Mexican Coat Of Arms

The Coat of Arms of Mexico has been an important symbol of Mexican politics and Culture for centuries. The current coat of arms has changed little since the Aztecs first developed it almost seven hundred years ago. The coat of arms depicts a Mexican golden eagle, perched upon a cactus, devouring a Snake . To the Aztecs this would have strong religious connotations, but to the Europeans, it would come to symbolize the triumph of good over evil.

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OFFICIAL STORY

The Coat of Arms of Mexico was inspired by an Aztec legend regarding the founding of Tenochtitlan. According to popular legend, the Aztec People , then a nomadic tribe, were wandering throughout Mexico in search of a Divine sign that would indicate the precise spot, upon which they were to build their capital. The God Huitzilopochtli , had commanded them to find an Eagle devouring a snake, perched atop a cactus that grew on a rock submerged in a lake. After two hundred years of wandering, they found the promised sign on a small island in the swampy Lake Texcoco . It was here they founded their new capital, Tenochtitlan .

THE AZTEC LEGEND

A closer look at the original Aztec Codices , paintings, and the post- Cortesian codices, show there was no snake in the original legend. In some Aztec illustrations, like the Mendoza Codex , there is only an eagle, while in the text of the Ramirez codex, Huitzilopochtli asked the Aztecs to look for an eagle devouring a precious bird perched on a cactus. In the text by Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin, the eagle is devouring something, but it is not mentioned what it is. And still, other versions show the eagle clutching the Aztec symbol of war, the Atl-Tlachinolli glyph, or "burning water".

The original meanings of the symbols were different in numerous aspects, the eagle was a representation of the Sun God , Huitzilopochtli, who was very important, as the Aztecs referred to themselves as the People of the Sun. The Cactus , full of its fruits, called " Tenochtli " in Nahuatl, represent the island of Tenochtitlan, upon which the Aztec civilization was founded. To the Aztec people, the snake represented wisdom, and had strong connotations with the god, Quetzalcoatl . To the Aztecs, this scene depicting an eagle overpowering a snake would be considered wrong.

The story of the snake was derived from an incorrect translation of the Mexicayotl chronicle by Alvaro Tezozomoc. In the story, the Nahuatl text ''ihuan cohuatl izomocayan'', "the snake hisses", was mistranslated as "the snake is torn". Based on this, Father Duran reinterpreted the legend, so that the eagle represents all that is good and right, while the snake represents evil, and sin. Despite it’s inaccuracy, it was adopted because it conformed with European Heraldic Tradition . To the Europeans it would represent the struggle between good and evil. Although this does not conform to the Pre-Columbian traditions, it was an element that could be used by the first missionaries for the purposes of Evangelism and the conversion of the Native Peoples .

The version of this story would be used for the first time in 1581 by Father Diego Durán, who used it to illustrate his "Atlas de la Historia de los Indios de la Nueva España e Islas de Tierra Firme", and was soon adopted by others. But it would not be until the War of Independence, that it would be used as a coat of arms.

THE CREATURES

The bird featured on the Mexican coat of arms is the Golden Eagle . This bird is known officially as ''águila real'' (lit. royal eagle). In 1960, the Mexican Ornithologist Martín del Campo identified the eagle in prehispanic codex as the Caracara or "quebrantahuesos", a species common in Mexico (although the name "eagle" is taxonomically incorrect, as the caracara is a type of Falcon ). Even so, the golden eagle is considered the Mexican eagle for official purposes, and for the same reason is considered the official bird of Mexico.

When Father Duran introduced the snake, it was originally an aquatic serpent. But in 1917, the serpent was portrayed as a Rattlesnake , because it was more common than the aquatic varieties in prehispanic illustrations. As a result of this, the design and color of the snake on the modern coat of arms do not correspond with those of any species of snake, and were inspired by the representations of Quetzalcoatl , a rattlesnake with Quetzal feathers.

SYMBOLISM

Elements

The Elements in this coat of arm are:

The eagle, in a combative stance

The snake, held by a claw and the beak of the eagle

The Nopal on which the eagle stands. The nopal bears some of it's fruits ( Tunas )

The pedestal on which the Nopal grows is inmersed on an Aztec symbol meaning ''Water''

Oak leaves and Laurel leaves encircling the Eagle cluster; tied together with a ribbon with the Mexican Flag's Colors.

Pictographic interpretation of Aztec symbols

The coat of arms has at least two abstraction levels: One is the pictographic representation of the name of the Aztec's Capital City, Tenochtitlan , (''Tenoch'', is the cactus fruit, and ''titlan'' means "the place of".) In another level, it represents one of the most important cosmological beliefs of the Aztec culture.

The image shows the royal eagle devouring. The eagle is one the symbols for the sun, and it is a representation of a victorious Huitzilopochtli . In one of the legends, the eagle bows to the arriving aztecs. The snake is a symbol of the earth. In the prehispanic tradition, it is the representation of Quetzalcoatl , and in aztec (mexica) tradition it is the representation of Coatlicue , the mother earth, and mother of Huitzilopochtli. Thus the image of and eagle devouring a snake is in conflict with mesaomerican beliefs. In some codex, the eagle grips the glyph or symbol for ''war'', and thus it represents the victorius side of Huitzilopochtli, the ''Atl tlachinolli'' (which literally means burning water) has certain resemblance with a snake, and probably that is the origin of this confusion.

With the Water element, the Moon, it recalls the mithology and rebirth of Huitzilopochtli , the god-Hero of the Aztecs.

