THE AZTECS 201 
The hieroglyphs of the twenty days of the month are 
frequently represented, but those of the eighteen months 
are not nearly so wellknown. As for the gods, the faces 
are usually pictured, especially when these are gro- 
(a) 
Pa 
[sa Al 
soo | 
ee ZO 
gre ae 
c v ee Tine s g 
yy) me Sue wit CO; 10 
SSE 
SS =e 
9 L 8g tS) Gp 
Fig. 75. Analysis of Mexican 
Record. 1, the year Two Reed, 
1507; 2; eclipse of the sun; 3, 
earthquake at place pictured at 
4; 5, the town of Huixachtitlan. 
In the temple (6) was held (7) 
the new-fire ceremony at the 
beginning of a 52-year period. 
In this year were also drowned 
in the River Tuzae (8) two 
thousand warriors (10) which 
the vultures devoured (9). 
tesque, but sometimes 
detail of dress or an ob- 
ject connected with a 
special ceremony is suffi- 
cient to recall the divin- 
ity. The Mexican system 
of numbers was based on 
twenties. The units were 
figured by dots, the twen- 
ties by flags, the four 
hundreds by a device like 
a tree that represented 
hair, and the eight thou- 
sands by the ceremonial 
pouches in which copal 
incense was carried. 
Aztecan Religion. 
Thereligion of the Aztecs, 
like that of the Mayas, 
was a polytheism in which 
special divinities control- 
led the powers of nature 
and the activities of men. 
The gods were perhaps 
further advanced towards 
human form and _attri- 
butes than were those of the earlier culture to the south, 
but definite characterization was still accomplished by 
grotesque features and certain animal connections were 
still evident. The situation is confused beyond the point 
of analysis. The mythologies often ascribe different 
