San Juan Achiutla is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 49.76 km2. It is located in a mountain range, between the hills Negro to the East, Yucuquise to the Northwest, Cuate to the North and Totolote to the South. It is crossed by the river Los Sabinos and has a dam called Cahuayande. Its weather is temperate. It is in the Mixteca Alta (the High Mixteca), one of the three parties that make up the Mixteca region and in the Mixteca Alta is part of what was Achiutla, the significant Prehispanic place.
As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 401.
The Mixteca In 1906 the French scientist Leon Diguet published in Paris the following about La Mixteca:Contribution a l'Etude geographique du mexique précolombien. "Le Mixtecapan" The mountainous and hilly region which is the Mixtec Indians' country formed, after the Spaniards' establishment, La Mixteca province, was designated by the Nahuas with the Mixtecapan name, a word derived from the Nahuatl word Mixtlan (cloudy or foggy land), made up term by Mixtli (cloud) and the suffix tlan, locative, place. This name would have been given to the country because the cold weather frequently prevails over the elevated regions of the High Mixteca Mountains. This territory includes the current geographical division, an important Oaxaca State part and a fraction of the States of Puebla and Guerrero. The Mixtec name given to this country before the conquest is unknown, we only know by Father Antonio de los Reyes, missionary who settled in Teposcolula around 1593. A Mixtec grammar author, the Mixtecs were named Mixtoquijxi (wild cats) by their neighbors the Zapotecs, designation probably ironic and coming from the roughness of the places that these Indians had chosen to settle.
Achiutla
Leon Diguet also wrote about Achiutla: Two locations are identified as being the Mixtec country colonization focal point: Apoala and Achiutla. These settlements have grown and flourished as urban centres which although now reduced to simple towns, before the European conquest were flourishing cities. Achiutla or Achutla (Achioztlan) is represented today - wrote Diguet 1906- by two towns located a short distance one from another San Juan Achiutla and San Miguel Achiutla, in that the total population barely reaches 1,800 individuals. The average altitude taken between the two populations is .more accurate current measurement: 1992 m The ancient city of Achiutla was north of the town of San Miguel, on the plateau where today the Church stands.The Church mentioned by Diguet belongs to the San Miguel convent which included a great dimensions walled garden. It is on the pre-Columbian temple platform, perhaps the main, and in front, used as cemetery which prevents appreciate what actually is, different levels and boards of another pyramid of huge dimensions of the same time, waiting for their study and restoration. Before the conquest the population likely reached 14,000 inhabitants, but it significantly reduced following a "mazahuatl" Diguet text says mazahuatl, the correct way is matlazahualtl: epidemic that could be typhus, plague, hemorrhagic fever or smallpox brought this last by the Spaniards. At that time there wasn’t an accurate diagnosis. Achiutla never recovered its population the size that had in ancient times. epidemic. Established in the High Mixteca center, Achiutla was the chief who ruled the Mixtécapan residence. After the schism that divided the country into three principalities, this city was the spiritual center or the Taysacca or religious leader residence. The temple was famous, they came from everywhere to worship a deity considered to be a personification of Quetzalcoatl. It was represented by a large emerald on which were carved a bird and a snake. This jewel excited the Spaniards' admiration of its perfection. It was destroyed by the missionaries as described below.
On the old city edge opens a cave the entrance suggest a tunnel that connects with the town of San Juan and by which, in times of war one could go from one to another. The Achiutla Nahuatl name seems to come from this cave. Deconstructing it is in effect: achio means frequent, oztli, cave, tlan, locality or place: place of the cave frequented. Another possible etymology is as follows: Atl water, chipimi dripping, otli road, tlan locality or place: site were the roads oozing water.There are other Achiutla's meaning versions: a "cave which drips water" which is effectively linked with meanings explained by Diguet. Another "Where achiote (Bixa Orellana) is abundant", but achiote grows in tropical regions, between above sea level and this plant does not support the frosts, whereas Achiutla had 1,992 and freezes in winter. As condiment is not usually in the High Mixteca; in pre-colonial times was used to get the red color for codex and other pigmentation, but its use to that effect was low; that is why it is completely doubtful the achiote was copious in Achiutla, . For the Mixtec name, Sundecu or Sundico Mixtec, nunu village, and dico pulverized made dust. This name would have been given to the city because the revered Emerald would have been reduced to dust by the missionaries. Achiutla's geographical location splendor and religious importance are probably the causes have done, so to consider as the Mixtec nation origin place. Although nowadays the information doesn’t exist can prove their priority over Apoala.
Jansen and Pérez Jiménez refer to Achiutla in their Paisajes Sagrados: códices y arqueología de Ñuu Dzaui as follows: In the Codex Añute (Selden), p. 6-III, we see how the 6 Monkey Princess embarks on a journey underground. Apparently starts from an opening in the rock wall over a river, where it is venerated the El Corazón del Pueblo de la lluvia jewel (The rain people’s heart, Ñuu Dzaui, the Mixtec people); probably it is the cave Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla) where the El Corazón del Pueblo packaging (1934 Burgoa, I: 319, 332-333) was preserved. The Princess began with asking for permission to Ñuhu, probably the entrance guardian to the underground hall: named Hueso-Coa, Yeque Yata, can decipher as "bone (yeque) before (yata)".
