While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. He was quite a bit bigger than he was before. 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. The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. 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. 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. "[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. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. So it should be clear that Quetzalcoatl was, indeed, a great mythical figure. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. These sources further claimed that it was because of this superstition that Moctezuma II invited Cortes as a guest and didnt harm him or his soldiers. Ehecatl In some Aztec areas, such as Tenochtitlan, this was another wind god with nearly identical iconography to Quetzalcoatl. 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. 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. 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. [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. In the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. 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. 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. 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. Often our current time was considered the fifth sun,[29] the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. The west is represented by Quetzalcoatl who is also the White Tezcatlipoca and the god of light, justice, mercy, and wind. He headed east, eventually settling in Chichen Itza. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. For more details, Wikipedia is a good resource. According to stories, Aztec people only ate animals or roots until Quetzalcoatl arrived. With the importance of the snake and bird for Aztec and Mayan culture in mind, it goes without saying that there are many depictions of feathered serpents in ancient excavations. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. Hernan Cortes, who led the Spaniards, was first invited into the city by Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. The Aztecs did have their own story surrounding Quetzalcoatl becoming one of the brothers. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. [30], He is also attributed with having brought the cacao plant from a sacred mountain to the Toltec people, teaching the women how to make traditional drinking chocolate.[31]. Quetzalcoatl was a jack of many trades, a truth also reflected in the stories surrounding his birth. 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 worship of this deity has been traced back to as early as the first century BC. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. Colonial documentary sources from the Maya area frequently speak of the arrival of foreigners from the central Mexican plateau, often led by a man whose name translates as "Feathered Serpent". My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) If this speech was actually given, its likely that ignorance of Aztec customs and Nahuatl speech patterns was to blame for giving the impression that Montezuma was willingly handing over power to a divine being. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. According to Toltec and Maya accounts, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl lived in Tula for a while before a dispute with the warrior class over human sacrifice led to his departure. Each represented a color and a cardinal direction, with Quetzalcoatl being the only god that wasnt related to war or human sacrifice. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. The image of a feathered serpent was often paired with one that represented war and destruction. 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. 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"). 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. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent deity. It was here that the name Quetzalcoatl was given to him by his Nahua followers. In his form as Ehecatl he is the wind, and is represented by spider monkeys, ducks, and the wind itself. At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. Its still in line with the ubiquity of the plumed serpent, but the Aztec religion probably saw Quetzalcoatl as a more important deity in the creation of the world when compared to the civilizations that came before them. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. This made crops grow and brought water for drinking. Why is that? In the 16th century, Spaniards conquered the Aztec Empire. While in his own story, this was not all too literal, his actions that followed were actually the literal interpretation of his promise. Mason-Dixon Line Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming and springtime. In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. For example, the Aztecs revered him as the god of the priesthood, knowledge, and trade. 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. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? 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. Historian Matthew Restall concludes that: The legend of the returning lords, originated during the Spanish-Mexica war in Corts' reworking of Moctezuma's welcome speech, had by the 1550s merged with the Corts-as-Quetzalcoatl legend that the Franciscans had started spreading in the 1530s. 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.. What are the facts associated with this mysterious god? 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. Over more than a thousand years, a similar god was worshipped by virtually every one of Mesoamericas related cultures. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. However, later sources uncover that already a year before him a similar figure dwelled in the lands of the Aztec territory. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. In tracing the history of the worship of Quetzalcoatl, it is necessary to go back to the dawn of Mesoamerican civilization. This is evident in the iconography recovered from these sites. A young woman would be dressed as Xochiquetzal before being beheaded and flayed. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. 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. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Indeed, the same as the one from the Great Pyramid. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. . As a god, its only logical that such reincarnations would be for the betterment of the earth and its people. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. 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. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". Quetzalcoatl by himself was a god of many things to the Toltecs and Aztecs. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. 1. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. One of his most defining attributes, however, is his breastplate. 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. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. 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). 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. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. After the eclipse of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl would go on a trip to the underworld. [44], Quetzalcoatl was fictionalized in the 1982 film Q as a monster that terrorizes New York City. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. 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. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. Sure, we understand that corn is all these things, but was Quetzalcoatl just given the status of the god of corn in ancient Mesoamerican culture? One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. 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. A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. 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. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. 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. In Aztec culture, this was considered to be one of the most important primal forces. The most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Spaniards, was their habit of human sacrifice . Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. Later Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl. Eventually, this led to the fact that the four brothers became the creators of the universe, together referred to as the Tezcatlipocas. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. 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. 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". In a version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl was born by a virgin named Chimalman, to whom the god Ometeotl appeared in a dream. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. 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. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. The importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. After only a couple of years, the Aztec empire ended due to a combination of foreign diseases and diplomacy. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. [40] However, a majority of Mesoamericanist scholars, such as Matthew Restall (2003, 2018[37]), James Lockhart (1994), Susan D. Gillespie (1989), Camilla Townsend (2003a, 2003b), Louise Burkhart, Michel Graulich and Michael E. Smith (2003), among others, consider the "Quetzalcoatl/Corts myth" as one of many myths about the Spanish conquest which have risen in the early post-conquest period. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. But still, how could that ever be the case? A famous Olmec stone carving, La Venta Monument 19, clearly shows a man seated in front of a feathered serpent. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. 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. He appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus. Although Montezuma did not likely believe Corts to be the reincarnation of the wind god, the popular legend has made Quetzalcoatl the most well-known god of Mesoamerica. Aztec culture, this legend have come into question of snakes, promising to return helped Mesoamerican cultures start corn. 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