Florentine Codex
The Florentine Codex is a comprehensive ethnographic research and documentation project undertaken by Bernardino de Sahagún, a Franciscan friar, in collaboration with indigenous informants in 16th-century Mexico. Here are key details about this monumental work:
History and Creation
- Author and Collaborators: Compiled by Bernardino de Sahagún with significant contributions from Nahua scholars, particularly from the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, where Sahagún taught.
- Time Period: The work spans from the 1540s to the 1580s, with Sahagún beginning his research shortly after arriving in New Spain in 1529.
- Original Title: "Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva España" (General History of the Things of New Spain).
Content and Structure
- Volumes: The Codex consists of twelve books, each focusing on different aspects of Aztec culture, society, and natural history:
- Book 1: The Gods
- Book 2: The Ceremonies
- Book 3: The Origin of the Gods
- Book 4: The Soothsayers
- Book 5: The Omens
- Book 6: Rhetoric and Moral Philosophy
- Book 7: The Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the Binding of the Years
- Book 8: Kings and Lords
- Book 9: Merchants
- Book 10: The People
- Book 11: Earthly Things
- Book 12: The Conquest of Mexico
- Languages: It is written in both Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs) and Spanish, with Nahuatl text written in Latin Alphabet for easier transcription.
- Illustrations: Contains over 2,000 illustrations, making it a visual as well as textual document.
Significance
- Ethnographic Value: It provides one of the most detailed accounts of pre-Columbian and early colonial Mexico from an indigenous perspective.
- Linguistic Resource: The Nahuatl sections are a significant resource for understanding classical Nahuatl and its use in the 16th century.
- Historical Record: It includes accounts of the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire, albeit from a unique viewpoint combining indigenous and Spanish narratives.
Preservation and Access
- Current Location: The original manuscript is held in the Laurentian Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana) in Florence, Italy, hence the name "Florentine Codex."
- Digital Access: The Codex has been digitized, allowing online access to its content, which has facilitated research and education on pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexico.
External Links
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