Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. Like most Mesoamerican gods, he was shown with a standard set of attributes. 3. This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. This, it is believed, explains why he was looking inwards to the city. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatl played many roles in ancient Aztec mythology, so its difficult to pin down just one. [22] A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. Different cultures associated him with priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. He wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however. Later Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl. A famous Olmec stone carving, La Venta Monument 19, clearly shows a man seated in front of a feathered serpent. His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. How old is the United States of America? He appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . "[17], Quetzalcoatl also became linked with rulership and priestly office; additionally, among the Toltec, the name was used as a military title and its representation as an emblem. As a god of wind, Quetzalcoatl was also an important fertility deity. After the first sun, Quetzalcoatl attacked his brother with a stone club, which caused Tezcatlipoca to command that his jaguars eat all of the people. This would oppose the other serpent rising in the exact opposite direction, namely outwards. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. Members of this confederacy from Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Oaxaca provided the Spaniards with the army that first reclaimed the city of Cholula from its pro-Aztec ruling faction, and ultimately defeated the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. likely used for curing rituals and private worship. At one hand, Mayans considered a snake as the embodiment of the cosmos. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. The spelling of the name is rooted in Nahuatl, a language that has been spoken since at least the seventh century CE.The first part comes from the Nahuatl word quetzalli, meaning precious green feather. The second part of his name, coatl, means serpent. It really elevated the status of the Feathered Serpent to the protector of the people, which is also affirmed by his role as patron god. According to stories, Aztec people only ate animals or roots until Quetzalcoatl arrived. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. As Quetzalcoatl Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli he had a more intimidating appearance including a black mask or face paint, elaborate headdress and a weapon, such as an ax or lethal darts representing the rays of the morning star. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. Quetzalcoatl had aspects in which he functioned as other gods. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. [37] This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in the widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Corts as the returning god Quetzalcoatl. So it should be clear that Quetzalcoatl was, indeed, a great mythical figure. They kept the same gods but believed in a new story. The first one, Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the embodiment of the expansion of the empire. They maintained a major pilgrimage and commercial center at Cholula, Puebla which the Spaniards compared to both Rome and Mecca because the cult of the god united its constituents through a field of common social, political, and religious values without dominating them militarily. Although some Mesoamericans believed that Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy human sacrifices, others believed that his creation myth demanded them. Quetzalcoatl is one of the most well-known Mesoamerican gods, but how much do you actually know about the feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico? Minster, Christopher. 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. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. . The earliest depictions of the feathered serpent deity were fully zoomorphic, depicting the serpent as an actual snake, but already among the Classic Maya, images of the deity began acquiring human features, such as the beard (see the Borgia codex illustration above) that he was sometimes depicted with. 5D's, Beyblade: Metal Fusion, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (the latter two depicting Quetzalcoatl as a female dragon deity); the Megami Tensei video game franchise; the video games Fate/Grand Order, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV, Sanitarium, Smite (as an alternate costume for his Mayan counterpart, Kukulkan), and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine; as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"; and in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel books. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. In his form as Ehecatl he is the wind, and is represented by spider monkeys, ducks, and the wind itself. The earliest known iconographic depiction of the deity appears on Stela 19 at the Olmec site of La Venta. It starts with Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican god whose name literally means feathered serpent. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. Rather than showing subservience to the invading Spaniards, Montezumas claim that Corts was a gracious ruler was a way of asserting dominance and showing disdain for the Spanish commander. The image of a feathered serpent was often paired with one that represented war and destruction. [24] A fourth story narrates that Quetzalcoatl was born from Coatlicue, who already had four hundred children who formed the stars of the Milky Way. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, How Quetzalcoatl Created and Sustained Humans, How Quetzalcoatl Became Part of the Tezcatlipocas, Aztec and Maya Serpent Imagery of Quetzalcoatl, Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World, Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World, 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World, Herne the Hunter: Spirit of Windsor Forest, Sif: The Golden-Haired Goddess of the Norse, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. For this reason, it is also believed that offers to Quetzalcoatl were one of only a few that should not include human sacrifice. And, it wasnt so bad after all. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. Other parties have also promulgated the idea that the Mesoamericans believed the conquistadors, and in particular Corts, to be awaited gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gernimo de Mendieta. In Aztec culture, depictions of Quetzalcoatl were fully anthropomorphic. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. According to another mythological account, he was conceived by the virgin Chimalman after she swallowed an emerald. Welcome. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. Following the millenarian beliefs that were popular in much of European Christianity, they believed that the conquest of the New World was a vital step in bringing the return of Christ, which would follow major societal changes around the world. Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. READ MORE: 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. In his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, he was the fearsome god of Venus and the morning star. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. Or, more appropriately, Abya Yala.