The Legacy of Mesoamerica History and Culture of a Native American Civilization, 2nd Edition

anywhere in the Americas and the most complete description of a native American cul-

ture created before the advent of professional anthropologists (Figures 6.13 and 6.14).

Another unique colonial document is the Codex Badianusor Cruz-Badiano.An il-

lustrated book of herbal remedies, it explains the cures for various ailments and depicts

the plants to be used in preparing the medicines. It was produced in 1552 at the Fran-

ciscan college in Tlatelolco. A native doctor named Martín de la Cruz wrote the text

in Nahuatl on the basis of his own medical knowledge, which already shows some Eu-

ropean influence. This Nahuatl text was then translated into Latin by a Nahua student

at the college, Juan Badiano. Only this Latin version was included in the finished book.

An unknown native artist painted the 184 pictures of plants. Sent to Spain as a gift for

Charles V, the document was discovered in the Vatican Library in 1929 (Figure 6.15).

COLONIAL TRANSCRIPTIONS

OF ORAL LITERATURE

Many literary compositions that had formerly been passed along through pictorial

writing, oral transmission, or a combination of the two were, during the Colonial pe-

riod, transcribed using alphabetic writing. As a result, we have access to a great deal

of verbal art reflecting native experience before and during Spanish rule. Much of

this literature is probably very similar to versions used before the Spanish invasion.

CHAPTER 6 INDIGENOUS LITERATURE FROM COLONIAL MESOAMERICA 237

Figure 6.14 Florentine

Codex.Aztec nobles play

patolli,a game similar to

Parcheesi. The playing

pieces are black beans; the

men gamble on the

outcome by betting their

ornaments of jade, gold,

and feathers. Florentine

Codex,Book 8, folio 19r.

Sahagun, 1979. Repro-

of MiBACT. Further

Florence, The Biblioteca

Medicea Laurenziana,

duced with permission

reproduction by any

means is prohibited.