The teponaztli is a percussion idiophone that was widely used from pre-Hispanic times by different societies throughout Mesoamerica. Its presence in ritual, political, and community contexts allows it to be understood not only as a musical artifact but also as an agent within the sacred order. It is a two-tone xylophone generally made from a hollowed-out wooden log, positioned horizontally and provided with two tongues in the shape of an “H” or an “I,” carved into its upper surface. These tongues, slightly unequal in thickness and size, produce different notes when struck with drumsticks.
The manufacture of the instrument was highly specialized; even today, teponaztli makers are artisans who follow ceremonial protocols in selecting the tree, which is generally associated with protective entities. Ethnohistorical and archaeological studies have identified various woods used in its manufacture, including tepehuaje, ash, oak, walnut, zapotillo, and rosewood.
In present-day communities of the Sierra Norte de Puebla and the Huasteca, pre-Hispanic teponaztlis have been preserved and continue to play a significant role as supports of memory concerning social and political organization. An outstanding example is the teponaztli of the Nahua community of Xicotepec described by Guy Stresser-Péan, distinguished by a carved shield from the city of México-Tenochtitlán surrounded by a broken chain. This representation may allude to the fall of Tenochtitlan and to Xicotepec’s role during the Conquest. Linked to the territorial identity of contemporary Nahuas, the teponaztli has served to explain tensions and intercultural dynamics with their Tutunakuj neighbors, particularly the relations between the communities of Xicotepec and Ozomatlán.
Teponaztlis have been present in ceremonies that reinforce memory and social cohesion. Among the Tutunakuj (Totonacs) and Hñahñu (Otomís) of the region, these instruments are regarded as sacred and, consequently, receive ritual treatment that underscores their character as authorities and legitimizes their power. Together with vertical drums, they are kept in ritual spaces and, during ceremonies, are “dressed” with paper or cloth and offered food and drink. The teponaztli is commonly played to summon various sacred entities, including saints, ancestors, and autochthonous deities.
The instrument is attributed a feminine character, while the vertical drum serves as its masculine “companion;” this complementarity finds its fullest expression when the two are played together. The embodiment of the Hñahñu teponaztli as a woman lying upon the earth is further affirmed through the small conical protuberances on the underside of the tongues, interpreted to be her breasts. Likewise, the Tutunakuj and the Nahua associate the instrument with sacred hills that are considered to be feminine, and therefore, with the earth and the forces of fertility. Among the ancient Nahua, the slits and the tongues of the teponaztli are identified with the vulva, whereas the vibration and “swelling” of the instrument evoke female genital sexual excitement, as expressed by the Nahuatl term teponaçoa (“child. To swell up. To become swollen.”)