So I was scrolling through old history stuff online and stumbled on this Aztec calendar thing. Looked super complicated with all those circles and symbols, so I decided to figure it out myself. First step? Google “what is that big stone circle from Mexico.” Boom, pictures popped up like crazy.
Getting My Hands Dirty
Grabbed my sketchbook and started scribbling what I saw. The calendar has two main parts:
- That big sun god face in the center – looked angry as hell
- All these rings around it – like an onion made of ancient symbols
Realized it’s not just one calendar but two systems jammed together. The Aztecs used both daily:
- Tonalpohualli – their “day count” with 260 days
- Xiuhpohualli – the “year count” with 365 days
Figuring Out The Day Counter
Tried drawing the 260-day cycle myself. Messed up twice because:
- It combines 20 day signs (like rabbit or knife)
- With 13 numbers (lucky/unlucky vibes)
Finally got it when I drew a grid showing how day names cycle with numbers. Imagine combining Monday-1, Tuesday-2… but after 260 days the whole pattern repeats.
Solar Calendar Headache
The 365-day calendar was worse. Their years had:
- 18 months of 20 days each (360 days)
- Plus 5 cursed days at year-end where bad stuff happened
Kept counting on fingers why 18×20=360 +5 wasn’t matching our 365.25 days. Realized they didn’t do leap years – their seasons drifted over centuries!
My Big “Aha!” Moment
What blew my mind was how these calendars interlocked. Took two coffee-fueled nights to see that particular date combos only repeat every 52 years! That’s why finding your “birthday” in this system would take forever. Ended up making a crappy cardboard version showing how the cycles mesh.
Honestly? Our calendar feels boring now. Aztecs nailed their timekeeping with zero computers – just stones, stars and crazy math skills. Still glad I don’t have to calculate my meetings in rabbit-knife-day cycles though!
