Tamōhuānchān[tamoːˈwaːn̥t͡ʃãː] is amythical location of origin known to theMesoamerican cultures of the central Mexican region in theLate Postclassic period. In the mythological traditions andcreation accounts of Late Postclassic peoples such as theAztec, Tamoanchan was conceived as aparadise where the gods created the first of the present human race out of sacrificed blood and ground human bones which had been stolen from the Underworld ofMictlan.[1]
According to a figurative etymology in theFlorentine Codex of Sahagún (bk. 10, ch. 29, para. 14), "Tamoanchan probably means "We go down to our home".[2]The wordtamoanchan does not actually come from theNahuatl languages, but is instead demonstrated to have its roots inMayan etymology, with a meaning which could beglossed as "place of the misty sky", or similar. Descriptions of Tamoanchan appearing in theFlorentine Codex indicate that the PostclassicNahuas thought of it being located in the humid lowlands region of theGulf Coast of Mexico, inhabited by theHuastec Maya people.[3]
When depicted inAztec codices Tamoanchan is frequently associated with thetrecena1 Calli in theAztec calendar. This is "trecena 15 in the Borbonicus and Tonalamatl Aubin".[4] The deityItzpapalotl, one of the maintzitzimime figures ("star demons"), commonly presides over this trecena, and by extension Tamoanchan is often considered as part of her dominion.[5]
Thetoponymic glyph used for Tamoanchan in thecodices depicts a cleft tree, flowering and emitting blood; these motifs is the reference of the event when sexual transgression was committed in the paradise, causing the tree of life to be cut as described in theCodex Chimalpopoca. Besides being cleft, the two portions of the Tamoanchan-tree thus separated sometimes bear striping in opposite directions (as, inCodex Borgia 44[6]) such that "their diagonal position ... indicates the internal helicoidal movement."[7] Thus, helical rotations in two opposite directions would appear to be indicated.
Besides the mythical Tamoanchan, Mexican historian andscholar of Mesoamerican belief systemsAlfredo López Austin identifies several sacred sites that were historical localities associated with Tamoanchan. According to López Austin the three Tamoanchans located on earth were:
1) the Tamoanchan in Cuauhnahuac;
2) Tamoanchan Chalchiuhmomozco mentioned by Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin (... where Chalco Amaquemecan was later established); and
3) the Tamoanchan ... mentioned in Sahagún's work."[8]
The first of these was where the first man and woman of the new re-peoplement were created (by Ehecatl), the "new Tamoanchan cave in the Province of Cuernavaca, actually Cuauhnahuac".[9]
The second of these was "a fountain ... in which they saw a goddess and which they calledchalchiuhmatlalatl ("blue-green waters of chalchihuite ...") on a small hill next to Iztactepetl and Popocatepetl. ... Tamoanchan Chalchiuhmomozco was so sacred that no one could defecate there. The settlers had to travel four leagues to relieve themselves at a place called Cuitlatepec, or Cuitlatetelco, but, since they were great magicians, they flew there."[10] [Likewise for theOtomi, "Mayonikha is so sacred that no one can defecate" thereat.]
The third was the site where "the learned men, ... Tlaltecuin, and Xuchicahuaca, ... invented new sacred books, the count of destiny, the book of years, and the book of dreams."[11]
