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Written in Stone

Rooted in Aztec history and connected to the values of San Diego State, three distinct glyphs bring new meaning to SDSU's visual identity.

Symbols have long been part of the San Diego State identity.

For years, the Aztec Sun Stone has been one of the university's most recognizable visual elements, appearing prominently across SDSU Athletics. Within the Sun Stone are symbols that carry distinct meanings rooted in Aztec history and culture.

In 2025, San Diego State expanded that visual language by introducing three glyphs adapted from symbols within the Sun Stone. Developed through a thoughtful process involving Mesoamerican scholars, university leaders, designers, and an artist from Mexico, the glyphs were created to honor their historical origins while connecting their meanings to the values of SDSU today.

Together, Ehecatl, Ocelotl, and Calli represent three pillars: education, health, and community.

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Three Glyphs • Three Values • One Aztec Identity

The development of the glyphs grew from a larger evolution of SDSU's Aztec identity.
In 2018, San Diego State announced it would retain the Aztec name while no longer referring to the Aztec as the university's mascot. Since that decision, SDSU had not had a visual representation of its Aztec identity.

The expanded iconography helped address that need. Members of the Aztec Identity Initiative Governing Board, the Aztec Culture and Education Committee, and SDSU Athletics worked with leading Mesoamerican scholars from Harvard, Cornell, and SDSU to better understand the history and cultural significance of the symbols.

Artist Noé Silva of Coahuila, Mexico, then adapted and stylized the three symbols into marks unique to SDSU while retaining essential elements of their ancient forms.

"The main goal was really to help the SDSU community and the broader audience understand the authentic and inclusive and positive interpretation of SDSU's Aztec identity."

— SDSU President Adela de la Torre

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THE THREE GLYPHS

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The glyphs give San Diego State Athletics a new way to express an identity rooted in history while creating meaningful connections to the university today.

Each symbol has been stylized as a unique SDSU mark while preserving the defining elements of its original form. Together, they create a visual language built around education, health, and community—values that extend across the university and the Aztec experience.

The identity is further expanded through turquoise and yellow color variations selected for their cultural significance. Turquoise reflects its role in Aztec poetry, rituals, and sacred artifacts, while yellow recalls the sun and maize, a staple of the Mesoamerican diet and an important element of native religious beliefs.

"Combined, these symbols make visible the values that define our university."

— Ramona Pérez, Director, SDSU Center for Latin American Studies and Chair, Aztec Culture and Education Committee

THE IDENTITY

  • Three Glyphs: Ehecatl, Ocelotl and Calli
  • Three SDSU Values: Education, Health and Community
  • Developed in Consultation with Leading Mesoamerican Scholars
  • Adapted by Mexican Artist Noé Silva
  • Stylized as Unique Marks for San Diego State

The glyphs are more than a new element of San Diego State's visual identity. They create a connection between history, culture, and the values that define the university today.

Education. Health. Community.

Through Ehecatl, Ocelotl, and Calli, those values become visible—carrying meaning from the past into the present while giving San Diego State Athletics a distinctive way to express what it means to be an Aztec.

As SDSU enters the Pac-12, the glyphs represent an identity that continues to evolve with purpose: rooted in history, shaped with care, and unmistakably San Diego State.