Toltec
The Toltecs were a significant civilization that emerged in central Mexico during the Post-Classic era, particularly after the decline of Teotihuacán. Originating from northern Mexico as one of the Chichimec tribes, they settled in the region of Tula, which translates to "place of rushes." Tula became the heart of Toltec culture around the early tenth century, as they established a dominant presence in central Mexico for approximately two centuries. The Toltecs are notable for being one of the first indigenous groups with a recorded history, which combines both epic narratives and historical accounts.
Central to their history is the story of Mixcóatl, a king whose assassination by his brother led to his son, Tolpiltzin, becoming a significant figure. Tolpiltzin, also known as Tolpiltzin-Quetzalcóatl, ruled as a priest-king and is linked to the agricultural deity Quetzalcóatl. The Toltecs are characterized by their militaristic society, increasingly emphasizing warfare, which is reflected in their stone carvings and reliefs depicting armed warriors. Eventually, however, their civilization faced invasions from northern tribes, including the Mexica, who would later evolve into the Aztecs, leading to the decline of Toltec dominance by the mid-twelfth century. This rich historical tapestry highlights the complexities and transformations within Toltec society, showcasing their cultural and military influences in the region.
Subject Terms
Toltec
Category: Tribe
Culture area: Mesoamerica
Language group: Nahuatl
Primary location: Northwestern Mexico
The Toltecs became a prominent tribe in central Mexico in the Post-Classic era after the fall of Teotihuacán. They were originally one of the Chichimec or barbarian tribes from the north of Mexico before moving toward the central valley and establishing themselves at Tula. The name “Tula” is a corruption by the Spanish of Tollan, or “place of rushes,” and Toltec meant “one from Tollan.” This site, located on a ridge overlooking the Tula River, is about thirty miles northwest of modern Mexico City, on the northern fringe of the heavily populated Valley of Mexico.
In the early tenth century, the Toltecs became the dominant tribe, and they ruled a wide area of central Mexico for about two hundred years. While not as artistic or original as the inhabitants of the nearby, but deserted and destroyed, Teotihuacán, the Toltecs were the first of the indigenous tribes to have a recorded history. This history, a mixture of epic tales and facts, is significant for two reasons. First, it describes a cleavage in society that may explain the growth of a militaristic state. Second, it presents one of the most complete depictions of the flight of the god-king Quetzalcóatl. Toltec history begins with a king, Mixcóatl (Cloud Snake), who was assassinated by his brother. The dead king’s pregnant wife fled and gave birth to a son, called Tolpiltzin, who became a priest to the god Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent, most often identified as an agricultural deity. Tolpiltzin returned to Tula and avenged the death of his father by killing his uncle and taking the throne. He ruled as a priest-king, becoming so identified with the god that he became Tolpiltzin-Quetzalcóatl. One day, the story goes, Tezcatlipoca, a jealous rival god of war, tricked Tolpiltzin-Quetzalcóatl and made him drunk. When he awoke, Tolpiltzin found himself with his sister and, in shame, fled his city. The legend said he traveled over the water to the east and that he would one day return to regain his throne. This tale would haunt the Aztecs hundreds of years later when the Spaniard Hernán Cortés was believed to be this god returned.
The story may have described a challenge to the agricultural ruling class by a warrior group bent on conquest; the society did become more aggressive. Heavily armed warriors, along with fierce jaguars and eagles, were carved on stone reliefs to mark the increased importance of warfare among the Toltecs. The chacmool, a stone carving of a reclining figure with contorted features, held a vessel in which human hearts may have been placed. This thoroughly militaristic society dominated a wide area for nearly two hundred years, only to fall before continued onslaughts of new tribes coming from the north in the middle of the twelfth century. Among these tribes were the Mexica, who would become known as the Aztecs.