calpulli

9.9

A group of families in Aztec cities that shared land and helped each other

noun
/kɑːˈpuːli/

Archaic

: calpulli

The family belonged to a calpulli, where they shared land and resources with other members of their community.
calpulli unit

Examples

Each calpulli (ward) had at least one telpochcalli, staffed by experienced warriors who served as instructors (p. 169).

Academic text (1992)
All troops in Tenochtitlan were levied on the basis of their membership in their calpulli and fought as a calpulli unit (Hassig 1988: 56-57).

Academic text (1992)
We may have the right of way, but abusing your power is no fun when you end up in Calpulli Center because you stepped in front of a bicyclist going 25 mph.

Blog text (25)
All troops in Tenochtitlan were levied on the basis of their membership in their calpulli and fought as a calpulli unit (Hassig 1988: 56-57).

Academic text (1992)
The calpulli forces were organized into units of 400 men, subdivided into "squads," although the exact size of these sub-units is unclear (Hassig 1988: 56).

Academic text (1992)
Other chroniclers described social classes or the structure of tribute paid to the Aztec Empire, but only Zorita commented in any depth on the Nahua residential landholding units called calpulli.

Academic text (1997)
Like Carrasco, Smith finds that the calpulli-sized residential zone at Cuexcomate demonstrates considerable differences in wealth and status among households and even within the small patio clusters that represent joint family residences.

Academic text (1997)
In turn, the various calpulli units were grouped into four "corps," corresponding to the four quarters of the city, each of which was commanded by one of the four councilors of the emperor (Soustelle 1970: 44).

Academic text (1992)
In his study of Tenochtitlan's food supply, Kobayashi recalculates the amount of tribute in maize that actually reached the city, the size of the resident population, and the likely contribution made by alternate supply mechanisms, such as the market distribution of surplus production from the estates of nobles or calpulli lands.

Academic text (1997)
In Aztec society, each calpulli functioned as both a social unit and a military group during times of conflict.

Surface Forms

calpulli singular

calpullis plural

Etymology

The word calpulli comes from the Aztec language Nahuatl, where calli means 'house' and -pulli means a 'group' or 'many houses'. So a calpulli was like a shared 'house' for a clan, a local community that managed land, crafts and ceremonies.