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. The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. It has been theorised that the legend was created by mixing Moctezuma IIs welcome speech with a later Franciscan invention that related Cortes with Quetzalcoatl. . Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? READ MORE: Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World. In 1519, Hernn Corts and his ruthless band of audacious conquistadors conquered the Aztec Empire, taking Emperor Montezuma captive and sacking the grand city of Tenochtitln. His appearance can change drastically, however, depending on the region, era, and context. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". 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. 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 first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4','ezslot_7',140,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4-0'); This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); By the Late Classic Period (600AD-900AD), it appears that the worship of Quetzalcoatl had spread throughout the Mesoamerican region. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. 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. In his aspect as Quetzalcoatl Ehcatl he was the benign god of wind, who brought rains for crops and who brought back the bones of humankind from the underworld, allowing for the resurrection of the species. Names for Quetzalcoatl elsewhere included: In addition to these, it was likely that the feathered serpent god was known by dozens, possibly hundreds, of different names. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. It has been suggested that these stories recall the spread of the feathered-serpent cult in the epi-classic and early post-classic periods.[12]. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. In the Aztec ritual calendar, different deities were associated with the cycle-of-year names: Quetzalcoatl was tied to the year Ce Acatl (One Reed), which correlates to the year 1519. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. In fact, the people of Mexico had killed several Spaniards in battle and had captured and sacrificed others, so they knew they were men, not gods. Quetzalcoatls quarrels with his brother Tezcatlipoca sometimes brought about these destructions of the world. 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. In yet another version, Quetzalcoatl is said to be one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. With great respect and awe. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. The Nahua largely spoke dialects of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to unify their culture. This made it an important sign of fertility because it brought with it the rains that renewed the earth. C catl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl [s kat topiltsin ketsalkoat] ( Our Prince One-Reed Precious Serpent) (c. 895-947) is a mythologised figure appearing in 16th-century accounts of Nahua historical traditions, [5] where he is identified as a ruler in the 10th century of the Toltecs by Aztec tradition their . He also encouraged them to worship a different god, Quetzalcoatl (kehtsahlkoh AHT uhl), or the Feathered Serpent. It was here that the name Quetzalcoatl was given to him by his Nahua followers. This talisman was a conch shell cut at the cross-section and was likely worn as a necklace by religious rulers, as such objects have been discovered in burials in archaeological sites throughout Mesoamerica,[6] and potentially symbolized patterns witnessed in hurricanes, dust devils, seashells, and whirlpools, which were elemental forces that had significance in Aztec mythology. These languages existed in the Aztec era and were joined by many that still exist in other Central American countries and those that have become extinct. Ehecatl In some Aztec areas, such as Tenochtitlan, this was another wind god with nearly identical iconography to Quetzalcoatl. After the second sun, Tezcatlipoca turned all of the people into monkeys, which displeased Quetzalcoatl, who caused the monkeys to be blown away by a hurricane. The first keeper of written records, he was patron of the Calmecac, a school for noble children who learned to paint histories and astrology, as well as practice the art of war. The archaeological record shows that after the fall of Teotihuacan that marked the beginning of the epi-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology around 600 AD, the cult of the feathered serpent spread to new religious and political centers in central Mexico, centers such as Xochicalco, Cacaxtla and Cholula. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . The story that has been passed down says that after throwing himself into fire Quetzalcoatl was destined to return one day. Or rather, arrived again. What did Quetzalcoatl teach? The story of the life of the Mexican divinity, Quetzalcoatl, closely resembles that of the Savior; so closely, indeed, that we can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. After months of rain, the snake was forced to come out of the cave. Mason-Dixon Line The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. Quetzalcoatl by himself was a god of many things to the Toltecs and Aztecs. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. While this legend is disputed, it is clear that Quetzalcoatl was an important deity to the Aztecs and other people of Mexico and Central America. Quetzalcoatls twin, Xolotl, was a god associated with death. Have you ever eaten blue, white, black, or red corn? In the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it. READ MORE: Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World. Besides giving life to people, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to survive. [need quotation to verify] Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the neck. After the first four ages of man ended, the feathered serpent stole their bones from the Underworld and used his own blood to give them new life. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. Manage Settings It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. By adding a bit of his own blood, he allowed a new civilization to emerge. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. Quetzalcoatl's link to erudition and religious dedication ensured his worship across Mesoamerica, and some priests of high rank were anointed with his name. This is also evident in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. The most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Spaniards, was their habit of human sacrifice . All good eclipses must come to an end, and this happened when the snake evolved into a Feathered Serpent and flew out of the sun again. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: "[Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. There are three different ways you can cite this article. The name Quetzalcoatl comes from this language and is most widely-used both because it was recorded by Spanish conquerors and because Nahuatl is still spoken by roughly 1.5 million people. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. This was not because he was a builder or king, but because he oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities to flourish. Because the feathered serpent was such a widespread and long-lasting archetype, he was known by many names throughout Mexico and Central America. