Stone of Motecuhzoma I
The Stone of Motecuhzoma I is a large carved Aztec stone that was found in 1988 under the patio of the Edificio del Ex-Arzobispado in the Distrito Federal of Mexico. It is also known as the Stone of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, the Archbishop's Stone, the Ex-Arzobispado Stone, or the Sánchez-Nava Monolith.
Discovery
Just south of the Templo Mayor in Mexico City lies the palace which used to house the Archbishop of Mexico. Built not long after the Spanish destroyed the ceremonial center of the Tenochtitlan, this palace was likely resting on many pre-Columbian artifacts. During July 1988, excavations under the palace patio revealed a large circular stone. It was immediately compared to the already widely known Stone of Tizoc and Calendar Stone.
Iconography
The large circular stone has a familiar solar relief on its top.
References
- Padilla, J., P. F. Sánchez-Nava and F. Solís Olguín (1989). "The Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina". Mexicon. 11 (2): 24–25.
- Graulich, Michel (1992). "On the so-called "Cuauhxicalli of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina" the Sánchez-Nava Monolith" (PDF). Mexicon. 14 (1): 5–10.