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Spearthrower Owl Hill: A Toponym at Atetelco, Teotihuacan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jesper Nielsen  and
Christophe Helmke
Jesper Nielsen
Affiliation:
Department of American Indian Languages and Cultures, Institute of Crosscultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, Artillerivej 86, 2300 København S, Denmark (jnielsen@hum.ku.dk)
Christophe Helmke
Affiliation:
Department of American Indian Languages and Cultures, Institute of Crosscultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, Artillerivej 86, 2300 København S, Denmark (jnielsen@hum.ku.dk)
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Abstract

The important Classic period site of Teotihuacan is renowned for its great size, ancient influence, and intricately decorated polychrome murals. The latter are the focus of the present study, in particular the unique landscape scene from Murals 2 and 3 from Portico 1 of the North Patio of the Atetelco residential compound that depicts a row of toponymic hill signs. The three hills have identical qualifying elements embedded, identified as combinations of an owl and a spearthrower. The murals thus make a repeated reference to a place named “Spearthrower Owl Hill.” The dating of the murals to the Early Xolalpan phase (ca. A.D. 350–450) makes them contemporary with the so-called Teotihuacan entrada into the Maya lowland sites such as Tikal, where hieroglyphic texts make mention of a Teotihuacan-affiliated individual known as “Spearthrower Owl.” From these findings—and based on Mesoamerican naming practices—we go on to suggest that the Atetelco toponym and the historical individual share the name of a common forebear, possibly that of a previously unidentified Teotihuacan martial patron deity. As such, the Early Classic Teotihuacan “Spearthrower Owl” deity has much in common with the legendary Huitzilopochtli of the Late Postclassic Mexica. Our reexamination of the murals from Atetelco shows the enormous potential that further studies in Teotihuacan writing and iconography still have for our understanding of the history and religion of this major Mesoamerican site.

Resumen

Resumen

El importante sitio arqueológico de Teotihuacan del período Clásico, es famoso para su gran tamaño, su influencia en la antigüedad y sus murales adornados por dibujos policromos detallados. Los últimos son el foco del presente estudio; particularmente el paisaje de los Murales 2 y 3, del Pórtico 1 en el Patio Norte del compuesto residencial de Atetelco que representa una cordillera de colinas toponímicas. Las tres colinas aparecen marcadas por elementos nominales idénticos incrustados, identificados como combinaciones de búhos y lanzadardos (propulsores de dardos o lanzas, conocidos también como atlatls). Los murales hacen así una referencia reiterada a un lugar nombrado ‘Colina del Búho con lanzadardos’. La datación de los murales a la fase del Xolalpan Temprano (hacia el 350-450 d.C.) es contemporánea con la supuesta ‘entrada’ de Teotihuacan en sitos tales como Tikal en las tierras bajas mayas, donde los textos jeroglíficos hacen mención a un individuo histórico de afiliación teotihuacana conocido como ‘Búho Lanzadardos’ (“Spearthrower Owl”). Basándonos en estas conclusiones y apoyándonos en las prácticas onomásticas mesoamericanas, sugerimos que el topónimo de Atetelco y el apellido del individuo histórico, que incluyen el elemento común ‘Búho Lanzadardos’, comparten el nombre de un precursor común. Por tanto, el precursor se refiere posiblemente a una deidad marcial patronal de Teotihuacan, previamente no identificado. Como tal, dicha deidad de Teotihuacan del Clásico Temprano tiene mucho en común con el Huitzilopochtli legendario de los mexica del Postclásico Tardío. Nuestro análisis de los murales de Atetelco demuestra el potencial enorme que otros estudios de la escritura e iconografía de Teotihuacan pueden tener para nuestra comprensión de la historia y de la religión de este importante sitio Mesoamericano.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , December 2008 , pp. 459 - 474
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2008

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