Codex Borbonicus 2000Codex Borbonicus project was an Advanced Spanish and Art project the first year High Tech High opened. I was the teacher of record, and while I can speak Spanish, I hold a California Teaching Credential to teach Spanish I would not call my self an Advanced Spanish Language Profesor, maybe a Maestro.
However, in the heady days of the birth of this Project Based Learning experiment, it was not so important that my students were far superior to me in the subject area, what was important that they could use Spanish and Art in an authentic real-world way. This project began with the hopes of demystifying an aspect of the Spanish language that was far more complex than a menu at a Mexican Restaurant, plus there had to be a fine art component too. There were suggestions to read a Lope De Vega novel and illustrate it. Some students wanted to write a translate of the catalog and descriptions from the Rufino Tamayo Museum in Oaxaca because at the time there was no translation for the book in English. We continued to look at Medieval Spanish Literature, Cantar de Mio Cid, Don Quijote, and La Dama Boba. All great books that were difficult to translate from Medieval to Modern Spanish but there was no artistic component. Then the students found the Codex Borbonicus, a sizeable flat scroll that a told the story of the Aztec before and after their fall. The writing on the codex is some shorthand; however, a companion book came with the Codex that was meant to explain the story written by a Catholic and Aztec Priest this book written in 1580 referenced visuals and described them in Medieval Spanish. We Found the Project Groups of students took on different sections of the Codex and created writings that would explain these Aztec drawings, using texts and translations from the Codex Borbounico and books from the San Diego Museum of Man. Remember it was 2000; the internet was not quite there yet, and there was no Google or Wikapidia. |
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Example of Student Explanation
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Pages that the Students Investigated and explained.
Tlamatcinkatl-God of Hunting Tonatiuh-He who Makes the Day, the Sun Quetzalcoatl-Plumed serpent Xiuhteuktli-God of fire Tonatiuh-He who Makes the Day, the Sun Ometecuhtli-The creator of gods and goddeses Omecihuatl-The creator of gods and goddeses The Ball Court-The Aztecs most popular game. |
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3 de mayo - 22 de mayo
HUITZILOPOCHTLI (Whitch-y-la postly)
(humming bird on the left)
Huitzilopochtli was an Aztec hero who became a god in legend. All souls that died in battle or that were sacrificed were sent to him. The souls became birds or butterflies that flew with flowers.
12 de febrero –13 de abril
QUETZALCOATL (Kest-zil-catle)
(Plumed Serpent)
Quetzalcoatl was a ruler priest of Toltecs. A hero deity who Tula left in disgrace after getting drunk on maguey wine (Tequila) and became the morning star.
3 de mayo – 22 de mayo
TEZCATLIPOCA (Tez-cat-lee-poca)
(Smoking Mirror)
Tezcatlipoca was the god of fate and punitive justice who punished the wicked for their crimes on earth. The Spanish associated him with the Devil.
20 de septiembre – 9 de octubre
TLAZOLCTEOTL (Tla-zo-teo-tel)
(Sacred Filth Eater)
Tlazolcteotl was the goddess of childbirth or the sacred eater of waste. The flayed skin she wore represented rebirth. Pregnant women prayed to her for support.
4 de marzo – 23 de marzo
XIPE TOTEC (Ipe Totec)
(Our Flayed Lord)
Xipe Totec was the god of maize and vegetation. He was also the patron of gold and silversmiths. He wore flayed skin that symbolized the rebirth of the earth. During his month seeds were sown.
9 de diciembre – 28 de diciembre
TLALOC (Tla-loc)
(Earth)
Tlaloc was the god of rain, however, his name literally means Earth. He shared a place at the top of the pyramid of the sun with the Aztec god of war (Huitzilopochtli). He was a very important part of the Aztec agricultural civilization.
18 de enero – 6 de febrero
CHALCHIUTLICUE (Chal-cu-tlique)
(Earth Fertility)
Chalchiutlicue was the goddess of ground water, springs, and slow moving rivers. Indigenous groups today associate gentle water with this feminine god as opposed to Tlaloc for rapid water.
Folio #14
4 de marzo – 23 de marzo
This folio corresponds to the thirteen-day month in the twenty-month religious calendar of the Aztecs. In the top left, Xipe Totec is on one knee showing respect to Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent. Quetzalcoatl has a victim that was sacrificed for deceitful behavior. The two-headed snake below Quetzalcoatl’s head represents the crime of lying. The twenty-six rectangles represent what is to be sacrificed during that day, and what bird, or butterfly he will become.
