Editing Toltec (section)

{{short description|Pre-columbian civilization in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico}}
{{about|the pre-Columbian culture|the [[Jon Anderson]] album|Toltec (album)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox archaeological culture
| name         = Toltec
| map          = Toltecas.png
| mapcaption   = <small>Distribution and influence of the Toltecs in [[Mesoamerica]].</small>
| mapalt       =
| altnames     =
| race         = [[Coyotlatelcas]], [[Chichimeca]], [[Nahuas]], [[Nonoalcas]]
| religion     = [[Toltec mythology|Toltec Religion]]
| language     = [[Nahuatl]], [[Otomi language|Otomi]]
| horizon      =
| region       = [[Mesoamerica]] (historically)
| period       = [[Mesoamerican Postclassic Period]]
| dates        = {{circa|950–1168}}
| typesite     = 
| majorsites   = [[File:Toltec Emblem.svg|21px]] [[Tula (Mesoamerican site)|Tollan-Xicocotitlan]] <small>(capital),</small> [[Huapalcalco]]
| extra        =
| precededby   = [[File:Glifo Puh.svg|21px]] [[Teotihuacan]], [[file:Calacmul.png|21px]] [[Calakmul]], [[Mezcala culture]], [[File:Otomí quexquémittl.png|21px]] [[Otomi]], [[Chupícuaro]], [[Coba]], [[Chichen Itza]], [[Puuc]]
| followedby   = [[League of Mayapan]], [[Totonacapan]], [[Azcapotzalco (altepetl)|Azcapotzalco]], [[File:Acolhuacan.jpeg|21px]] [[Acolhua]], [[file:Ehecatepec.jpg|21px]] [[Ecatepec de Morelos|Ecatepec]], [[File:Chalco Glyph ZP.svg|21px]] [[Chalco (altépetl)|Chalco]]
| collapse     = Arrival of Chichimec peoples who conquered Tula
| definedby    =
| antiquatedby =
| module       =
}}
[[File:Toltec-style Vessel 1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A Toltec-style clay vessel ([[American Museum of Natural History]]).]]
The '''Toltec culture''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɒ|l|t|ɛ|k}}) was a [[Pre-Columbian era|pre-Columbian]] [[Mesoamerica]]n culture that ruled a state centered in [[Tula (Mesoamerican site)|Tula]], [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]], [[Mexico]], during the Epiclassic and the early Post-Classic period of [[Mesoamerican chronology]], reaching prominence from 950 to 1150 CE.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Michael Ernest |title=The Aztecs |date=2012 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |isbn=978-1-4051-9497-6 |edition=3rd |location=Chichester, West Sussex |pages=35–36 |oclc=741355736}}</ref> The later [[Aztec]] culture considered the Toltec to be their intellectual and cultural predecessors and described Toltec culture emanating from [[Tollan|''Tōllān'']] {{IPA|nah|ˈtoːlːãːn̥|}} ([[Nahuatl language|Nahuatl]] for Tula) as the epitome of civilization.{{sfnp|Iverson|2017}} In the Nahuatl language the word ''Tōltēkatl'' {{IPA|nah|toːɬˈteːkat͡ɬ|}} (singular) or ''Tōltēkah'' {{IPA|nah|toːɬˈteːkaḁ|}} (plural) came to take on the meaning "[[artisan]]".{{sfnp|Berit|2015|p={{page needed|date=July 2021}}}} The Aztec [[oral tradition|oral]] and pictographic tradition also described the history of the [[Toltec Empire]], giving lists of rulers and their exploits.

Modern scholars debate whether the Aztec narratives of Toltec history should be given credence as descriptions of actual historical events. While all scholars acknowledge that there is a large [[mythological]] part of the narrative, some maintain that, by using a critical comparative method, some level of historicity can be salvaged from the sources. Others maintain that continued analysis of the narratives as sources of factual history is futile and hinders access to learning about the culture of [[Tula (Mesoamerican site)|Tula]].

Other controversies relating to the Toltec include the question of how best to understand [[Maya-Toltec controversy at Chichen Itza|the reasons behind the perceived similarities]] in [[architecture]] and [[iconography]] between the archaeological site of Tula and the [[Maya civilization|Maya]] site of [[Chichén Itzá]]. Researchers are yet to reach a consensus in regard to the degree or direction of influence between these two sites.{{sfnp|Smith|2007|p={{page needed|date=July 2021}}}}