Decoding the Codex Borgia

Exploring the meanings in the intricate symbolism of a rare Precolumbianmanuscript

Thisbook explores the rich symbolism of the Codex Borgia, a masterpiece of Precolumbianart dating to the fifteenth century, one of the few surviving books from beforethe Spanish conquest of Mexico. Susan Milbrath uses information from thefields of art history, anthropology, ethnohistory, natural history, andcultural astronomy to show how the manuscript’s intricate and colorful imagery conveyscomplex ideas related to Mesoamerican myths and religion.

Milbrathsets the work in historical context, establishing its provenance in the Puebla-TlaxcalaValley of Central Mexico and pinpointing the date it was painted based on rainalmanacs found in its pages. She offers a new interpretation of a uniquenarrative section that has long intrigued scholars, arguing that the ceremonialvariations depicted in it are related to the solar cycle. Overall, this bookopens new doors in the study of the Codex Borgia by identifying seasonalimagery in the narrative and associated astronomical events, especially thosethat involve the three brightest objects in the sky: the sun, the moon, andVenus. Decoding the Codex Borgia isan illuminating journey into the culture and cosmology of the Aztecs and their neighboring communities.