The Aztec Calendar

The Aztec people lived in what is now Mexico hundreds of years ago. They made a special calendar to keep track of days. The Aztec Calendar was very different from the one we use today. It had two parts that worked together. It helped the Aztecs plan farming, festivals, and other important events.

Two Calendars in One

The Aztecs actually used two calendars at once. One had 365 days and followed the sun, like ours. The other had 260 days and was used for religious events. The two calendars lined up every 52 years in a special way. The Aztecs held a big festival when this happened.

The Famous Stone

The most famous Aztec calendar is carved on a huge round stone. It is called the Sun Stone and was made in the 1400s. The stone is as big as a small car and very heavy. It shows a face in the middle with symbols all around it. Today, the stone sits in a museum in Mexico City.

Fun Facts

• The Aztec Sun Stone weighs about 25 tons.
• Each day in the Aztec calendar had its own name, like Rabbit or Flower.
• The Sun Stone was lost for hundreds of years before being found again in 1790.

Did You Know?

The Aztec Sun Stone was buried face down in a plaza in Mexico City and was discovered by workers fixing the streets.