tōnalpōhualli

right|280px|thumb|Page 11 reverse from , showing four day-symbols of the : ( = one) Flint/Knife , ( = two) Rain , ( = three) Flower , and ( = four) Caiman/Crocodile (), with Spanish descriptions. thumb|Above is the Codex Telleriano-Remensis: Folio 10r annotated to identify the day signs (Tonalpohualli) and counts on the page. This page includes the later half of a Trecena, starting with 6 grass (6 Malinalli) and ending with 13 rain (13 Quiyahuitl). The Trecena progresses from the second row and the first column and continues to the right. Once it is five columns in the order it progresses downward until the fifth column and fifth row. The [[Codex Telleriano-Remensis was produced in the sixteenth century with European influence and supplies.]] thumb|Above is the Codex Borbonicus Folio 13 with annotations to highlight the day signs (Tonalpohualli) within the [[Trecena which is shown on the page. The Trecena begins at the bottom leftmost corner with 1 movement (1 Olin) and continues through the full 13 day cycle until 13 water (13 Atl) at the top box on the inner column. Each day sign is paired with their respective deity, for example 2 flint is presented by Chalchiuhtotolin.]] The '''' (), meaning "count of days" in Nahuatl, is a Mexica version of the 260-day calendar in use in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This calendar is solar and consists of 20 13-day () periods. Each is ruled by a different deity. Graphic representations for the twenty day names have existed among certain ethnic, linguistic, or archaeologically identified peoples.

== Description == thumb| calendar representation The term for the Aztec day signs, tōnalpōhualli, comes from the root word Tonal which means to give light or heat. A “tonalli” runs from one noon to the next one. Tōnalpōhualli refers to the count of the days, made up of 20 day signs and a 260 day cycle. In Aztec society there were multiple intertwining calendars, the tōnalpōhualli, and the xiuhpōhualli which refers to the solar year of 365 days. The xiuhpōhualli was divided into eighteen twenty day months, and then an extra five days at the end of the cycle. Each day denoted by a different day sign and number, the double calendars were intertwined so that every 52 years the same combination of day signs and numbers would appear again. The full tōnalpōhualli cycle would take place over 260 days and since each day was unique in number and symbol each had its own intrinsic meaning. It is likely that the root of these units comes from the human body: the Aztecs would count using all digits on their body consisting of the 20 day signs. The 260 cycle likely originated from womans’ gestational cycle, as from the time of the first missed menstruation cycle to the time of giving birth is roughly 260 days.