Similar knives to the one we see here, called teatl, meaning flint knife in Nahuatl, are found in great quantity in temple offerings, in codices and sculptures during the Post-Classic period. Generally they are found as a sign for the day in the ritual calendar called tonalpohualli in Nahuatl, a period of 260 days divided into 20 trecenas, in other words, 20 weeks comprised of 13 days, where each day was given a date by combining a number from 1 to 13 with one of the 20 symbols for the days.
Some of the 20 characters were, to name a few, movement – ollin, wind – ehecatl, snake – coatl, deer – mazatl, flower – xochitl, reed – acatl, death – miquiztli and flint – teatl. Teatl was generally represented in codices as a simple flint blade ending with a point and groves on the edges, occasionally the flint is anthropomorphic with teeth and an eye.
Each day was associated with omens that could be favorable, unfavorable or neutral, and thanks to Bernardino de Sahagun we know that the tenth symbol of the calendar ce teatl, one flint, was favorable. He explained that those who are born with this sign, would be brave, honorable and rich if they were men and if they were women they would be skilled at many things, all types of food would be abundant, they would be well-spoken and discrete.
The importance of the day is clear: codices referring to the origin of the Mexica state that it was on that day that they left Aztlan - Chicomoztoc and started their migration to Tenochtitlan.
Teatl is one of the most complex elements of Mesoamerican thought, particularly during the late period, therefore while contemplating the flint knife measuring a little more than 20 centimeters it is impossible not to think about the ritual calendar, about the date ce teatl, as well as the many other meanings that are connected to the flint knife and are associated with the ideas of origin.
For example, Cecilio Robelo in her Dictionary of Nahua Mythology argues that the flint knife has a divine origin. The supreme god Ometecutli and his wife Omecihuatl, who ruled over the eleventh sky had many children and when the goddess gave birth to a teatl the other children, amazed and scared, decided to throw it down to the earth. The flint fell in Chicomoztoc, the Place of the Seven Caves, and upon impact a thousand six hundred gods and goddesses appeared.
This story tells how teatl was cast out of heaven and down to earth, and where he fell became the place where people originated, according to several Mesoamerican traditions of the Post-Classic period, archeology has also managed to corroborate some of the same observations. Archaeologists excavated the platform of the central patio of the El Huiztle site in the state of Jalisco and found an obsidian knife inside.
Of course an obsidian knife is very different to a flint knife, but the connection is also clear. Several studies regarding the relationship between obsidian and flint have shown that they have a close relationship. Both were used for human sacrifice.
Teatl was deified and the Nahuas had the flint god Teoteatl. It is represented in the codices as an anthropomorphic flint, with a face in profile, it grips a knife in its hand, symbolizing the sacrifice of human victims.
Similar knives to the one we see here, called teatl, meaning flint knife in Nahuatl, are found in great quantity in temple offerings, in codices and sculptures during the Post-Classic period. Generally they are found as a sign for the day in the ritual calendar called tonalpohualli in Nahuatl, a period of 260 days divided into 20 trecenas, in other words, 20 weeks comprised of 13 days, where each day was given a date by combining a number from 1 to 13 with one of the 20 symbols for the days.
