Tlaltecuhtli - The Monstrous Aztec Goddess of the Earth

Tlaltecuhtli (pronounced Tlal-teh-koo-tlee and sometimes spelled Tlaltecutli) is the name of the monstrous earth god among the Aztec. Tlaltecuhtli has both feminine and masculine attributes, although she is most often represented as a female deity. Her name means The one who gives and devours life. She represents the earth and the sky, and was one of the gods in the Aztec pantheon most hungry for human sacrifice. The Tlaltecuhtli Myth According to Aztec mythology, at the origin of time (the First Sun), the gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca began to create the world. But the monster Tlaltecuhtli destroyed everything they were creating. The gods turned themselves into giant serpents and wrapped their bodies around the goddess until they tore Tlaltecuhtlis body into two pieces. One piece of Tlaltecuhtlis body became the earth, mountains, and rivers, her hair the trees and flowers, her eyes the caves and wells. The other piece became the vault of the sky, although, in this early time, no sun or stars were embedded in it yet. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca gave Tlatecuhtli the gift of providing humans with whatever they need from her body, but it was a gift that didnt make her happy. Sacrifice Thus in Mexica mythology, Tlaltecuhtli represents the surface of the earth; however, she was said to be angry, and she was the first of the gods to demand the hearts and blood of humans for her unwilling sacrifice. Some versions of the myth say Tlaltecuhtli would not stop crying and bear fruit (plants and other growing things) unless she was moistened with the blood of men. Tlaltecuhtli was also believed to devour the sun every night just to give it back every morning. However, the fear that this cycle could be interrupted for some reason, such as during eclipses, produced instability among the Aztec population and was often the cause of even more ritual human sacrifices. Tlaltecuhtli Images Tlaltecuhtli is depicted in codices and stone monuments as a horrific monster, often in a squatting position and in the act of giving birth. She has several mouths over her body filled with sharp teeth, which were often spurting blood. Her elbows and knees are human skulls and in many images she is portrayed with a human being hanging between her legs. In some images she is portrayed as a caiman or alligator. Her open mouth symbolizes the passage to the underworld inside of the earth, but in many images her lower jaw is missing, torn away by Tezcatlipoca to prevent her from sinking beneath the waters. She often wears a skirt of crossed bones and skulls with a great star sign border, symbol of her primordial sacrifice; she is often depicted with large teeth, goggle-eyes, and a flint-knife tongue. It is interesting to note that in the Aztec culture, many sculptures, particularly in the case of representations of Tlaltecuhtli, were not meant to be seen by humans. These sculptures were carved and then set in a hidden place or carved on the underside of stone boxes and chacmool sculptures. These objects were made for the gods and not for humans, and, in Tlaltecuhtlis case, the images faced the earth they represent. Tlaltecuhtli Monolith In 2006, a huge monolith representing the Earth Goddess Tlaltecuhtli was discovered in an excavation at the Templo Mayor of Mexico City. This sculpture measures about 4 x 3.6 meters (13.1 x 11.8 feet) and weighs about 12 tons. It is the largest Aztec monolith ever discovered, larger than the famous Aztec Calendar Stone (Piedra del Sol) or the Coyolxauhqui. The sculpture, carved in a block of pink andesite, represents the goddess in the typical squatting position, and it is vividly painted in red ochre, white, black, and blue. After several years of excavation and restoration, the monolith can be seen on display at the the museum of the Templo Mayor. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the guide to Aztec religion and the dictionary of archaeology. Barajas M, Bosch P, Malvaà ©z C, Barragà ¡n C, and Lima E. 2010. Stabilization of the Tlaltecuhtli monolith pigments. Journal of Archaeological Science 37(11):2881-2886. Barajas M, Lima E, Lara VH, Negrete JV, Barragà ¡n C, Malvà ¡ez C, and Bosch P. 2009. Effect of organic and inorganic consolidation agents on Tlaltecuhtli monolith. Journal of Archaeological Science 36(10):2244-2252. Bequedano E, and Orton CR. 1990. Similarities Between Sculptures Using Jaccards Coefficient in the Study of Aztec Tlaltecuhtli. Papers from the Institute of Archaeology 1:16-23. Berdan FF. 2014. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press. Boone EH, and Collins R. 2013. The petroglyphic prayers on the sun stone of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina. Ancient Mesoamerica 24(02):225-241. Graulich M. 1988. Double Immolations in Ancient Mexican Sacrificial Ritual. History of Religions 27(4):393-404. Lucero-Gà ³mez P, Mathe C, Vieillescazes C, Bucio L, Belio I, and Vega R. 2014. Analysis of Mexican reference standards for Bursera spp. resins by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and application to archaeological objects. Journal of Archaeological Science 41(0):679-690. Matos Moctezuma E. 1997. Tlaltecuhtli, seà ±or de la tierra. Estudios de Cultura Nà ¡hautl 1997:15-40. Taube KA. 1993. Aztec and Maya Myths. Fourth Edition. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. Van Tuerenhout DR. 2005. The Aztecs. New Perspectives, ABC-CLIO Inc. Santa Barbara, CA; Denver, CO and Oxford, England.

