Craft and the Markets.
|
Diego Duran was one of the Franciscan Friar's of the Catholic Church in Spain who was requested by Cortes to come to Mexico to "destroy the old temples and idols and to extirpate the native forms of ritual life with their myths and histories ... and implant the precepts of Christianity as the basis of the new society."(Townsend 1992:178 ) Duran and other Friars and Spaniards that came to Mexico have left records of their observations of the Aztecs and as such will be used here.
In the major towns of the Valley of Mexico, the markets were situated near the main temple. One market was located next to the ceremonial precinct of Tenochtitlan, while the main market was at Tlatelolco, where, according to the conquistador Anonimo, 25,000 people gathered daily, and 40-60,000 people gathered on the special market days which occurred every five days.
A description of the markets is given by Bernal Diaz:
"The things which are sold there are so numerous and of such different quality, they are so numerous and of such different quality and the great market place with its surrounding arcades was so crowded with people that one would not have been anle to see nd enquire about it all in two days."(Townsend 1992:173)
Further, Diego Duran noted that;
"it was obligatory to go to market and bring supplies to town, and no-one could sell anything on the way to market, firstly under penalty of law, and secondly for fear of angering the market god."These laws, and the fear of the market god exemplify the way in which myth and ritual governed all aspects of Aztec life.(Townsend 1992:173)
| Aztec Art and Religion | Aztec Stoneworking | Aztec Sculpture |
|
| Title Page |
