We find from an examination of the codices that the Mexicans believed that the “world” or universe was divided into:
- Tlalxicco, the centre or “navel” of the Earth.
- Tlapcopa, “the region of the Dawn” (the East).
- Uitznauac, “Place of Thorns” (the South).
- Ciuatlampa, “Region of Women” (the West).
- Mictlampa, “Place of the Dead” (the North).
These several regions demand a brief description.
Tlalxicco was the dark interior of the earth, which was supposed to be inhabited by an animal-headed god or demon, resembling a badger, to whom no name has as yet been applied, but who seems to possess affinities with sorcery and the darker arts. A good representation of him is to be found on sheet 9 of Codex Vaticanus B.
Tlapcopa, the East, or “Region of the Dawn,” was regarded as a region of prosperity, fertility, and abundant food-supplies. It was the house of the Sun, the region where sacrificed warriors dwelt in bliss, and will be further described when we come to deal with the subject of “heaven and hell.”