ACATZINGO - A STEPPED ENTRANCE WAY - TO A REED SHRINE

This is one example of a cave with an artificial entrance. It is identified by a place-sign on MC2. Pictorial or qualifying elements that show this to be a ceremonial cave are as follows:

Geological formation. A natural elevation which gives protection or concealment; a geological feature of elongated contours, white in color, suggesting a sedimentary deposit; segmented ridges of limestone. The geological formation is shaped like a scorpion, its slender tail extended southward. Enclosed within its pedipalps & claws, facing eastward, is a stepped platform. Simons (1968) writes, "There are foot-steps which connect Tepeyacac [Tepeaca] with people and places in the region... A line that heads northeast gets to a cave with a raised lintel and rocks around three of its sides." Incidentally, she adds that "the location of this site in the map may correspond to that of Acatzingo in the Map of Cuauhtinchan No. 4,..."

Stepped platform. A stepped platform not shown in profile but rather depicted as front-facing. A two-stepped architectural frontage shown in a banded geometric form by right angles. An entrance with an elevated lintel or horizontal beam of cut stone that forms the upper member of a door frame. Not a platform built on the ground but an artificial entry into the underground.

Locative glyph = cave sign. Regarding the same place sign but situated at another location, Simons (1968) describes this site as "a structure that I have tentatively called a cave sign and which is characteristic of many places painted on this map. It has an opening with a high lintel..."

Not an ordinary cave. At another location identified by the same glyphs, Simons draws an analogy to Chicomoztoc and writes, "two Chichimecas reaching out for a cave with a raised lintel... These structures are very different from an ordinary cave." She compares the latter to "a curved opening where the stones can be seen separately."

Geometric pattern of right angles. In a third example, again pertaining to a different site, Simons analyzes the glyph and states, "This is characteristic of caves drawn with straight lines."

Stone architecture. It might be like a baldachin; stone architecture built in the form of an ornamental, roof-like projection over a niche giving access to the cave.

Stepped architectural frontage. This stepped architectural frontage is adorned with vegetation, suggesting a creation-scene. In describing a comparable place sign, Simons calls it "a structure that I have tentatively called a cave sign ... an opening with a high lintel... The outer part is green and yellow, and looks as if representing grass or other vegetation." At another place sign, she writes, "The cave has a raised lintel whose low edges are painted red. Its high (exterior) part is green and yellow."

Botanical motif- reeds. Decorations over the lintel of these stepped platforms might represent stylized feline whiskers, or maize stalks, or arrow shafts fitted with green feathers. A searching analysis indicates a botanical motif, vegetation in the form of marsh grass, the acate plant, cattail or reeds. These type of plants, particularly tule grass and spikelets, are common qualifying elements for ceremonial centers in Mesoamerica. They are the classic metaphor for a "tollan."

Bound reed bundles. Maybe in the beginning, the bound reed bundles formed the structural supports of this type of shrine, and were later used to identify such shrines.

Ritual space. The two-stepped architectural structure, embellished with tule-grass and spikelets, is indicative of the founding of ritual space.

Dominion of kings and priests. An analogy can be made to theocratic states that governed ancient Mexico. A braided reed mat and throne represented a seat of government; it signified the authority and rulership of king/priests ( Roys 1933).

Unlike thrones of carved wood with jewels and precious metals common to Europe, here is the king of Texcoco seated on a reed throne.

Realm of authority. In this context, Heyden (1986) writes that "Reeds and rushes constituted the materials from which the king's throne, the ruler's seats, and the mat of authority were made, thus making the reed an essential metaphor of power."

Reeds associated with divine teachings and mortuary customs. Again citing Heyden, "Among the Aztecs, young boys of noble birth were trained in school to assume the reed mat, the reed seat of authority" (Sahagún 19501969). Rulers were invested on woven reed seats and mats; these were the equivalent of the throne (Sahagún 1950-1969:6:61-62; Codex Mendoza 1978:26-29,108)... When the new sovereign assumed the rule he was told that the reed coffer of the gods had been given him so he could find inside the secrets and the commandments of our lords" (Sahagún 1950-1969). The reed coffer, furthermore, was a metaphor for both life and death... And at the end of the life cycle the place of rest for the old men and the old women, the creators, the procreators, those who engender," was also in a reed chest...in the land of the dead" (Sahagún 1950-1969:6:195)."

Tollan - sacred location. Note a bunch of reeds associated with Tollan Cholula, a preClassic ceremonial center and place of the largest pyramid in the western hemisphere. See Smith (1973) for a discussion of how the acate plant - cattail or reeds is a metaphor for sacred places. Perhaps the first culture to introduce this icon could be known as the "people of the reeds."

Clusters of tule grass and spikelets to identify sacred geographical sites such as Cholula or a Tollan.

Tilmatli - cloak. A mortuary cave with an artificial entry is maintained by a cave sect. Often a shaman will wear a tufted, tasseled cloak. At a distance, it appears to be a composite cloth of cotton and feathers or tassels from a long-hair goat. A closer inspection shows the garment to be made of woven marsh plants.

Reed arrows. In two out of eleven illustrations on MC2 where locative glyphs depict a "cave sign", decorative reeds at the exterior apex are mixed with arrows. Which brings to mind three points: arrow shafts are usually reeds; colonial documents like the Lienzo of Philadelphia show an arrow to represent a calendar date - the day or year sign (acatl) Reed; and arrows are an instrument for killing, a metaphor for death or conquest. Any one of these images may apply to the cave.

Acatzingo cave decorated with reeds. To reiterate, we are looking at a stepped platform decorated with reeds. A two-stepped architectural frontage shown in a banded geometric form by right angles. Not a platform built over the ground but rather an artificial entrance into the underground.