Aztec and Maya Calendar
In the tonalpohualli, the sacred Aztec calendar, Saturday December 18, 1540 is:
Xihuitl:
solar year
9 - Tecpatl (flint knife)
Long Count:
Mayan calendar
11.16.1.2.12
Xiuhpohualli:
365-day calendar
14 - Atemoztli (XVII)
(Correlation: Alfonso Caso [adjust])
The significance of this day
Aztec facts
Aztecs named a newborn child after its day (tonalli) of birth. The elemental forces ruling over that day strongly characterize a person and its destiny.
Day Malinalli (Grass) is governed by Patecatl as its provider of tonalli (Shadow Soul) life energy. This day signifies tenacity, rejuvenation, that which cannot be uprooted forever. Malinalli is a day for persevering against all odds and for creating alliances that will survive the test of time. It is a good day for those who are suppressed, a bad day for their suppressors.
The thirteen day period (trecena) that starts with day 1-Cuetzpalin (Lizard) is ruled by Itzlacoliuhqui. The 13 days of this trecena are governed by the meting out of irrational rewards and punishments. These are 13 days of confusion, a time when the noble and ignoble have equal chance to be raised up or thrown down. The warrior must be like the lizard, who is not hurt from a high fall but, instead, immediately climbs back to its perch. These are good days to keep out of sight; bad days to attract attention.