Aztec and Maya Calendar
In the tonalpohualli, the sacred Aztec calendar, Friday August 24, 1973 is:
Xihuitl:
solar year
13 - Calli (house)
Xiuhpohualli:
365-day calendar
13 - Panquetzaliztli (XV)
Long Count:
Mayan calendar
12.18.0.1.16
(Correlation: Alfonso Caso - Nicholson's veintena alignment [adjust])
The significance of this day
Day Cozcacuauhtli (Vulture, known as Cib in Maya) is governed by Itzpapalotl as its provider of tonalli (Shadow Soul) life energy. Cozcacuauhtli signifies long life, wisdom, good counsel and mental equilibrium. It is a good day to confront the discontinuities, disruptions, failures and deaths one suffers in life. Cozcacuauhtli is a day for tricking the Trickster.
The thirteen day period (trecena) that starts with day 1-Malinalli (Grass) is ruled by Mayahuel, Goddess of the Maguey and Pulque. These are 13 days of intoxication, infatuation, excitement and passion: it is a time of excesses, when moderation is impossible, and so is often a time of disastrous consequences. This trecena signifies those times when we are incapable of protecting ourselves from high emotions. It is a time when affairs of war and affairs of the heart are born without thinking. These days are clouded in confusion: only the most self-disciplined warrior can suffer an excess of success without incuring sudden loss. These are good days to bind the community together; bad days to sow discord and discontent.
Pablo Picasso was born on day 5-Cozcacuauhtli.
Aztec facts
In the years after the conquest of Mexico, the xiuhpohualli (solar calendar) became tied to the Julian calendar as used by the Spaniards. This effectively introduced a leap year to the Aztec calendar every four years (this site provides the pre-conquest calendar).