The Ball Court
The Ball Court was set up next to the temple of Huitzilopochtli, and all the games are played in his honor. They used a rubber ball; no hands, no feet, but hips, thighs, and shoulders to score points through the two rings. The victor had the honor of being sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI (Whitch-y-la postly)
(humming bird on the left)
Huitzilopochtli was an Aztec hero who became a god in legend. All souls that died in battle or that were sacrificed were sent to him. The souls became birds or butterflies that flew with flowers.
12 de febrero –13 de abril
QUETZALCOATL (Kest-zil-catle)
(Plumed Serpent)
Quetzalcoatl was a ruler priest of Toltecs. A hero deity who Tula left in disgrace after getting drunk on maguey wine (Tequila) and became the morning star.
3 de mayo – 22 de mayo
TEZCATLIPOCA (Tez-cat-lee-poca)
(Smoking Mirror)
Tezcatlipoca was the god of fate and punitive justice who punished the wicked for their crimes on earth. The Spanish associated him with the Devil.
20 de septiembre – 9 de octubre
TLAZOLCTEOTL (Tla-zo-teo-tel)
(Sacred Filth Eater)
Tlazolcteotl was the goddess of childbirth or the sacred eater of waste. The flayed skin she wore represented rebirth. Pregnant women prayed to her for support.
4 de marzo – 23 de marzo
XIPE TOTEC (Ipe Totec)
(Our Flayed Lord)
Xipe Totec was the god of maize and vegetation. He was also the patron of gold and silversmiths. He wore flayed skin that symbolized the rebirth of the earth. During his month seeds were sown.
9 de diciembre – 28 de diciembre
TLALOC (Tla-loc)
(Earth)
Tlaloc was the god of rain, however, his name literally means Earth. He shared a place at the top of the pyramid of the sun with the Aztec god of war (Huitzilopochtli). He was a very important part of the Aztec agricultural civilization.
18 de enero – 6 de febrero
CHALCHIUTLICUE (Chal-cu-tlique)
(Earth Fertility)
Chalchiutlicue was the goddess of ground water, springs, and slow moving rivers. Indigenous groups today associate gentle water with this feminine god as opposed to Tlaloc for rapid water.
Folio #14
4 de marzo – 23 de marzo
This folio corresponds to the thirteen-day month in the twenty-month religious calendar of the Aztecs. In the top left, Xipe Totec is on one knee showing respect to Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent. Quetzalcoatl has a victim that was sacrificed for deceitful behavior. The two-headed snake below Quetzalcoatl’s head represents the crime of lying. The twenty-six rectangles represent what is to be sacrificed during that day, and what bird, or butterfly he will become.
The Ball Court
The Ball Court was set up next to the temple of Huitzilopochtli, and all the games are played in his honor. They used a rubber ball; no hands, no feet, but hips, thighs, and shoulders to score points through the two rings. The victor had the honor of being sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli.
Codice Borbonico
Espanol 1-2/5-6
Jeff Robin
High Tech High
Espanol 1-2/5-6
Jeff Robin
High Tech High
Course Outcomes
- Students will learn the elements and history of the Aztec Codice Borbonico. They will use Descripcion, Historia Y Exposicion Del Codice Borbonico, by Francisco Del Paso, 1889 to interpreting the codex. Students will also find web-based resources in Spanish.
- Students will create a relief sculpture and web explanations of the Codice Borbonico using the original and modern Spanish and English translations.
- The students will construct a new High Tech High Codex, virtual and/or physical to understand and explain our modern calendar.
- Museum and gallery visits will occur on a regular basis. (Mexico too?)
Assignments
- Students will compile a notebook that contains acquired images and translation of information regarding the Codice Borbonico. The students will add to their notebooks a component that covers historical, geographic, cultural, ethical, technological and economic factors that effected the Aztecs.
- Students will then create a relief sculpture that will present and explain the Codex. A written component will be displayed in Spanish and English.
- Students will create a web site using Flash and Dream Weaver to explain and animate one month of the Codice Borbonico in Spanish and English.
- Students will define a calendar and construct formal meaning to each day in Spanish and English. This creation of a High Tech High Codex will enable students to relate to the Aztec’s need for a ritual calendar.