The Codex Vaticanus

The Codex Vaticanus refers to Codex Vaticanus Latinus 3738, also known as Codex Rios, an Aztec manuscript preserved in the Vatican Library. This pre-Columbian document outlines Aztec cosmology, describing five successive “suns” or ages of the world. The first four ages ended in cataclysmic destruction, with the fourth concluding in a massive flood. The current era is the fifth age. Below is a focused explanation of these four ages, emphasizing the flood narrative, based on interpretations from the Codex Vaticanus and related sources like the Codex Chimalpopoca.

The Four Ages

Aztec tradition divides cosmic history into eras, each governed by a “sun” and ending due to divine intervention or natural disaster:

1. First Age (Sun of Earth or Jaguars): An era of giants who inhabited the world. It ended in destruction by famine or being devoured by jaguars, symbolizing chaos and imbalance.
2. Second Age (Sun of Wind): Characterized by human-like beings. This age concluded with violent hurricanes and winds that scattered or transformed survivors into monkeys.
3. Third Age (Sun of Fire): An age associated with further human development. It terminated in a rain of fire, possibly volcanic eruptions or celestial flames, wiping out most life.
4. Fourth Age (Sun of Water, Atonatiuh): Lasting approximately 4,008 years, this era featured advanced societies. It ended in a universal deluge where waters rose to submerge mountains, transforming humanity into fish. Only a select pair survived.

Emphasis on the Flood

The flood marks the climax of the fourth age and serves as a transitional event to the present world. According to the Codex Vaticanus, the deluge was triggered by divine forces, with waters overwhelming the earth for an extended period—remaining calm for 52 “springs” (cycles) afterward. Key elements include:

• Survivors: A man named Coxcox (or Tezpi) and his wife Xochiquetzal escaped in a hollowed cypress tree trunk, floating amid the chaos. They represent humanity’s continuity, akin to flood survivors in other global myths.
• Divine Involvement: Deities like Chalchiuhtlicue (goddess of water) or Tlaloc (rain god) orchestrated the event. In one variant from the Codex Chimalpopoca, the god Titlacahuan warns a couple (Nata and Nena) to enter a cypress vessel with maize provisions. Post-flood, their actions (e.g., cooking fish) lead to further divine adjustments, such as transforming fish into dogs.
• Symbolism and Duration: The flood symbolizes purification and renewal. Chronological details place it after specific cycles (e.g., 400 + 76 years in some accounts), aligning with Aztec calendrical systems like the 52-year cycle.