Manuel A. Hermann Lejarazu explains in his work on the Codex Yucunama: Focus on the High Mixteca area, the most mountainous and elevated Ñuu Dzaui part. In the pre-colonial era, the kingdoms of Ñuu Tnoo (Tilantongo), Chiyo Cahnu (Teozacoalco), Ñuu Ndaya (Chalcatongo), Ndisi Nuu (Tlaxiaco) and Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla) flourished here, among others. The Sun and Venus gods threw darts from the sky with which drilled the big hill precious the place of sand. One of his darts fertilized the Earth and thus was born the first ancestor of the lineage. The Primordial Lord's granddaughter, married a prince, who was born from a big tree in the City on Flames, Ñuu Ndecu, the current Achiutla. Achiutla, as is at the present known Ñuu Ndecu ("Burning City"), was in ancient times the High Mixteca spiritual center, the: "This nation [Mixtec] Great Temple, where all its resolutions for peace and wars had his consultations Oracle [...];" "they came from other distant provinces to ask favour and ask him in his works, doubts and what must be done". The pre-Hispanic settlement was largest and most important: more than four thousand families lived in their beautiful valleys next to rivers, occupying in the work of the field, "and so they are not neglect, had indicated as criers, official elected for a year, so that every morning at the first light, uploaded on top of the House of his Republic""with great shouts, they rang and excitasen all, saying: come out, come out to work, to work" (Burgoa, 1934b I: chaps. 23-26). With qualifying Ñuu Ndecu as the Great Temple in Ñuu Dzaui - Mixtec nation-, chroniclers makes an implicit comparison with the Aztecs famous largest temple in their capital, Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Even today stands the old pyramid silhouette, a kind of Acropolis, which tradition referred to as the Sun Temple. All this is as we said, on a hill with promontory between rivers(which run north to South). On the Western side, the river Los Sabinos passes; on the eastern side the Yute Uha, "Salt River", and Yute Ita, "Flowers River" passes. At the foot of the convent's promontory, these streams come together and form the Yute Ndaa, "Extended River " or "Blue River". The oral tradition of the place holds that Ñuu Ndecu valley was formerly a large lagoon, which barely lifted the promontory and the Siki Tinduu. It is the primordial lake concept, which like the darkness is a metaphor for the area which we see today the world's creation.
The two priests led stones of power - the Rain's God stone and the Lizard stone--to the Yuta Tnoho sanctuary (Apoala), where they received blessings and instructions from the 9 Lizard Lady, who reigned there (Codex Añute, p. 1-III). We notice in passing the conceptual overlap between this lizard stone and the lizard relief in a building early Huamelulpan. Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla), the priests placed these stones next to the primary lagoon at the great Ceiba foot, made their prayers spread her blood on paper and offered ground “piciete”. Then, the tree was opened and gave birth to the ancestor founder, Lord 2 Grass "Deceased which manifests as a Feathered Serpent". Six brothers, probably six noble Añute families (Jaltepec) ancestors followed him. I.e., this origin story tells us about a group of seven men who were born from the Ñuu Ndecu tree, the principal of which was the dynasty ruler (yaa tnuhu iya toniñe) founder.
In this regard, Jansen and Pérez Jiménez, also depict: By this magic and religious act grew in that place the Origin Great Tree, which lifted and holds the sky. It was the “Tree of the Eye”, Yutnu Nuu, a ceiba or a pochote, surrounded by snakes of fog and darkness, that is to say by mysterious and impressive superhuman powers. They were offered to him - placed in basket and jícara (a vegetal and natural bowl) - jade and gold, wealth in abundance -the eagle and the fire serpent - power to transform and fly into trance, as a ball of fire - as well as the hand with the knife and the rope - civilian authority. With him were born: the Lord 1 Eagle, Water; the Lord 3 Water, Maguey; the Lord 5 Deer, Turkey; the Lord 5 Movement, Quail; the Lord 5 Lizard, Rain, and the Lord 5 Eagle, Rain. They were the primary founders and owners, which gave life to the region. They were the first Nuuddzahui (Mixtec).
Hermann Lejarazu continues: The Ñuu Ndecu important position as the spiritual center of Ñuu Dzaui and kernel of his liturgical and political life in the pre-colonial era is also expressed in the main deity worshipped name here. The main sanctuary was at the highest mountain summit, where the high priest gave worship to the Sacred Wrapper called The People's Heart. Wrapped in precious fabrics was an ancient jade stone in a large chili pepper size, sculpted in a bird, and a coiled snake form. In other worlds, a Feathered Serpent picture the Mesoamerica divine power, known as Quetzalcoatl in Nahuatl.
The People's Heart - say Burgoa - represented the Mixtec people lineage founder: Making sacrifices and worshiped its first founder said he was the People´s Heart and kept it in a safe place and sacrificed to it valuables things as gold and precious stones. Front of the Heart always burned wood, where they burned copal or incense too. This People's Heart also appears in the Ñuu Dzaui pictorial manuscripts, specifically in the Codex Añute (Selden), page 6-III, where it is painted as a precious stone with " The People of the Rain Heart" name (Ini Ñuu Dzavui), in other words, "The Mixtec People’s Heart”. It is situated in a large cave on top of a river.
Pérez Ortiz quotes the historian and Dominican Francisco de Burgoa's description made about this piece in 1674, more than one hundred years after its destruction: