Toltec culture can begin to be discovered, for example, by knowing the characteristics, history and symbology of the Atlanteans of Tula.
The Toltec culture identifies an important pre-Hispanic civilization in Mesoamerica that had Tula ( Tollan-Xicocotitlan ) as its capital. Although this community settled mainly in the Mezquital Valley region (an area belonging to the Mexican state of Hidalgo ), its art, culture and beliefs influenced regions of the Yucatan Peninsula and the state of Zacatecas , for example.
Fortunately, there are records, data, works and vestiges of all kinds that allow us, today, to discover how the ancient Toltecs lived, what their beliefs were, what customs they had and how they organized themselves, whose society ended up having a multiethnic profile. and was nourished by various cultural heritages from different parts of Mesoamerica .
History of Toltec culture
The history of Toltec culture dates back to both the so-called epiclassic period as well as the early postclassic period , reaching its maximum splendor between the year 900 and 1200 AD. C. It is estimated that, unfortunately, this civilization ended violently.
As has been determined or reconstructed, this town made a pilgrimage from Huehuetlapallan and, after more than a hundred years of wandering, settled in Tollantzinco . More than a decade later they abandoned that territory and founded Tula (also known as Tollan ), where it is believed that around thirty thousand people settled. To this day, remains of that key city for the Toltecs make up an archaeological area close to the heart of Tula de Allende and which is part of the Tula National Park . In this monumental complex you can see palaces, pyramidal platforms and a couple of courts used for Mesoamerican ball games .
On that surface that they chose to live and develop, these settlers built an initial urban center that remains in memory under the name of Tula Chico . In that era the first iconographic references that alluded to Quetzalcóatl began to become visible. Within the Toltec faith, this concept (which can be interpreted in Spanish as Precious Feathered Serpent ) served to recognize each supreme priest, such as Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcóatl , who came to reign in Tollan. A conflict between him and Tezcatlipoca motivated by the intention to control the city led to a political confrontation that made Tula Chico lose relevance, whose buildings ended up being abandoned and burned. Tula Grande , an area where the layout of the buildings in the old area was imitated, became the civic-religious axis for the Toltecs, although it also had its decline. The fire, which may have been intentional as part of some completion or completion ritual, damaged multiple local architectural works, but did not completely destroy them.
Left standing, for example, the Palacio Quemado , the wall decorated with reliefs inspired by animals (snakes, jaguars and eagles were represented) known as Coatepantli and the B pyramid of Tula that is crowned with imposing figures of an anthropomorphic nature: the called Atlanteans of Tula .
The Toltecs innovated by implementing an agricultural technique for using territories with lagoons and lakes that was known as chinampa.
Social and political organization of the Toltecs
The social and political organization of the Toltecs revolved around classes and a theocratic system. They were a militarized, warlike people, with rulers at the head of the social pyramid. At that level were located, in order of relevance, hierarchs, priests, leaders and warriors. The artisans and workers who were dedicated, for example, to tasks typical of Toltec agriculture , were positioned below them, while the slaves were placed on the lowest step.
Regarding political organization, it cannot be overemphasized that power was balanced with military skills and the cult of the gods , complementing each other in this context with the priesthood and the warrior caste.
The Toltec warriors were so appreciated within this culture that, in their temples, these people incorporated statues or sculptural figures called Chac Mool in honor of them.
Worldview and religion in Toltec culture
Both the Toltec worldview and the religion prevailing in Toltec culture are extremely interesting.
Quetzalcoatl was a central figure for this community. He was conceived as a respected guide in the beginning who transmitted knowledge about religious crafts and art to his people. The myth says that Tezcatlipoca , by deceiving him, pushed Quetzalcóatl to make so many mistakes that he ended up losing power and leadership. To both divinities, as well as to Itzlacoliuhque , Centéotl and Tláloc , they offered more than one human sacrifice as offerings .
The rituals and ceremonies of this polytheistic society revolved, for example, in leaving human skulls on altars and hearts of those people in containers in the Chac Mool . For religious activities, in addition, the artistic work developed by hand was key.
Quetzalcoatl was a Toltec leader, a deity interpreted as a "feathered serpent."
Customs and artistic manifestations of the Toltecs
To be aware of the customs and artistic manifestations of the Toltecs, we must focus on the stone reliefs , the typical gastronomy of this town, the Toltec architecture and the picturesque creations that enriched the heritage of Toltec crafts .
It should not be overlooked, for example, that this ancient community resorted to chinampas (an artificial cultivation system in water areas) to obtain vegetables. In Toltec agriculture , amaranth , pumpkin , beans and corn , among other foods, were common, while the diet of these inhabitants usually included tamales and, when drinking, the popular predilection for pulque was common.
Toltec martial arts , meanwhile, were fundamental for the physical and mental preparation of those who had to train and stay strong to fight without losing control, discipline or spirituality. Yaollin , to point out a case by way of reference, is a variety of martial art that has Mexica and Toltec roots .
Without a doubt, the investigations in Tula , the efforts to conserve historical sites and the tracking of data and evidence to try to decipher the origin, evolution and decline of the Toltec culture are necessary and valuable, especially in order to appreciate and continue to incessantly spread the Toltec cultural legacy .