Vol. 11 (2011): Spring 2011 Volume XI

Spring  2011
Volume XI
(on-line first)*

Drawing by Néstor Mora Alvarez, Courtesy of El Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH)-National
Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico
The Calendar Stone at Tamtoc and
Spatially Related Symbols of Hegemonic Power in the City
Michael A. McAdams, Co-editor, Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy
About a year ago, I visited the newly opened archeological zone of Tamtoc in the State of San
Luis Potosí in Mexico. I was impressed by many things at this site, but particularly by a carved
stone relief near the spring at the edge of the river, which defines the perimeter of the settlement.
The relief which is known as el monolito de Tamtoc (the monolith of Tamtoc) or la Piedra
Calendárica de Tamtoc--Monumento 32 (the Calendar Stone of Tamtoc, Monument 32—the
official title) which was recently excavated (February 2005) represents a significant find on
multiple levels. The featured “glyph” of this volume is a detailed drawing by Néstor Mora
Alvarez of the relief of the Stone Calendar (Monument 32) which brings more clarity to its
carvings than a photograph of the object. As in previous volumes, the associated „glyph‟ is a
springboard for a broader discussion of various elements of urbanism.
The relief monument is dated from 1150 to 700 B.C.E. and is linked with the Olmec culture
(previously thought to be located exclusively in lower Mexico) and not the Huasteca culture (the
culture associated with much later settlements at Tamtoc); changing dramatically the previous
commonly perceived geographical extent of the Olmec. The central figure represents a
sacrificial priest (woman/man, but predominately female with a jaguar face or mask—probably
indicative of a shaman as an intermediator of the underworld thus the jaguar mask), who is
surrounded on both sides by two decapitated women from which blood or water stream from
them, who appear to be floating or in a transitory state. There are 13 streams from the figures,
representing a 13 month calendar. The figures are standing on skulls, presumed to be a reference
to the cycle of life and death. The birds in the center represent the four corners of the earth. The
symbols found in this relief are archetypical ones of life (blood and water), death, sacrifice,
spiritual intermediation and transcendence, which are found in Mayan religions, ChristianityJudaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, and are potent, but also volatile metaphors which rest
on a hierarchical authority--both spiritual and earthly. The monument being found near a main
spring and related hydraulic works for irrigation at Tamtoc, presumably built by the Olmec, is
not inconsequential but essential to the establishment and maintenance of power by the leaders of
the village. It can be presumed that the leaders were fully aware of the audacious nature of this
relief, its possible impact on the villagers and apparently felt a need to solidify their control over
the populous with a daring statement.
An implied spatial message of the monolith, since it is placed near a spring and associated
irrigation works, by the leaders of the settlement is that “water is the „lifeblood‟ of our settlement
and the reason that the citizens of the settlement can avail themselves to its benefits is related to
our leadership in constructing hydraulics for irrigation and determining the time of planting
through the calendar we developed.” This message‟s vehicle is a collection of powerful spiritual
metaphors that would have been known to the villagers of Tamtoc which would have cemented
or sanctified the role of the leaders/priests as being the providers of one of the basic elements of
city public welfare—water. The monolith also attests to the importance of women in society as
the ultimate source of life and also of importance of female leadership, hence the predominately
female sacrificial priest as the overseer of the process of life including time and its resources (in
this case water.) Ultimately, this monument is one of a symbol of power to remind the citizens of
this settlement who is responsible for agricultural prosperity-which was of prime importance to
settlements in this time period. Thus, it could be similar (but more palpable) to signs in the
Modern Era stating “this building was constructed through the assistance of ______ (government
funding agency, non-profit agency or individual(s).)” There are many examples of water
resources being linked to a particular urban power structure in the symbols of the city. In Greek
and Roman cities, fountains were often constructed by wealthy individuals to link their influence
to the prosperity of the city. In Ottoman times, fountains were built around the capital city of
Istanbul/Constantinople by the Sultans, the Sultan‟s family or wealthy individuals for the benefit
to the local populations, but also to make them aware who was the source of social welfare. The
most prominent example of public works related to water which are considered art work in the
ancient world would be the aqueducts in areas of the former Roman Empire. They „speak‟
dramatically to the importance of the authority of the Romans in providing for the welfare of its
citizens—but not as ethereal or encompassed in mythical symbols as the linkage found in the
relief in Tamtoc. The Romans were not subtle in their message of who is the power in providing
for the public welfare of cities.
In the Pre-Modern city, public art often had a symbolic message to the its populous and to the
outside world. It was used to convey in an urban setting messages of : the authority of a certain
ruler over a city; the wealth and generosity of a wealthy citizen; a shared major event; the
connection between the rulers as spiritual intermediates between the gods or the Christian/Judaic
or Islamic God and earthly life; or the position of the city at larger scales. The overall message
was one of myriad variations of power that the city, its rulers or prominent citizens werebroadcasting to city residents and their known world. In the Modern and Post-Modern city,
public art, while it may be „art for art sake‟, usually transmits a message consciously or subconsciously of power or authority to its inhabitants or visitors (virtual or actual.) Examples
would be: the Statue of Liberty, Washington Monument, Arc de Triumph, Eifel Tower, Big Ben
and the Christ the Redeemer statue (overlooking Rio de Janeiro.) Skyscrapers are a collective
symbol of hegemonic power of the economic sphere of Modern/Post-Modern cities, replacing
those of royalty, religion, and government and blatantly designating them as irrelevant. It is by
design that all buildings in Washington, D.C. are low rise and never higher than the Capitol
Building. However, this may be anachronistic as the „real power behind the throne‟ is reflected
by the skyscrapers that are surrounding the area. Thus, we have come full circle, from an
unearthed slab of carved rock with obscure symbols to our modern symbols in urban areas. The
commonality is all spatially placed symbols in cities are indicators of the power structure of the
particular time period and thus are important to those studying urbanism.
References:
• Antiqvae Terrae (blog of José Luis Santos Fernández), 2006, “Mexico. Monolito hallado en SLP podría rescribir la historia de Mesoamérica”, View article. Last accessed: 17 May 2011.
• Cyphers, Ann, 1999, “From Stone to Symbols: Olmec Art in Social Context at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán” in Social Patterns in Pre-Classic Mesoamerica, David C. Grove and Rosemary A. Joyce, Editors. Washington, D.C: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. Read PDF. Last accessed: 21 May 2011.
• Escoto, Guillermina, 2010, “Embellecen manantial de ‘La Sacerdotisa’, en Tamtok”. Webpage of El Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Visit page. Last accessed: 17 May 2011.