The Aztec Calendar and the National Museum of Anthropology

There are many artifacts from ancient, mysterious civilizations. From Japan in the East to California in the West, Russia in the North to Argentina in the south, there is history everywhere. This history is passed down through oral history and the remaining remnants of these societies. For “lost” civilizations, modern knowledge of the cultures solely relies on deciphering these relics of people long gone. The Aztecs are one such civilization; they were wiped out by European weapons and diseases. There are several artifacts from their civilization remaining; however, the Aztec Calendar may be the most famous. The Aztec Calendar, which resides in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, is a fascinating piece of history that is still being deciphered and examined.

The National Museum of Anthropology (or Museo Nacional de Antropología) in Mexico City possesses the largest collection of Ancient Mexican art. Though it is technically across the street, it is still considered to be inside the first section of Chapultepec Park. It contains a hall for each of the Mesoamerican cultural regions. The museum has a courtyard, and it provides guide services, audio guides, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The museum’s admission is fifty-seven pesos, and it is open from nine in the morning to seven in the evening on Tuesday through Sunday. According to one author, the museum has three highlights. One is the Recreation of Pakal’s Tomb, located in the Maya exhibit; another is the Jade Mask of the Zapotec Bat God, located in the Oaxaca exhibit. The last of the “highlights” is the Aztec Calendar, which is also known as the sun stone (Barbezat). The Calendar is displayed prominently on a wall in the famous museum.

The Aztec Calendar, con...

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