The Toltec culture is one of the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica, which inhabited the central plateau of present-day Mexico, in the area now covered by the states of Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Morelos and Puebla. Its development covered part of the Mesoamerican classic and postclassic periods, that is, between the years 800 d. C. and 1200 d. c.
At first, the Toltecs were a nomadic people, which led them to travel through various regions. At the beginning of 800 AD. C. settled after founding the city of Tula, located 60 km from what is now Mexico City. Then they spread to the surrounding area, where they exerted a strong influence on the other communities and on the development of later great cultures.
Unlike great civilizations such as the Romans or the Greeks, the Toltecs did not try to create an empire, dominate or exploit the peoples, and Instead of building fortresses, palaces, castles, etc., they dedicated themselves to building Tollan (study and research centers). to have an observation of the cosmos.
All They dedicated their wisdom to science, to the observation and understanding of the universe, nature and the human beingto improve agricultural techniques, mathematics, calendars and time counting.
In the Preclassic or formative period (7 thousand 800 years) they invented the first four levels of the Toltec Human Development Pyramid, that is, the food, health, education and organization systems.
In the Classic or splendor period (thousand 50 years) they developed the three upper levels of the pyramid: the mastery of the consciousness of the historical Being, the mastery of the consciousness of the sacredness of existence and finally, the highest, the mastery of of the consciousness of the energetic Being, and with this they found transcendence.
Toltecáyotl: the art of living in balance
The Toltecs were a lineage of knowledge of the ancestral wisdom of Cem Anahuac (name given to the world by the Nahuas). So, The Toltecs were considered a culture with a high degree of knowledge of Toltecáyotl, which is the art of living in balance.the philosophical thought that gave meaning to existence.
Just as the Orientals have Buddhism or Taoism, for Mesoamerican cultures the Toltecáyotl represented the center and the peak of their worldview for more than 7 thousand years. Two of the basic principles of the Toltecáyotl were not to envy and not to be afraid..
On the other hand, according to the Toltecáyotl, the human being is metaphorically divided into four parts from its center (the belly button).
- From the navel to the head represents the sky and the spirit; its symbol is the quetzal, the most beautiful bird that reaches the heights desired by the human being.
- From the navel to the feet represents the earth and matter and is symbolized by a snake, which in the Nahuatl language is coatl.
- The right, or tonal part represents the world, the Sun, the masculine and reason.
- The left part, or nahual represents the individual, the Moon, the feminine and intuition.
According to this, Quetzalcóatl represents the union and balance between spirit and matter, and balance in the human being is achieved when these four points are in balance and harmony.
The Toltecs: a wise and admired people
The Toltec name had a certain prestige and even The Aztecs used the expression toltecáyotl, which means «to have a Toltec heart», to refer to being dignified and to excel in all areas of life..
In the Nahuatl language, Toltecs means «master builders»., a concept that is related to the mythical nature of its architecture. Their religious and astronomical knowledge, as well as their practices in terms of art, writing, medicine, and craft work, led the Toltec lineage to be considered a sign of respect and authority.
Toltec artisans were famous and admired for their great skill and set high standards among Mexican civilizations. They were advanced potters and metallurgical experts who worked metals such as gold and precious stones such as obsidian, which they used mainly for the manufacture of weapons.
They also excelled in architecture, and although the pyramids existed in Mexico long before the Toltecs, this culture managed to improve architectural details (such as the structure of the columns) to much higher levels.