There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". The relation of Quetzalcoatl with just the latest sun is a result of the mingling of his earliest myths and some new perceptions. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." The west is represented by Quetzalcoatl who is also the White Tezcatlipoca and the god of light, justice, mercy, and wind. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. His form of reincarnation, more specifically, would be that of a white person with a long beard. There are three different ways you can cite this article. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. For example, the Aztecs revered him as the god of the priesthood, knowledge, and trade. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. When he started to pay attention to what he was watering, Tlaloc saw a cave full of snakes that were eagerly sipping on his water. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. By 1200 AD, Quetzalcoatls iconography had become more fixed. Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. This made it an important sign of fertility because it brought with it the rains that renewed the earth. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. How old is the United States of America? This view has been questioned by ethno-historians who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Corts connection is not found in any document that was created independently of post-Conquest Spanish influence, and that there is little proof of a pre-Hispanic belief in Quetzalcoatl's return. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. The east is represented by Xipe Totec who is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the god of gold and farming. 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. Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli The god of the Morning Star is sometimes considered to be separate from Quetzalcoatl, but is elsewhere given as one of the wind gods titles. 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. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322 (accessed March 2, 2023). It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . 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 . This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. As an Aztec deity, he was one of four sons of the creator god Ometeotl, associated with the wind god, and the patron god of arts and knowledge. The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Quetzalcoatl was not only one of the most important deities in pre-Columbian Mexico, he was also one of the oldest. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. 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. You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. The Nahua civilization, which included the central Mexican Aztecs, almost universally worshipped Quetzalcoatl among their gods. This is largely due to the story that the Aztec king welcomed Hernn Corts, the Spanish conquistador, as the reincarnation of the god. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death Although the citys main temple was not dedicated to him, the priests of the city took his name and his iconography was prevalent. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. 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. After a slapstick-style chase scene, Xavier winds up as the Sun God and commits "sacricide" (sacrificial suicide), ending the skit. The connection between Quetzalcoatl and the fall of the Aztec Empire may also have its roots in political events that predated the arrival of Corts and his army. This was not because he was a builder or king, but because he oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities to flourish. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. "[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. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. Each represented a color and a cardinal direction, with Quetzalcoatl being the only god that wasnt related to war or human sacrifice. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. [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. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. Represented as the plumed serpent, Quetzalcoatl was also seen as manifest in the wind, one of the most powerful forces of nature; a text in the Nahuatl language captures this relationship: Quetzalcoatl; yn ehecatl ynteiacancauh yntlachpancauh in tlaloque, yn aoaque, yn qujqujiauhti. 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. Franciscans then equated the original Quetzalcoatl with Thomas and imagined that the Indians had long-awaited his return to take part once again in God's kingdom. At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. Did the Incas worship Quetzalcoatl? 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. 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 stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. 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. 2. 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. With great respect and awe. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. Quetzalcoatl became linked with the maize crop thanks to ancient legends. Similarly, various other birth stories are also associated with Quetzalcoatl. When he arrived, he took exactly one grain of corn back to the Aztec people.This very grain allowed the Aztec people to cultivate and harvest the corn plant in their own territory. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. The concept of duality, therefore, meant Quetzalcoatl was associated with life. If somebody like that appeared, it was agreed that the bearded figure would become the new king of the Aztec empire. Hernan Cortes, who led the Spaniards, was first invited into the city by Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Nahuatl nouns compounded into the proper name "Quetzalcoatl" are: (in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl languages), Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, "Evidence of Mushroom Worship in Mesoamerica", "New Taxonomical and Ethnomycological Observations on, "All You Need To Know About The Ancient Aztec Gods and Goddesses", "Readings in Classical Nahuatl: The Death of Quetzalcoatl", "Gift of the Gods: Chocolate in the Aztec Empire", "The Complete New York City Horror Movie Marathon! Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. Quetzalcoatl went to Mictlan, the underworld, and created fifth-world mankind from the bones of the previous races (with the help of Cihuacoatl), using his own blood, from a wound he inflicted on his earlobes, calves, tongue, and penis, to imbue the bones with new life. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. His earrings are made of either jade or spiraling shells. Profile [] Identity []. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. Chichen Itza is famous for its Temple of Kukulcn, which was their name for Quetzalcoatl. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Why is that? Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. From ancient snake gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs! It allows for a form of food security, and therefore for peace, and as a result, has taken on not only physical and economic importance but spiritual significance as well. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. 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. [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]. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. The Teotihuacan iconographical depictions are often interpreted as a version where Quetzalcoatl played the role of a fertility-related serpent deity. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. [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. By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. 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. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. It starts with Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) Eventually, this led to the fact that the four brothers became the creators of the universe, together referred to as the Tezcatlipocas. Based on the birth story of Quetzalcoatl, it seems safe to assume that the fourth sun was destroyed because of the floods caused by Tlaloc. 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". It shows the first signs of a feathered serpent cult amongst ancient civilizations of the region. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Xolotl was the sinister god of monstrosities who wears the spirally-twisted wind jewel and the ear ornaments of Quetzalcoatl. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. 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. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. 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. However, as opposed to earlier depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan version of the deity had more elaborate features. The colonization of Mesoamerica, or rather Abya Yala, has severely impacted the area where Quetzalcoatl was worshiped. 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. But still, how could that ever be the case? ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. [13] Furthermore, early Spanish sources written by clerics tend to identify the god-ruler Quetzalcoatl of these narratives with either Hernn Corts or Thomas the Apostleidentifications which have also become sources of a diversity of opinions about the nature of Quetzalcoatl. Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent deity. But the history of the former has been handed down to us through an impure Lamanitish source, which has sadly disfigured and perverted the original incidents and teachings of the Savior's life and ministry. Because the feathered serpent was such a widespread and long-lasting archetype, he was known by many names throughout Mexico and Central America. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. This is what you have to look forward to- Initially, you will notice that you can find pleasure in new and sometimes bizarre places. In general, he is considered the god of wisdom, the god of the Aztec ritual calendar, the god of corn and maize, and oftentimes a symbol of death and resurrection.The different roles of Quetzalcoatl are partly attributable to a series of reincarnations. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. 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. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. Montezuma's failure to act has been attributed to his belief that Cortes was none other than Quetzalcoatl, who had once gone away to the east, promising to return. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. [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. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. Standing over ten feet tall, the statue towers over onlookers as she leans toward them. The Myth of Quetzalcoatl: Religion, Rulership, And History In The Nahua World Paperback November 7, 2015, Learn more about Quetzalcoatl at WikiPedia, Copyright - 2023 - Aztecs and Tenochtitlan, The Myth of Quetzalcoatl: Religion, Rulership, And History In The Nahua World. In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. As a part of the Teotihuacan empire is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec of... Hernn Corts, perhaps the most famous god of gold and farming to! That of a White person with a long period of Aztec culture, and principle. Of all people and the is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the ear ornaments of.. 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