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The
order imposed by Teotihuacan
during the Classic period gave way to the fragmentation of power
among such city states as Cholula, Xochicalco and El Tajin . The
Post-Classic period began about 900 A.D., in which, with the exception
of metallurgy, was inferior to the Classic period in intellectual,
artistic and scientific advancements .Even metallurgy was mainly
used for making jewelry, with no metal farming implements or weapons
being made .
In
the Post Classic period saw the rise of warrior dominated militaristic
societies demanding tribute from vassal states . In religion there
was growing importance of gods who demanded ' divine liquid' (
human blood ) to keep the natural balance and the Sun to continue
to shine .
Rise
of the Toltecs

the
famous Toltec warrior statues, known as the Atlantes
When
Teotihuacan was powerful, it acted as a buffer between the cultures
of the Valley of Mexico and the nomadic peoples to the north .With
its downfall, nomadic warriors entered the area from the north .There
were many groups in this northern area, known collectively as Chichimecs
' People of the Dog Lineage .' The most powerful of these were
the Toltecs, who probably originated in southern Zacateacas .At
the beginning of the 10th century, a great Toltec leader known as
Mixcoatl ( Cloud Serpent ) who conquered many cities in the valley
and set up his capital at Culhuacan . Mixcoatl was murdered by his
brother, who assumed control . Mixcoatl's pregnant wife fled into
exile and gave birth to a son names Ce Acatl Topiltzin who would
become an important hero in ancient Mexico .The boy became a priest
of Quetzacoatl and attaining manhood gathered about them those still
loyal to his father and killed his father in single combat and made
himself ruler of the Toltecs .Around 968 A.D.. he moved his capital
to the frontier and founded the city of Tula .

pyramid
of the warriors, Tula
This
was to become the most important city in Mexico between the fall
of Teotihuacan and the rise of the Aztec Tenochtitlan .Their hegemony
would only last 200 years, but had profound influence on the Aztecs,
who ascribed to Ce Acatl Topiltzin all the benefits to mankind such
as agriculture, writing and the calendar.
Ce
Acatl Topiltzin, faced trouble at home. His city was made up of
people from other Chichimec tribes and the priests of the
tradition militant supreme god of the Toltecs Tezcatlipoca (
Shining smoke ) resented the ascension the foreign god Quetzacoatl
.
According
to legend, Tezcatlipoca in disguise, entered the palace of
Ce Acatl Topiltzin, who was ill. Tezcatlipoca , offered Ce
Acatl Topiltzin medicine, which was in fact pulque , a strong
alcoholic drink made from cactus juice. Ce Acatl Topiltzin became
drunk, and the next morning found he had slept with his sister,
both of which were against the vows of a priest of Quetzacoatl.
He went into exile , according to legend, as he left for exile he
and his followers marked their way by shooting arrows in saplings,
creating crosslike signs . He vowed he would return from where the
sun rose and retain his throne in the year Ce Acatl, which recurred
cyclically. He was said to be fair skinned and had a beard, a rarity
in Mexico . This important legend was to have disastrous consequences
for the Aztecs 500 years later in 1519, the year of Ce Acatl, when
the Spanish arrived .
With
the return to power of the militant Tezcatlipoca faction,
the importance of the warriors and their god can be seen in the
architecture of Tula . The famous towering statues of the Toltecs
were made of warrior figures 18 feet tall,some of which are devouring
human hearts . Quetzacoatl only demanded sacrifices of butterflies
and small animals, Tezcatlipoca demanded human sacrifice
.Under these aggressive warriors the Toltecs created an empire as
large as that of Teotihuacan .In the late 11th century drought and
famine struck and eventually the people abandoned Tula. Once again
the Valley of Mexico was undefended against the nomads of the north
.
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