Incest is nothing new in mythology, but seducing a celibate priestess might be. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. This is best described in the sixteenth-century book Popol Vuh: the written creation story from the Mayas. Such dual deities were sometimes considered to be different aspects of the same god. 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. But still, how could that ever be the case? Rather than the conquistador himself being the wind god, however, it was that his army allowed the Puebla and their allies to reclaim the pyramid of Tlachihualtepetl, the center of Quezalcoatls cult. [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. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. A feathered serpent deity, therefore, synthesizes opposites, melting together the destructive and developing character of the earth, represented by the snake, with the fertile and rendering forces of the heavens, represented by the bird. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. 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. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. With great respect and awe. In his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, he was the fearsome god of Venus and the morning star. The east is represented by Xipe Totec who is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the god of gold and farming. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. likely used for curing rituals and private worship. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . In one myth tied to this belief, the two killed a great monster and used its body to craft the world. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Xochiquetzal and the Moon 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. Others said that he had invented the calendar and books. His most prominent manifestation in art, however, is literally that of a serpent with a feathered head.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',139,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4-0'); There is also rich iconography, sculpture, and mythology associated with Quetzalcoatl among all the major cultures of Mesoamerica not just in history but also in the modern world.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1-0'); Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. For example, the Aztecs revered him as the god of the priesthood, knowledge, and trade. According to this myth, the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, one of them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four cardinal directions. Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. As a priestly god, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the violent sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life. [18][need quotation to verify]. The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. 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. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". Some followers of the Latter Day Saints movement believe that Quetzalcoatl was historically Jesus Christ, who Latter-day Saints believe visited the New World as a resurrected being as reported in the Book of Mormon, but believe his name and the details of the event were gradually lost over time. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming and springtime. In the codices, he was generally more human-like. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". [22], To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. In the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. His representation of heaven and hell is also interpreted in different realms. Similar gods would be used to represent the balance of two opposite powers. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind. Minster, Christopher. Nor would he be seen as the reincarnation of the Feathered Serpent god.Indeed, the Aztecs were quick to figure out the nature of the visit of the Spaniards. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. ; (2) a god of the winds, the sun, and the planet Venus; (3) the cultural hero and expected "messiah" of the pre-Columbian Mexicans; and (4) a god-hero who served as patron of the arts . Welcome. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. 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. A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus was named after the deity. The relation of Quetzalcoatl with just the latest sun is a result of the mingling of his earliest myths and some new perceptions. He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. Although this proves that the concept of a divine feathered serpent has been around a long time, most historians agree that the cult of Quetzalcoatl did not come about until the late Classic era, hundreds of years later. Since the sixteenth century, it has been widely held that the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II initially believed the landing of Hernn Corts in 1519 to be Quetzalcoatl's return. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. After a slapstick-style chase scene, Xavier winds up as the Sun God and commits "sacricide" (sacrificial suicide), ending the skit. Minster, Christopher. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. What are the facts associated with this mysterious god? I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The worship of Miclantecuhtli was ongoing with the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. READ MORE: 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World. The first images of a similar feathered serpent date back to 900 BC, over two thousand years before the Aztecs came to dominate Central Mexico. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. 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. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. Quetzalcoatl is not a religious symbol in the Latter-day Saint faith, and is not taught as such, nor is it in their doctrine that Quetzalcoatl is Jesus. The most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Spaniards, was their habit of human sacrifice . In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. In this period the deity is known to have been named Quetzalchutl by his Nahua followers. [11] That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period (400 BC 600 AD) of Mesoamerican chronology; veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout Mesoamerica by the Late Classic period (600900AD). [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. 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. According to one version, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. For example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. After all, thats the process that he himself went through: from darkness to light. Often our current time was considered the fifth sun,[29] the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. 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. Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) 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. [32][33][34][35][36] Most documents expounding this theory are of entirely Spanish origin, such as Corts's letters to Charles V of Spain, in which Corts goes to great pains to present the naive gullibility of the Aztecs in general as a great aid in the conquest of the Aztec Empire. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. In another legend, still told in Mexico, Quetzalcoatl was feeling ill. His brother Tezcatlipoca, who wanted to be rid of Quetzalcoatl, came up with a clever plan. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. Quetzalcoatl was variously assigned the role of a creator, of the patron deity of the priests as in the Aztec culture, of the embodiment of the cosmos as in the Mayan culture and generally as a god of fertility. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. Profile [] Identity []. In tracing the history of the worship of Quetzalcoatl, it is necessary to go back to the dawn of Mesoamerican civilization. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. 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. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. While Quetzacoatl is one of the most well-known gods of ancient Mexico, he is often misunderstood. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. Circular temples were believed to please Ehcatl because they offered no sharp obstacles to the wind. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. By adding a bit of his own blood, he allowed a new civilization to emerge. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. Its more likely that Montezuma saw the Spanish not as enemies but as possible allies in his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire. Quetzalcoatl had aspects in which he functioned as other gods. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. Table of Contents [ hide] Etymology and Archaeology The four suns before Quetzalcoatl had been destroyed by disastrous events, like floods, fires, and volcanic eruptions. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. [15] In the 17th century, Ixtlilxchitl, a descendant of Aztec royalty and historian of the Nahua people, wrote, "Quetzalcoatl, in its literal sense, means 'serpent of precious feathers' but in the allegorical sense, 'wisest of men'."[16]. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. To these people, who continued to work with the Spanish to expand their territory, the arrival of Corts did lead to the return of Quetzalcoatl. As a double of Quetzalcoatl, he carries his conch-like ehecailacacozcatl or wind jewel.Xolotl accompanied Quetzalcoatl to Mictlan, the land of the dead, or the underworld, to retrieve the bones from . Later Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. They kept the same gods but believed in a new story. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. Toltec religion. [citation needed], In the Codex Chimalpopoca, it is said Quetzalcoatl was coerced by Tezcatlipoca into becoming drunk on pulque, cavorting with his older sister, Quetzalpetlatl, a celibate priestess, and neglecting their religious duties. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. 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. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. 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. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. Xolotl was the sinister god of monstrosities who wears the spirally-twisted wind jewel and the ear ornaments of Quetzalcoatl. Some scholarship maintains the view that the Aztec Empire's fall may be attributed in part to the belief in Corts as the returning Quetzalcoatl, notably in works by David Carrasco (1982), H. B. Nicholson (2001 (1957)) and John Pohl (2016). He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. Remember, he has already been deemed a god. Often he is also represented as spider monkeys, ducks, and other animals or beings of nature. [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. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . In fact, he flew straight into it, leading to a total eclipse. The legend reports that Quetzalcoatl was a peaceful king and priest of Tollan, but he was deceived by Tezcatlipoca and his followers, who practiced human sacrifice and violence. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. They therefore claimed that Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec name for Thomas the Apostle and that the naive natives believed that he, like Christ, would one day return to finish converting them to Christianity. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. The worlds largest pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl and was built up at the site over a period of a thousand years. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. Franciscans such as Toribio de Benavente "Motolinia" saw elements of Christianity in the pre-Columbian religions and therefore believed that Mesoamerica had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle, who, according to legend, had "gone to preach beyond the Ganges". There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl, it is to. Jewel and the Underworld from around the world as 900 BC in parts of Mexico placed on... Is deemed to be the case the help of one of the region. God of gold and farming needed ] the bird and the morning.... 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