TonalpohualliThe Aztec Sacred Calendar
Discover your destiny through the ancient Aztec calendar system used by the Mexica people of Tenochtitlan
Tonalpohualli
260-day sacred calendar for divination and destiny
Xiuhuitl
365-day solar calendar for agriculture and festivals
Xiuhmolpilli
52-year cycle marked by the New Fire Ceremony
Convert Any Date
Discover the Aztec calendar date for any day in history or future
About the Aztec Calendar
Understanding the sophisticated timekeeping system of the Mexica civilization
The Tonalpohualli (Sacred Calendar)
The 260-day sacred calendar was the heart of Aztec divination and spirituality. It combines 20 day signs with 13 numbers, creating 260 unique combinations. Your birth date in this calendar determines your personality, destiny, and life path.
- •20 day signs (Cipactli, Ehecatl, Calli, etc.)
- •13 numbers (1-13) representing different energies
- •20 trecenas (13-day periods) each with ruling deity
- •Used for divination, naming ceremonies, and important decisions
The Xiuhuitl (Solar Calendar)
The 365-day solar calendar tracked the agricultural year and religious festivals. It consisted of 18 months of 20 days each, plus 5 unlucky days called nemontemi. Each month had specific ceremonies honoring different deities.
- •18 months of 20 days = 360 days
- •5 nemontemi days (unlucky, time of fasting)
- •Year begins with Izcalli (approximately February)
- •Each month dedicated to specific agricultural/religious activities
🔥 The 52-Year Cycle (Xiuhmolpilli) 🔥
Every 52 years, the Tonalpohualli and Xiuhuitl synchronized in a perfect cycle called the Xiuhmolpilli ("binding of the years"). This completion was marked by the New Fire Ceremony, the most sacred ritual in Aztec religion. All fires were extinguished across the empire, and a new fire was lit atop Huixachtlan mountain. If the ceremony failed, the world would end in darkness.
Historical Cycles:
The last New Fire Ceremony before the Spanish conquest was in 1507. The next cycle would have begun in 1559, but the tradition was suppressed.
Correlation Information
This calculator uses the Alfonso Caso correlation (R.D. 555403), which places the Fall of Tenochtitlan on August 13, 1521 (Julian calendar) = 1-Coatl. This is the most widely accepted correlation among scholars, based on colonial-era sources including Sahagún's Florentine Codex and Diego Durán's writings.