The Map of Cuauhtinchan II , is presumably the oldest map of Mexico, dated in the early Postclassic, that is, with almost a thousand years of existence. Declared a historical monument by the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
It is considered one of the oldest maps of Mexico, it covers a perimeter of just over 650 km and an upper area of 25,000 km2. In 1963 it was declared a historical monument by the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
This page is a proposal to make accessible to a general public the reading of some of the narratives about the pre-Hispanic peoples that have been studied in the Map of Cuauhtinchan II .
The Cuahutinchan map is an indigenous document made on amate paper about 500 years ago, measuring 109 cm high x 204 cm long. It is a codex that tells a story that goes from the 12th to the 15th century, it deals with the migration of a group of Chichimecas , who traveled to propose an alliance to the Cholultecas , and fight against some groups of Popolocas . From these wars, what is now known as the Puebla and Tlaxcala Valley was formed, where Cholula , Chicomozoc and Cuahutinchan are located .
The map also shows sacred places such as Teteolotitla and Matlalcueye , in which the protective deities were worshiped during migration as well as during periodic pilgrimages.
It was found in the former Franciscan convent of Cuauhtinchan Puebla, the place where the Tlacuilos wrote the map. His writing does not take an alphabetical form, but is an ideographic form of writing.
For the study of this type of cartography , iconography is one of the best methods for its understanding, this consists of a form of analysis that allows making relationships between the different ideas that appear on the map.
In addition to contributing to the study of pre-Hispanic cartographies of the 16th century, this map has benefited field exploration, and the discovery of new archaeological sites, through archaeoastronomy. An example of these discoveries are the
archaeological ruins of Tetimpa.
Click on the image to see its details
The Cuauhtínchan II Map is a historical cartographic document from the early viceregal period from Puebla, which is a copy of a much older document, possibly from the early Postclassic period. On June 24, 1963, this manuscript was declared a "historical monument" by the National Institute of Anthropology and History. The number two assigned to it serves to differentiate it from three others. To date, there are four maps produced in the town of Cuauhtinchan, during the 16th century, and they make up a set of sources closely related to each other, both in their pictographic style and in their cartographic historical content. The Map of Cuauhtínchan II is considered as a document of historical cartographic style, the characteristic of the indigenous documents that were used to establish arguments and justifications in defense of the territorial political right of the ethnic groups that own the documents; and that together with oral tradition formed part of Mesoamerican historiography. The historical information they provide together refers to the Chichimec groups that left Chicomoztoc in the 12th century, summoned by the Toltec Chichimecas to conquer the allies of the Olmec Xicallancas in Cholula.
What is it about?
It is a living cartographic history that combines geographic references with concrete historical events. The scenes represent towns, roads, mountains, rivers, lakes, flora and fauna of central Mexico, between the 12th and 14th centuries.
It also displays genealogies of rulers who lived in Puebla, Tlaxcala and Oaxaca; These were consolidated in power at different times after wars waged by Toltec-Chicimimecas, Huejotzingas, Mixteco-Popolocas; as well as the stately homes of Tlatelolco and Tenochtitlan in the basin of Mexico.
What is it for?
The Map of Cuauhtinchan II is unique because it provides identity and a sense of relevance to the peoples of central Mexico, exposes the environmental and natural richness of their surroundings through the centuries, also recognizes the sacred places of the ancestors as a legacy that is it must preserve for posterity, and legitimize a cultural heritage that overcomes 500 years of history by preserving the names of towns and places of nature in the Nahuatl language.
What is it for?
The Map of Cuauhtinchan II is unique because it provides identity and a sense of relevance to the people of central Mexico, it exposes the environmental and natural richness of their surroundings through the centuries, also, it recognizes the sacred places of the ancestors as a legacy that must be preserved for posterity, and legitimized as a cultural heritage that overcomes 500 years of history by preserving the names of towns and places of nature in the Nahuatl language.
THE MYSTERY OF THE MOUNTAIN
It is a documentary produced by the Mesoamerican Research Foundation, this material has been presented internationally by Public Broadcasting Service; the play runs under the direction of Lee Groberg. The Mystery of the Mountain is the result of a deep investigation and unpublished analysis on the Map of Cuauhtinchan II, it includes opinions of specialists in history, anthropology, cartography and archeology of the United States and Mexico.