aztec poetry

Aztec Poetry and Art

Art Facts cont.

• A famous form of the art is pictographs.
• Pictographs were small pics that represent objects or sounds.
• Also used to record their history and to conduct business.

Art Facts cont.

• Craftsmen created a variety of specialized items to be used in religious ceremonies and other rituals.
• Such as aztec masks or aztc warrior art.

• Calender stone is the most famous sculpture in the arts history.
• It weighs 22 metric tons and is 12 ft. in diameter.
• The sun gods face can be found in the center of the stone.
• Circular bands symbolizing the heavens and the days are located around the face.

Art Facts Cont.

• Tattoos representing various warrior accomplishments.
• Mask design depicted gods or important people with in the culture.

Citations Page

The Mexicas (Aztecs) of Mexico. Dir. Anjani Sahay.

Youtube. N.p., 23 May 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.

"All the Earth Is a Grave and Nothing Escapes A ita."Xican

Poetry Daily.N.P.,n.d web.14 mar.2013.

"Aztc Culture." Aztec Culture.N.p.,n.d.web.14 Mar.2013.

Curl John."HUNGRY COYOTE." Hungry Coyote.N.p.,2005.

web.14 Mar.2013.

Facts About Aztec Art

• Was primarily a form of religious expression and a mean for playing tribute to their gods.
• Pottery was important in religious crafts.
• The designs were meant to depict or pay reverence to a specific god or to represent a tribe.
• Showed their deep religion through sculputres made of stone.

By: Kelli, Marquis, Travis, and Tori

Poem Video

Poetry Facts

• Poetry in Aztec world was known as “flower and song”. Which is a metaphor for art and symbolism.
• Poetry was regarded as the highest form of art.
• There were poets in different ages and regions in the Aztec empire.

History of Literature

Poetry Facts cont.

• The history of Nahuatl literature maybe divided into two periods: Prehispanic and Spanish Colonial.
• Down to the time of the conquest 3 types of Nahuatl poetry flourished: Epic, Dramatic, and Lyric.

• One of the most well known is Nezahualcoytol, who lived from 1402 until 1472.Nahuatl poetry has a definite rhymical regularity but does not fallow a rigid or fixed metrical pattern.
• In content Nahuatl poetry is largely religious or metaphysical, although other types are found.

I Erect My Drum

I erect my drum, I assemble my friends. Aya! Here they find recreation, I make them sing. Thus we must go over There. Remember this. Be happy. Aya! Oh my friends! Ohuaya ohuaya!

Perhaps now with calm, and thus it must be over There? Aya! Perhaps there is also calm There in the Bodyless Place? Aye! Ohuaya ohuaya! Let us go. But here the law of the flowers governs, here the law of the song governs, here on earth. Ehuaya! Be happy, dress in finery, oh friends. Ohuaya ohuaya.

• It’s a symbolism of friendship. Rebirth. It also talks about what it maybe like in the after life and how you should be happy on earth.

All Of The Earth Is A Grave

All the earth is a grave and nothing escapes it, nothing is so perfect that it does not descend to its tomb. Rivers, rivulets, fountains and waters flow, but never return to their joyful beginnings; anxiously they hasten on the vast realms of the rain god. As they widen their banks, they also fashion the sad urn of their burial.

Filled are the bowels of the earth with pestilential dust once flesh and bone, once animate bodies of man who sat upon thrones, decided cases, presided in council, commanded armies, conquered provinces, possessed treasure, destroyed temples, exulted in their pride, majesty, fortune, praise and power. Vanished are these glories, just as the fearful smoke vanishes that belches forth from the infernal fires of Popocatepetl. Nothing recalls them but the written page.

• All things must come to an end. That there is no such thing as immortality.