Case Study Healthy Potion ( Hp ) - 1213 Words

Case Study Introduction Healthy Potion (HP) is a small, unique business operating within the $1.1 billion Australian functional beverage industry (Gargano 2014). HP specialises in the production and sale of a single health beverage product. In the past two years the company has made significant profits and has found a niche in the industry with a loyal customer base. However, reliance on a single product raises concerns about instability and profitability in the future and thus HP’s vision has evolved into one of growth and expansion. Through the use of a SWOT analysis coupled with Porter’s Five Forces Model, this report will explore potential business development strategies and will recommend, along with a fund raising plan, the most†¦show more content†¦Weaknesses: †¢ Reliance on single supplier: Porter (2008) argues that if a supplier has significant control over an important input in a firm’s production process, changes in the supplier’s condition is outside the firm’s control. Therefore if the supplier increases the price of its product, HP is forced to pay this new price thus increasing expenses. †¢ Branding: Porter (1979) suggests that brand recognition particularly in the beverages industry provides a barrier of entry to new firms. HP does not have a recognisable brand, thus, if a firm with a successful marketing campaign entered the industry, HP could lose market share very rapidly. †¢ Size: As a sole proprietorship with one supplier and one brick and mortar store, HP has a small presence in the market with limited channels of distribution. According to Stan (1946) HP therefore lacks the resources for long-term financing and RD. Legal battles and stringent government regulation will also become a problem. Opportunities: †¢ Positive image: HP has had no public relation hiccups. A survey conducted by Ipsos MORI, found that 83% of consumers say that a company’s social responsibility is important when considering a purchase (Ramrayka 2006). This is to HP’s advantage because having done nothing ethically irresponsible, consumers are more likely to be satisfied with their purchase. †¢ Growing market: HP is operating

Why Lance Armstrong Was Shunned Free Essays

Lance Armstrong’s D Even good people get shunned every once in a while. Lance Armstrong is a perfect example of this. Even though he had done much good in his life, and he had been though a lot, people still shunned him. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Lance Armstrong Was Shunned or any similar topic only for you Order Now Lance Armstrong would scarlet letter tear a D for drugs, just like Hester Prynne had to wear the scarlet letter A for her adultery. From the years 1999 to 2005, Lance Armstrong used Performance- Enhancing drugs. During this time period he had won the Tour de France 7 times, which cause controversy in the biking world. Because of his use of drugs, the USADA, U. S. Against Drugs Agency, decided to recently press charges in June of 2012. Lance Armstrong was not just shunned by the Media, but also by his team-mates. It was said that while the USADA was pressing charges against him, five of his former teammates were planning on testifying against him. Lance Armstrong was shunned by the biking community as a whole also. Recently, in 2012, the International Cycling Union has declared that he has been stripped of all his Tour titles, as long as all of his awards he won from 1999 to 2005. They also stated that he is no longer able to participate in the sport for life. Lance Armstrong and Hester Prynne can relate through their shunning. They were both shunned by their so called friends. As Lance was betrayed by his team mates, Hester was betrayed by people she called her friend and by the rest of the society. Another was that the two can relate is because they both accept their wrong-doing. Lance accepted his reticule about being not able to compete anymore, as Hester did her punishment of having to wear the A. Just as Hester has to wear the A for eternity, Lance is not able to participate in his passion for the rest of his life, therefore they are both sentenced to their punishment forever. Even though what Lance did was bad, he did not deserve such a severe punishment, just as Hester does not deserve hers. Even though what they both did was frowned upon in their society, having to deal with the punishment for eternity is wrong. Lance Armstrong only deserves to wear his D for a little while, not forever. How to cite Why Lance Armstrong Was Shunned, Essay examples