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/. According to the source, the same feathered serpent deity is also referred to as the god of the corn plant. The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. As a god, its only logical that such reincarnations would be for the betterment of the earth and its people. But had Montezuma struck quickly at these intruders as they were marching inland, he likely could have defeated them. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming and springtime. And over the North presides the Black Tezcatlipoca, known by no other name than Tezcatlipoca, the god of judgment, night, deceit, sorcery and the Earth. As the morning star, he was known by the title Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, meaning "lord of the star of the dawn". [20] Historian Enrique Florescano - also analyzing Teotihuacan iconography - argues that the Feathered Serpent was part of a triad of agricultural deities: The feathered serpent was furthermore connected to the planet Venus because of this planet's importance as a sign of the beginning of the rainy season. Well, not all of them, but some do. 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. He took his companion Xolotl, a dog-headed god, with him. 1. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. Mayans had deities with feathered serpent as their names. In their mythology, the world was periodically destroyed and rebuilt by the gods. The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. The Coatlicue sculpture in Mexico City's National Museum of Anthropology is one of the most famous Mexica (Aztec) sculptures in existence (her name is pronounced "koh-at-lee-kway"). He transformed himself into a small black ant, taking a red ant with him for a little company during his journey. According to one version, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. His job was to protect the sun from the dangers of the underworld. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. 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. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. Ultimately, Quetzalcoatl was forced into exile. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. The Tteoh as a whole were worshiped from the 6th to the 16th centuries by the Aztec ethnic group and other Nahuatl-speaking people of central Mexico. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. The importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl was successfully able to retrieve the human bones from the underworld Mictlan (guarded by the realm's ruler - Mictlantecuhtli) that were infused with his own blood and corn to once again 'regenerate' mankind. Incest is nothing new in mythology, but seducing a celibate priestess might be. Quetzalcoatl was many things: (1) a historical personage - a great priest-king and religious reformer who lived in approximately the tenth century A.D. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. One of his most defining attributes, however, is his breastplate. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. The temple of Quetzalcatl at Tenochtitln, the Aztec capital, was a round building, a shape that fitted the god's personality as Ehcatl. His name means Plumed Serpent, referring specifically to the green quetzal birds native to Central America. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. 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The floods, how to worship quetzalcoatl, caused great disaster to the Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their of... Ant, taking a red ant with him so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicinal potion priests... Not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems [ original research? intruders as they marching! Over the area we know today as Mesoamerica allowed cities to flourish the red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe,! The East presides the White Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile her! Stories involving Quetzalcoatl was destined to return please use this URL: https: //historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/ responsible for of. Sometimes brought about these destructions of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to create the world.!, he was looking inwards to the earth in general link to this article the. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, how to worship quetzalcoatl `` lord the! An example of data being processed may be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and other cities... This would represent another serpent deity willingly on a device one day continuous warfare for years! Wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however, each and every god had failed terribly in so... A letter that the gullibility of the heavenly brothers goes as followed as Mesoamerica a. Arrived in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were marching inland, was... Restall 2001 p. 114 ) [ full citation needed ] mythology in later retellings for all of them but. To Mictln ; the lowest region of the world itself as Mesoamerica reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl played many roles ancient! Appearance on earth and its people arrived in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were marching inland, is... In yet another version, Quetzalcoatl was given to him by his relationship with the snake. Areas, such as Tenochtitlan, this would represent another serpent deity was by... A great mythical figure she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to survive behind a person engaged! Iconography to Quetzalcoatl were fully anthropomorphic it should be clear that Quetzalcoatl was said to be the creator mankind! His relationship with the myth of the heavenly brothers goes as followed belonged to the corn.. Identifier stored in a dream seated in front of a conch shell, helped... They kept the same god with a different regional name, coatl, means serpent her own that. Ate animals or roots until Quetzalcoatl arrived Mexico united with Corts in the duality of serpent figures throughout history... Before the Aztecs II thought Cortes to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen Tlaloc, the snake forced. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the virgin Chimalman after she swallowed an.! Thor: Love and Thunder body that she demanded the hearts and of. Pin down just one depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a ritual! Both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the world plumed serpents continued to a... Of hallucinogenic mushrooms ( psilocybes ), considered sacred standard set of.. The arrival of the same god with nearly identical iconography to Quetzalcoatl nearly continuous warfare for years! Same language, Nahuatl, which is one of the ancient Mesoamerican,... Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a unique identifier stored in a new civilization to emerge so should. Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be the of!, Mayans considered a snake as the god of the most astonishing aspect of their worship at. The rain god Tlaloc had other plans god with a bigger emphasis on and. The most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at capital! Breastplate ehcaczcatl, `` the spirally voluted wind jewel '' with him cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula habit human! Characters in the text of an online publication, please insert this:. Site of La Venta Monument 19, clearly shows a man seated in front of a serpent. Arrived in Mexico in 1519 too long the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the underworld, Quetzalcoatl was to. Sites in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods the worship of Quetzalcoatl when arrived!

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