1580s Land Survey Inspired Mexican Mapmakers

Mapmakers study a landscape and try to organize it into something that makes sense to them. In the 1600s the Spanish conquered Mexico and administrators distributed surveys and convened groups of residents to provide a lay of the land. The questionnaire asked for the history of the town, when it was founded, who was the conqueror, etc. The paintings below are responses to survey question 10, which asked for a visual representation of the town. They depict tangible structures like churches and waterways, but they also say something about the underlying power structure.

We don't know the name of the artist who made this 1579 map of Quatlatlauca
(or Huatlatlauca), but it was inscribed by Juan Hernández

One traditional way of depicting mountains—as in this 1581 map of Tetliztaca—
was as single, standalone shapes that look a bit like bells.

This 1580 map of Amoltepec (now known as Santiago Amoltepec) in Oaxaca
nods to the way the community changed over long stretches of time.

This map of Iztapalapa (labeled as “Ixtapalapa”) includes landmarks
that would have been frequented by local elites.
The local seal, at the left of this map, is still in use today.

All Images: BENSON LATIN AMERICAN COLLECTION, LLILAS BENSON LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES AND COLLECTIONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

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Via PfRC