Tozoztontli

Execution

Ceremonial Planting

During this time, new crops are planted in the fields and Chinampas. Rituals for the corn gods and goddesses begin with the collection of flowers, corn stalks and serpents from the fields to be cooked in offerings.
Members of the nobility lift piles of stones in the fields where they offer paper and oilcloth and incense to bless them. Trees are layered with ropes, from which figurines are hung to ward off diseases.

Bloodletting

Sacrifices during this month included flowers and bloodletting, particularly the bloodletting of children.
Twenty children, under 12 years of age, fasted and drew blood from their tongues, ears and other parts of the body at their home.

Child Sacrifices

The second-born children of noblepeople are sacrificed to the tlaloque in the inner chamber of the Earth Temple: Yopico.
During the planting ceremony of Tozoztontli and Tlacaxipehualiztli, the child's throat is opened and bled into a sunken receptacle in the floor representative of a cave.

Bird Sacrifices

The first yellow birds, as part of the initial bird offerings, are stabbed with a bone tool and are continued into Hueytozoztli.

Components and tools

Flayed Skins

Skins worn by the priests for twenty days as part of the festival for Xipe Totec are removed from the priests and buried in the temple.

Flowers

Chicomecóatl and Coatlicue are also worshipped during this time with offerings of flowers. Until the first flowers of the season are given to Coatlicue, the people are not to smell the flowers, as their scent was reserved for her.

Observance

Tozoztontli is also the name of the third month of the calendar and marks the end of the dry season. The deities associated with these rites include Centeotl, Tlaloque, Chicomecoatl and Coatlicue.

Alternative Names

• Little Perforation
• Short Vigil
• Offering of Flowers
• Festival of Bird Sacrifices
• Xochimanaloya

Primary Related Location

Sangsalgu

Important Locations

• Sangsalgu Proper

Related Organizations

• Triple Alignment

Related Ethnicities

• Sang