by Mildred Boyd

      Every MesoAmerican child born on that particular day of the sacred calendar was automatically named "Thirteen Death". A day earlier he would have been "Twelve Serpent" or later "One Deer." With only 260 possible names available, he would also bear an individual name like "Eight Deer-Tiger Claw."
      Birthdays automatically determined fates as well and, though it seems that parents sometimes tried to fool the gods by renaming the child to avoid a particularly ominous future, those fates were inevitable. Special deities, benevolent or malign, influenced the fortunes of each named day as well as each thirteen day tercena and twenty day "month" but other factors, such as seasons and directions, also affected the future. Many of the lavishly painted pre-conquest "books" were divinatory and, possibly, diagnostic tools. Extremely complex and little understood, their overall purpose is clear; to discover the most auspicious days, not only for births, but for more easily controllable endeavors such as getting married, planting crops or starting journeys.

     Worshipped as a creator god, the caiman’s scaly ridges represented their mountainous world rising from the surrounding sea. He is often shown as a spiny tree trunk identified as the cieba. Xochipilli, god of feasting, dancing, games, young maize and regeneration presided over this day.

     One would think of "house" as representing comfort and safety. However, though the association is obscure, Calli symbolized night, darkness and that fearsome nocturnal predator, the jaguar. Tepeyollotl (Heart of the Mountain) was this day’s god.

     This birthday should have meant a happy future. The lizard was associated with maize and abundance and the day god was Huehuecoyotl (Old Coyote) who was patron of the dance, music and carnality. Unfortunately, the tercena was ruled by Itzlacoliuque, god of stone, cold and castigation.

     Ubiquitous in Mesomerican iconography and mythology, the serpent was the symbol of rebirth and transformation. He was also associated with lightning and his long body was regarded as a conduit for water. Aptly enough, Chalchiuhtlicue, goddess of running water, presided over this day.

     Life and death were regarded merely as complementary aspects of existence. Deceased ancestors were often consulted with food and flower offerings and, while they could intercede with the gods for mercy, they could also punish. The day’s ruler was Tecciztecatl, goddess of the moon.

     Although Quetzalcoatl was supposedly born of a deer miraculously changed into a woman, the animal possessed more economic than religious signifigance. Deerskins were used as wrappings for sacred bundles and provided parchment for screen fold books. This day was controlled by Tlaloc, rain and storm god.

     As rabbit-in-the-moon Tochtli often dominated the night sky but it was his association with the numerous gods of pulque that caused a drunken orgy to be called "The Night of the 400 Rabbits." Aptly enough, his patroness was Mayahuetl, goddess of maguey.

     As the quintessential life-giver, water had many deities. Rain seems to have been the domain of gods and ground water of goddesses. "Pure" water was necessary in rites consecration of fields and infant baptism. Contrarily, the dominating deity was Xiuhtecuhtli, god of fire.

     Dogs were raised primarily for food but they also served to guide their masters on the hazardous journey through the underworld and their small skeletons are frequently found in tombs. Not surprisingly, Mictantlecuhtli, god of the underworld, ruled the day.

     This birthday promised good luck and happiness. Legend says that, when the world of the Second Sun was destroyed, all the people became monkeys. They are associated with writing, music, dancing and licentiousness and, another good omen, Xochipilli, Prince of Flowers was day god.

     Except as a symbol for all growing things, grass seems to have little religious signifigance. It does, however, seem to promise a good fortune. Patecatl, god of pulque, is the day’s ruler and Xochipilli and Cinteotl, gods of the young maize, control the tercena.

     The Maya word Ben, meaning green maize, better indicates the importance of this day. Corn was everywhere the staple food and, as such, was watched over by the entire pantheon. War god, Tezcatlipoca-Ixquimilli (Smoking Mirror with Bandaged Eyes) was guardian of Acatl.

     Feared and revered throughout MesoAmerica, the jaguar symbolized power and gods, priests, warriors and kings often assumed his guise or wore his pelt to bolster their own influence. Tlazoleotl, earth goddess and filth eater, held sway over his day and Quetzalcoatl ruled the tercena.

     Eagles, especially the Harpy eagle, also represented power and inspired prowess in battle. It was a Golden eagle, sitting on a cactus with a serpent in his talons, that led the wandering Azteca to found their capital at Tenochtitlan, an event commemorated by the Mexican flag. Fittingly, war god Tezcatlipoca as Red Smoking Mirror ruled the day.

     The King vulture, one of the largest of birds, was worshipped everywhere. As principal avian deity of Mayan mythology, his identifying glyph can be read as either "vulture" or "lord". Itzapapalotl (Obsidian Butterfly), a fearsome goddess, represented as a skeleton with jaguar claws and stone bladed wings, presided.

     Movement was life itself and, as such, was worshipped. This symbol, however, also represented the earth and earth movements in the form of frequent earthquakes that inspired terror and orgies of propitiation throughout these lands. Xolotl, dog god and twin brother to Quetzalcoatl ruled the day.

     Citlalicue (Star Skirt) gave birth to flint and hurled it to earth, creating the 1600 gods of rain and lightning. Flint was worshipped as the giver of fire and its use for knives made it a symbol of human sacrifice. Chalchiuhtotlin (Jade Turkey) was the day god.

     Rain was universally worshipped, but while essential to life and usually benevolent, it could also be destructive. High winds, lightning strikes, hail, flooding, or prolonged dampness leading to plant disease could be disastrous and rain gods required propitiation and sacrifice. Ironically, the god of this day was Tonatiuh, the sun god.

     Symbolizing beauty, pleasure, arts and crafts, flowers made acceptable offerings to all the gods, especially Quetzalcoatl, who abhorred human sacrifice. There were also numerous flower gods, including Xochiquetzal (Flower-Quetzal Feather), the young goddess who was, quite appropriately, patroness of the day.