But also, his role and what he represented changed during every installment of his being.Divine messengers would talk with the god, asking for assistance in reaching the other side of the mountain: the location of the corn. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. The worship of Quetzalcoatl is wide-reaching, has a rich history, and exemplifies the complex world of Aztec mythology. The first one, Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the embodiment of the expansion of the empire. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. Different cultures associated him with priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. The Name Quetzalcoatl The earliest Aztec and classic Maya serpent iconography can be found in a six-tiered pyramid specifically dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. In the Aztec religion, Chalchiuhtlicue was the goddess of water, but she was also the only Chalchiuhtlicue: The Aztec Goddess of Water, gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs. The Church of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons, teaches that Jesus Christ walked the Earth after his resurrection, spreading the word of Christianity to all corners of the globe. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. There are three different ways you can cite this article. During the epi-classic period, a dramatic spread of feathered serpent iconography is evidenced throughout Mesoamerica, and during this period images begin to figure prominently at sites such as Chichn Itz, El Tajn, and throughout the Maya area. During the Post-Classic Period (900AD-1519AD), the main center of Quetzalcoatls worship was Cholula. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. Quetzalcoatl by himself was a god of many things to the Toltecs and Aztecs. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. Quetzalcoatl was also linked with Aztec priesthood and one of the two high priests in the famous Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan assumed the title of Quetzalcoatl. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. [7] Animals thought to represent Quetzalcoatl include resplendent quetzals, rattlesnakes (coatl meaning "serpent" in Nahuatl), crows, and macaws. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. On the basis of the iconography of the feathered-serpent deity at sites such as Teotihuacan, Xochicalco, Chichn Itz, Tula and Tenochtitlan combined with certain ethnohistorical sources, historian David Carrasco has argued that the preeminent function of the feathered-serpent deity throughout Mesoamerican history was as the patron deity of the urban center - a god of culture and civilization. The importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. Quetzalcoatl, or Feathered Serpent, was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. Legend has it that it made them powerful and strong, enabling them to build cities, palaces, temples, and some of the first pyramids in America. That is, according to the Aztecs. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. Cholula remained the most important center of worship of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered-serpent deity, in the post-classic period. The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. [47], In 1971 Tony Shearer published a book called Lord of the Dawn: Quetzalcoatl and the Tree of Life, inspiring New Age followers to visit Chichen Itza at the summer solstice when dragon-shaped shadows are cast by the Kulkulcan pyramid.[48]. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. It is believed by the Aztec religion expert that the deity arose from the combination of the historical leader, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, and a Mesoamerican god. Although some Mesoamericans believed that Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy human sacrifices, others believed that his creation myth demanded them. Minster, Christopher. From ancient snake gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs! Quetzalcoatl was also associated with Venus, the Morning Star, and thus the dawn. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. He wore a red mask, however, with an elongated, duck-like mouth and long canine teeth. Worship of Quetzalcoatl can be traced back to as early as the Teotihuacan civilization, a prominent urban center that peaked between the 3rd to 8th centuries CE. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). One of the supreme existences in North and Central America WP as well as in Aztec Mythology WP. Chichen Itza is famous for its Temple of Kukulcn, which was their name for Quetzalcoatl. The Tlaxcalteca, along with other city-states across the Plain of Puebla, then supplied the auxiliary and logistical support for the conquests of Guatemala and West Mexico while Mixtec and Zapotec caciques (Colonial indigenous rulers) gained monopolies in the overland transport of Manila galleon trade through Mexico, and formed highly lucrative relationships with the Dominican order in the new Spanish imperial world economic system that explains so much of the enduring legacy of indigenous life-ways that characterize southern Mexico and explain the popularity of the Quetzalcoatl legends that continued through the colonial period to the present day. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. He took his companion Xolotl, a dog-headed god, with him. In fact, the then-current king himself, Moteuhzoma II, prophesied the return of Quetzalcoatl as a white-bearded person even if it would mean that hed have to give up his place on the throne. The famous Pyramid of the Niches at El Tajin is believed by many to be dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, and the many ball courts there also suggest that his cult was important. A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. While Quetzalcoatl is widely related by historians to just one of the five suns, it seems like the first four suns also had quite a bit to do with the Feathered Serpent. Mictlanteuctli and Mictlancihuatl, the two gods that ruled that realm, gave him a puzzle he was expected to complete before he could take the bones. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. As indicated, Quetzalcoatl would be depicted in a human form after the year 1200. This confederacy engaged in almost seventy-five years of nearly continuous conflict with the Aztec Empire of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of Corts. The date 9 Wind is known to be associated with fertility, Venus and war among the Maya and frequently occurs in relation to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures. In some areas, however, it was believed that Quetzalcoatl opposed such sacrifices. Human worship. In the episode "Damnesia You," Xavier winds up in the Aztec world and is immediately (and unsuccessfully) sacrificed for insulting the Sun God, and during the sacrifice the Aztecs humorously fail to pronounce his name. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice.Mesoamerican priests and kings would sometimes take the name of a deity they were associated with, so Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan are also the names of historical persons. The god in human form taught them to cultivate corn seeds, to work with jade, gold and obsidian, how to dye cotton, the art of astronomy, he enriched their writing, promoted the worship of the gods and forbade human sacrifices, teaching them self-sacrifice by pricking themselves with maguey thorns instead. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. . He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. The Aztecs, however, were only a small segment of the regions people. [24], According to another version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl is one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, the four Tezcatlipocas, each of whom presided over one of the four cardinal directions. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . Ultimately, Quetzalcoatl was forced into exile. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. Quetzalcoatl is but one of the Aztec gods and goddesses that has animal-like characteristics. Although probably not exactly a depiction of the same feathered-serpent deity worshipped in classic and post-classic periods, it shows the continuity of symbolism of feathered snakes in Mesoamerica from the formative period and on, for example in comparison to the Maya Vision Serpent shown below. Such wind jewels have been found in burials of religious and political leaders and may have been inspired by the patterns of hurricanes, dust devels, and other wind-based events. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. In fact, he flew straight into it, leading to a total eclipse. The worship of Quetzalcoatl became widespread with the rise of the Toltec civilization around 900 A.D. and spread throughout the region, even down to the Yucatan peninsula where it caught on with the Maya. He figures most prominently in the Aztec mythology but it was in the city of Cholula that the cult of Quetzalcoatl enjoyed influence and prominence during the Classic Period of Mesoamerica. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. Ruler of the, Nicholson 2001, Carrasco 1982, Gillespie 1989, Florescano 2002, Lafaye 1987, Townsend 2003, Martnez 1980, Phelan 1970. Xochiquetzal and the Moon They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. On the basis of the different symbolic systems used in portrayals of the feathered-serpent deity in different cultures and periods, scholars have interpreted the religious and symbolic meaning of the feathered-serpent deity in Mesoamerican cultures. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. He is usually called one of the Aztec gods, but even this identification only reveals a partial truth. This, too, can be seen in the birth of Quetzalcoatl. [43] In a 1986 paper for Sunstone, he noted that during the Spanish Conquest, the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. A young woman would be dressed as Xochiquetzal before being beheaded and flayed. Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. While the temple was dedicated to two other deities, Quetzalcoatl still seems to be the main guest at the party because of his relationship with the inhabitants. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. Then take the goddess & # x27 ; s skin dedicated to Quetzalcoatl that! 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