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The Calendar of the Tarascans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Alfonso Caso
Alfonso Caso*
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico
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Extract

Like the other cultured peoples of Mexico and Central America, the Tarascans of the time of the Conquest had knowledge of the calendar. Indeed, in the Relation de Michoacán–an anonymous work which, as we shall later see, was written between 1540 and 1541, –are mentioned the names of thirteen Tarascan months, and for four of them the corresponding date in the Christian calendar is given. One more month, although not named, is said to have fallen on November 14.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , July 1943 , pp. 11 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1943

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References

1 “La Relación de Michoacán.” Colección de documentos inéditos para la Historia de España, por el Marques de Miraflores y Don Miguel de Salva. Vol.LIII, pp. 5–293. Madrid, 1868.

2 Relación de las ceremonias y ritos y población y gobernación de los Indios de la Provincia de Michoacan. Morelia, Imprenta de Alfonso Aragón, 1903.

3 Del Paso y Troncoso, Francisco, Calendario de los Tarascos. Anales del Museo Michoacano Vol. I, pp. 85-96. Morelia, 1888. Reproduced under the same name in the Anales del Museo Nacional de Mexico, Primera Epoca, Vol. IV, pp. 57–63. 1887 (sic).

4 León, Nicolas, Los Tarascos. Second Part. Anales del Museo Nacional de México, Segunda Epoca, Vol. I, pp. 392-502. The part relative to the calendar is at pp. 484-490. México, 1903.

5 Seler, Eduard, Die alien Bewohner der Landschaft Michuacan. Gesammelte Abhandlungen zur Amerikanischen Sprach- und Alterthumskunde. Vol. I l l , pp. 33–156. Berlin, 1908.

6 León, Nicolas, La Relatión de Michuacán. Bibliographic and critical note. Revista Mexicana de Estudios Históricos. Vol. I, pp. 191–213. México, 1927.

7 Gilberti, Father Maturino, Diccionario de la lengua tarasca o de Michoacán. Published in Mexico in 1559. Reprinted under the direction and guidance of Dr. Antonio Peflafiel. Mexico, 1901.

8 De Billela, Pedro, “Relación de Chilchota.” 1579. Manuscript copy in the Archives of the National Museum of Mexico

9 Moreno, Lie. Don Juan Joseph, Fragmentos de la vida y virtudes del V. Illmo. y Rmo. Sr. Dr. D. Vasco de Quiroga. Imprenta del Real y más Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso. México, 1766, pp. 28 and 29 read: “There was in the Reign of Siguanga, who was the next to the last of the Gentle Kings, a High Priest who, with the supreme authority that he had in matters of Religion, initiated different fiestas which were like a prelude or announcement of the feast days our Church celebrates, as taught by the Holy Spirit. Among them was celebrated one called Pevansquaro, and another Tzitaquaresquaro, imitating at the first feast the feast of the Nativity, and at the second the feast of the Resurrection.” Note: “ … Father Francisco Ramirez of the Company of Jesus and Rector, almost two centuries ago, of the College of Patzcuaro, relates this in the history which he writes of the college, and says he knew about it from having come in contact with different Indians who attended and served that great Priest. He adds that he used to live in the Town of Erongariquaro, which means, in the tongue of the country, place where one is ‘seeing’ or expectant, because the town was expectant—awaiting the arrival of the Spaniards and of the new law, the course of which was being prepared. Some examples of these Prophet Indians are found in Torquemada, Vol. 15, Chap. 49.“

10 Ramirez, Father Francisco, Histpria del Colegio de la Compañia de Jesús de Pátzcuaro. Year 1600. Published by Dr. Nicó1ás León, Mexico, pp. 11-12. 1903. Taken from Los Tarascos, León, pp. 485-486, it r e a d i “ … in the twilight of ftheir idolatry they had some previous and new ideas (of the..Catholic Faith) through means of a priest of theirs whom they venerated very much, who (not without light from Heaven, as may be believed), informed them that soon would come one who would teach them the Truth of what they should believe and adore, and in order to further dispose them to doing this, he commenced to celebrate, in his way, many fiestas of those our Mother the Church celebrates, such as that called Peuánscuaro, or of the Nativity, and that of Tzitaquarénsquaro, or of the Resurrection.”

11 Seler, op. cit., p. 62. “In der zwanzig Tagen dieses Festes, das also eines der achtzehn Jahresfeste gewesen sein muss, wurde allgemeines Gericht über alle Uebelthater gehalten”.

12 Del Paso y Troncoso, Francisco, Description, historia y expositión del Códice Pictórico de los antiguos náhuas. (Bourbon Codex), p. 179. Note: Florence, 1898.

13 Duran, Fray Diego, Historia de las Indias de Nueva España y Islas de la Tierra Firme. Vol. II, pp. 150 and 184. México, 1867.

14 Bourbon Codex. Manuscrit Mexicain de la Bibliotheque du Palais Bourbon. Published in facsimile with an explanatory commentary by M. E. T. Hamy. Paris. 1899.

15 Troncoso, op. cit., pp. 165–166.

16 Soustelle, Jacques, La Famille Otomi-Pame du Mexique Central. Travaux et Memoires de l'Institut d'Ethnologie, Vol. XXVI. Paris, 1937, pp. 524–525.

17 Caso, Alfonso, “El Calendario Matlatzinca.” Manuscript. Lecture given before the Mexican Society of Anthropology, at the Regular Meeting of September 4, 1940

18 Caso, Alfonso, “Un Códice en Otomi.” Proceedings of the Twenty-Third International Congress of Americanists. New York, 1928. pp. 130–135.

19 De la Borbolla, Daniel R. “Antropologia Tzintzuntzan Ihuatzio.” Seasons I and II. Revista Mexicana de Estudios Antropologicos. Vol. III , pp. 99–121. México, 1939.

20 De Sahagun, Father Bernardino, Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva España. Vol. I. Rebredo Edition. Mexico, 1938, pp. 87–88, 129–130.

21 Duran, op. citt. Atlas. Third Treatise. Plate III.

22 Caso, Alfonso, “La Correlación de los Años Azteca y Cristiano.” Revista Mexicana de Estudios Antropologicos, Vol. III, pp. 11–45. México, 1939.

23 Relación de Michoacán. Morelia Edition, p. 206.

24 Ibid., pp. 275–276.

25 Ibid., p. 8.

26 Leon, op. cit.

27 Relación de Michoacán. Morelia Edition, p. 114.

28 Beaumont, Father Pablo, Crónica de Michoacán. Publicaciones del Archivo General de la Nación, Vol. XVII. Mexico, 1932, p. 111.

29 Ibid. Vol. XIX. Plate at p. 218.

30 Caso, Alfonso, 1939.