The Mexica migration from Aztlan to the Valley of Mexico is traditionally dated to the early twelfth century, and the founding of Tenochtitlan is dated to 1325, which would mean that the migration took more than two hundred years. Yet the chronology is uncertain, and the various stages of the migration are difficult to date with any precision. Modern scholars have used a combination of historical, archaeological, and linguistic evidence to reconstruct the chronology of the migration, and they have proposed several different timelines.
The Traditional Chronology
The traditional chronology of the Mexica migration is based on the indigenous sources, particularly the Codex Boturini and the Crónica Mexicáyotl. These sources describe a long and difficult journey, marked by a series of stops at which the Mexica built temporary settlements, worshipped their gods, and waited for divine instructions about the next step. The traditional chronology is generally dated as follows:
- The departure from Aztlan, in the early twelfth century
- The arrival in the Valley of Mexico, in the mid-thirteenth century
- The founding of Tenochtitlan, in 1325
The traditional chronology suggests that the migration took more than two hundred years, and that the Mexica spent about a century in the Valley of Mexico before founding their capital. Yet the chronology is uncertain, and the various stages of the migration are difficult to date with precision.
The Modern Chronology
Modern scholars have proposed several different chronologies for the Mexica migration, based on the historical, archaeological, and linguistic evidence. Some scholars have proposed a shorter timeline, with the migration taking only a few generations, and the Mexica entering the Valley of Mexico in the late thirteenth century. Other scholars have proposed a longer timeline, with the migration taking several centuries, and the Mexica entering the Valley of Mexico in the late eleventh century.
The most widely accepted modern chronology is based on the work of scholars such as James Lockhart and Frances Berdan, who have used a combination of historical and linguistic evidence to reconstruct the timeline. According to this chronology, the Mexica entered the Valley of Mexico in the mid-thirteenth century, and they founded Tenochtitlan in 1325. This would mean that the migration took about a century, and that the Mexica spent about seventy-five years in the Valley of Mexico before founding their capital.
The Stops of the Migration
The Mexica migration is described in the sources as a series of stops at various places, each of which is associated with a particular event or a particular sign from Huitzilopochtli. The most important stops include:
- Aztlan, the legendary homeland from which the Mexica departed
- Chicomoztoc, the “Place of the Seven Caves,” where the Mexica emerged from the underworld
- Tollan, the ancient Toltec capital, where the Mexica stopped for a time
- Tula, the site of the historic Toltec capital, where the Mexica were taught the arts of civilization
- Chapoltepec, the hill of the grasshopper, where the Mexica were nearly destroyed by the Culhuacan
- Tenochtitlan, the final destination, where the Mexica saw the sign of the eagle on the cactus
The chronology of these stops is uncertain, and the various sources give different accounts of the timing and the sequence of the events. Modern scholars have used a variety of methods to reconstruct the chronology, including the analysis of the codices, the comparison of the various versions of the tradition, and the correlation of the Mexica events with the known events of Mesoamerican history.
Related Articles
- Where did the Aztecs come from before settling in the Valley of Mexico? — the origins
- What is Aztlan, the legendary homeland of the Aztecs? — the mythical origin
- Origins and Migration of the Aztecs — the full story
- Founding of Tenochtitlan — the culmination
- History of the Aztec Civilization — the broader history