddess of flowing
lodge, temascal)
of the arts)
life and light. Plant
waters, Gods of
kingdom: the flower,
springtime (associated
the seed, the jilote
icons: cloud
or unripe ear of corn,
serpents, rain stick
the maguey plant.
or rattle)
Mineral kingdom:
Body parts: sexual
jade
organs and their byproducts, skin, hair,
nails
Human family
Kinship relations
(social functions)
Analogies with plant Analogies with
and mineral kingdoms animal kingdom
The “heart-seed” or The external soul
essence of matter
or animal
double of matter
Parents: mother and LEADERSHIP: Those
mother’s sister,
who nurture life, who
father and father’s light the way for their
brother (those who children. Plant
teach by example,
kingdom: the
those who rule over mazorca or mature
us)
ear of corn, pulque.
Mineral kingdom:
gold as “excrement”
of the sun, silver as
“excrement” of the
moon
Children
ACTIVITY: Those in
whom life and light
unfold in manifest
ways. Plant kingdom:
amaranth
Analogies with
Analogies with
heavenly bodies The cosmography
“head” of matter as The “houses” or stations
source of vital
of matter
energies whose rays
are like arrows that
“pierce” various parts
of the body
Deities: Solar gods,
The cardinal directions
lunar gods, earth gods (home of the year
Parts of the body:
bearers): The “house” of
head
the rising sun, the
“house” of the midday
sun, the “house” of the
setting sun, the “house of
the midnight sun)
Eagle (spirit
double of the
sun),
hummingbird
(spirit double of
the valiant
warrior), snake
(spirit double of
the earth),
rabbit (spirit
double of the
moon)
Deer (spirit
Deities: Venus deities The horizon or heart of the
double of Venus (associated icons:
sea-sky (home of the
as morning star), wind instruments, plumed serpent)
dog (spirit double speech scroll)
of Venus as
Parts of the body:
evening star)
breath
Siblings
The companions,
Monkey (spirit Deities: Pleiades, Mars
those who form the double of the
gods (associated
entourage for the
elder brothers)
icons: numeral 400)
unfolding of life and
Body parts:
light
Extremities, righthand side, left-hand
side
Children of the night ACTIVITY: Those in Jaguar (spirit
Deities: gods
whom life and light
double of the
associated with magic
unfold in hidden and nighttime hunter) and sorcery
invisible ways. Plant
(associated icons:
kingdom:
mirror)
hallucinogenic
plants
Parents of the night LEADERSHIP: Those Macaw (spirit
Deities: Lords of the
who nurture life after double of the Big underworld
death, who light the Dipper)
(associated icons:
way through the
skull, skeleton)
underworld