The Nopal's Fruit, ''Tuna'', represents the heart of Copil , Huitzilopochtli's nephew. The god ordered to "build the city in the place of Copil's heart" ( Ramirez Codex ) and the Cactus grew on his land and it is also a reminder of the Human sacrifice customs of the Aztecs.

Modern Interpretation

Troughout the history of the Mexican coat of arms, many meanings have been attributed to it's elements, although the most prevalent interpretations are

That the Eagle represents the Mexican People, the combative stance meaning that they are ready to face the challenges that life and the world may bring upon them.

That the Snake represents Mexico's enemys, although not identified it would mean any foreign interests they may harm the Mexican People. The snake being devoured by the eagle means that the Mexican people will prevail over their enemies.

That the Nopal, with it's Thorny nature, represents Mexico's challenges and troubles, The eagle defiantly standing on them, means that the Mexican people will overcome this challenges.

That the Earth and Water symbols represent Mexico's indigenous origins, melded together trough the colonization and racial mixing of Europeans and Native Americans

That the Laurel and Oak leaves encircling the Coat of arms represent Victory and the Martyrdom of those who have given their lives for Mexico.

HISTORY

The Aztecs, who probably adopted an ancient warring custom (see Toltecs ), were known to conduct their battles and the display of troops in the battlefield with the use of flags. The flags or ''pantli'' were made out of different colored feathers and diplayed the personal coat of arms of the officer carrying them. During the battle the flags were carried in the back to allow mobility and to display prominently the prestige of the warrior. Bernal Diaz Del Castillo refers that Hernán Cortés defeated the Aztecs in Otumba by knocking-off the general who carried the flag. The Aztec warriors thought that the general was taken prisoner and thus fled the battleground.

Other indigenous kingdoms, not subjugated by and coetaneous with the Aztecs, had their own coat of arms. Especially the kingdoms of Tlaxcala and Michoacan .

For a few months, after the deposition of the last Aztec Emperor (see Cuauhtemoc ), Cortés governed Mexico as virtual sovereign. Therefore, it could be said that his coat of arms was the official one in Mexico. His personal insignia bore the image of the Virgin Mary. It is known that he carried his insignia throughout the conquest of Mexico.

In 1521 Father Duran draws his version of the foundation of México on his book about México, the snake is included for the first time. It would become a common icon, but it would still not be used as a coat of arms.

From 1521 to 1821 the Coat of Arms of New Spain as Mexico was known, was the Cross of Saint Andrew. It was always displayed alongside the Coat Of Arms Of Spain .

In 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo , leader of the first stage of the Independence war used the Virgin Of Guadalupe as a flag or ''estandarte''. It was seized form the Parrish of Atotonilco . The flag is displayed in the National Museum of History alongside, and with the same rank as, later Mexican flags. In that sense, this religious image could officially regarded as the first Mexican coat of arms.

In 1812, the second stage of the Independence war, Jose Maria Morelos Y Pavon used a crowned eagle standing atop of three arches and a cactus. In small print, inside the arches there was the acronym "VVM" which stands for ''"Viva la Virgen Maria"'' or Long live the Virgin Mary). In large print and surrounding the eagle, there are golden letters with the legend "OCVLIS ET VNGVIBUS AEQVE VICTRIX", meaning "By her eyes and grip equally victorious".

In 1821, Agustín De Iturbide , First Emperor Of Mexico , would introduce a royal crown on the eagle as a symbol of his empire. The elements would be drawn in a European style, the eagle was drawn in front view.

In 1823, with a design by José Mariano Torreblanca, the crown would be removed, and new elements from European tradition would be introduced to celebrate the victory of the Republic. The coat of arms was now oficial and began to be used in coins, stamps, seals and official papers. But until 1917 it would not be defined by law, so many variants could be found.

In 1863, Maximiliano De Habsburgo , Second Emperor of México, would reintroduce the royal crown, and the coat of arms would be surrounded by the Imperial mant with the motto ''Religión, Independencia'' ("Religion, Independence").

1865, a second version for the Empire of Maximiliano the royal crown disappeared, and introduced two gryphs, with the motto ''Equidad en la Justicia'' ("Equity in Justice").

1867, after the fall of the Empire, the Republic restored most of the elements of the 1823 version.

In 1887, President Porfirio Díaz would make changes to the eagle, so that its overall appearance reflected the French style.

In 1916, President Venustiano Carranza reverted the changes made by Diaz, and restored some of the original Aztec symbols, the aquatic snake was replaced with a rattle snake, and the eagle was now seen in a side view, instead of a front view. This design was created by the artists Antonio Gómez and Jorge Enciso . However, due to the political problems of the time, it was not made oficial until 1932, under President Abelardo L. Rodríguez .''Flags of the World'' by Byron McCandless p 368

In 1968, President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz ordered a small change, so the eagle would look more aggressive, and this design, by painter Francisco Eppens Helguera , is still used today. Also a law was made to define and control the use of the national symbols.

In 1984 President Miguel De La Madrid Hurtado enacts the current law governing the official design and usage of the national symbols, among them the coat of arms.

The design also forms the center of the Mexican Flag .

REFERENCES

SEE ALSO

The explaining the origin of their indigenous name, which also features an eagle with a snake.

EXTERNAL LINKS

Virtual Museum of Mexican Birds

El escudo nacional mexicano

Information About

Mexican Coat Of Arms