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The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. READ MORE: Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. [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]. Over more than a thousand years, a similar god was worshipped by virtually every one of Mesoamericas related cultures. 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. Subtleties in, and an imperfect scholarly understanding of, high Nahuatl rhetorical style make the exact intent of these comments tricky to ascertain, but Restall argues that Moctezuma's politely offering his throne to Corts (if indeed he did ever give the speech as reported) may well have been meant as the exact opposite of what it was taken to mean: politeness in Aztec culture was a way to assert dominance and show superiority. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. 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. Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. That is, according to the Aztecs. After all, thats the process that he himself went through: from darkness to light. Much of the idea of Corts being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. Eventually, this led to the fact that the four brothers became the creators of the universe, together referred to as the Tezcatlipocas. The next morning, Quetzalcoatl, feeling shame and regret, had his servants build him a stone chest, adorn him in turquoise, and then, laying in the chest, set himself on fire. 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". In one myth tied to this belief, the two killed a great monster and used its body to craft the world. Others said that he had invented the calendar and books. The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. With great respect and awe. 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. 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. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Over time, Quetzalcoatl's appearance, clothing, malevolent nature, and status among the gods were reshaped to fit a more Christian framework. 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. 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. 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. Quetzalcoatl's link to erudition and religious dedication ensured his worship across Mesoamerica, and some priests of high rank were anointed with his name. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. In the era following the 16th-century Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, a number of records conflated Quetzalcoatl with Ce Acatl Topiltzin, a ruler of the mythico-historic city of Tollan. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. 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. This is largely due to the story that the Aztec king welcomed Hernn Corts, the Spanish conquistador, as the reincarnation of the god. Ruler of the, Nicholson 2001, Carrasco 1982, Gillespie 1989, Florescano 2002, Lafaye 1987, Townsend 2003, Martnez 1980, Phelan 1970. 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. 2. 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! He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. According to the Book of Mormon, the resurrected Jesus Christ descended from heaven and visited the people of the American continent, shortly after his resurrection. This story probably came about later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. 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. Quetzalcoatl was also associated with Venus, the Morning Star, and thus the dawn. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. 1. Quetzalcoatls quarrels with his brother Tezcatlipoca sometimes brought about these destructions of the world. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. 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 cult even spread down into the Maya lands. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. The most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Spaniards, was their habit of human sacrifice . He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. 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. [24] In another story, the virgin Chimalman conceived Quetzalcoatl by swallowing an emerald. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. Besides giving life to people, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to survive. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. 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. As a god of wind, Quetzalcoatl was also an important fertility deity. Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. In the Codex's description of the first meeting between Moctezuma and Corts, the Aztec ruler is described as giving a prepared speech in classical oratorial Nahuatl, a speech which, as described in the codex written by the Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagn and his Tlatelolcan informants, included such prostrate declarations of divine or near-divine admiration as: You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you. Even today, however, Nahuatl is just one of sixty-three native languages recognized in Mexico. Some Mormons believe that Quetzalcoatl, who was associated with the east, (which in turn was represented by the color white to the Aztecs), was white-skinned. 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. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. 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 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. Similar mythology was shared by many of the Aztecs neighbors as well as their ancestors. What a conundrum. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. This is also evident in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. The earliest known iconographic depiction of the deity appears on Stela 19 at the Olmec site of La Venta. 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. 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 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. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. In another, they worked together to tear apart a monster called Tlaltcuhtli and create the land and its features from her body. [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. The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. He was a god of wind, culture, knowledge, and creation. However, as opposed to earlier depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan version of the deity had more elaborate features. Later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat Mesoamerican region through history rain, Quetzalcoatl! Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc to daily life worshipped by virtually every one how to worship quetzalcoatl native! 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