In Aztec culture, this was considered to be one of the most important primal forces. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] Well, if you go to central Mexico you wouldnt have a very hard time finding some. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. Quetzalcoatl was also associated with Venus, the Morning Star, and thus the dawn. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". 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. The widespread worship of Quetzalcoatl may have even played a factor in the belief that the natives of Mexico identified him with the Spanish conquistador Hernn Corts. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. In the codices, he was generally more human-like. For example, the Aztecs revered him as the god of the priesthood, knowledge, and trade. It may be that the historical Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl was deified into Quetzalcoatl the god, or he may have assumed the mantle of an already existing divine entity. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. Before he left, however, he promised to return. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. 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. Ehecatl In some Aztec areas, such as Tenochtitlan, this was another wind god with nearly identical iconography to Quetzalcoatl. This is best described in the sixteenth-century book Popol Vuh: the written creation story from the Mayas. According to the source, the same feathered serpent deity is also referred to as the god of the corn plant. On the basis of the Teotihuacan iconographical depictions of the feathered serpent, archaeologist Karl Taube has argued that the feathered serpent was a symbol of fertility and of internal political structures - contrasting with the War Serpent symbolizing the outwards military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. Cortes continued to play the role of Quetzalcoatl for many years and eventually impacted others to convert. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Did the Incas worship Quetzalcoatl? This didnt help a lot to overcome their cruel intentions, however. Minster, Christopher. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. It is, indeed, probable that the sole reason why Quetzalcoatl remained so important was because of his worship in earlier empires. 1. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. READ MORE: 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World. That is, according to the Aztecs. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. He figures most prominently in the Aztec mythology but it was in the city of Cholula that the cult of Quetzalcoatl enjoyed influence and prominence during the Classic Period of Mesoamerica. 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. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. Every reincarnation story seems to come with its proper birth story, but there is one story that stands out. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. Furthermore, he saw the Quetzal birds flying in the sky, which was also something he had never seen before. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. This is what you have to look forward to- Initially, you will notice that you can find pleasure in new and sometimes bizarre places. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. 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. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. Among these Mesoamerican gods, Quetzalcoatl was also one of the oldest. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. Like many other Mesoamerican deities, the story of our god sees several reincarnations. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. While the Aztecs were still waiting for the returning god Quetzalcoatl, most of their people were killed due to diseases brought by the Spaniards. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. In this period the deity is known to have been named Quetzalchutl by his Nahua followers. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). 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. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. 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. Even in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl was connected to the fertility of the earth. The Nahua largely spoke dialects of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to unify their culture. This strongly suggests that these deities were Mayan equivalents of 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. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. 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. READ MORE: Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World. Quetzalcoatl had aspects in which he functioned as other gods. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. [12] Feathered-serpent iconography is prominent at all of these sites. The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. 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. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. How should one worship the sun? The meaning of his name is "Winged Serpent" or "Feathered Serpent". 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. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . 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. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. 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. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. Because, if they did include human sacrifice, basically a part of Quetzalcoatl himself would be killed in order to honor him. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. His body is usually black, a color that represents the north in Aztec art. The Aztecs, however, were only a small segment of the regions people. Because the feathered serpent was such a widespread and long-lasting archetype, he was known by many names throughout Mexico and Central America. A wide range of maize crops are still eaten to this date, both by the Mexicans that have adopted many of the European habits, and the remaining Indigenous peoples of central Mexico. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. As a priestly god, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the violent sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. 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. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. 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. 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. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. These were part of the Nahua culture, which included both these states and other independent ethnic groups in central Mexico. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. In the iconography of the classic period, Maya serpent imagery is also prevalent: a snake often appears as the embodiment of the sky itself, and a vision serpent is a shamanic helper presenting Maya kings with visions of the underworld. One legend claimed that the star was Quetzalcoatls heart, placed in the sky after he burned himself alive out of shame for neglecting his duties. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. 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. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. Or rather, arrived again. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. 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. The Name Quetzalcoatl 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. ", "Method and Skepticism (and Quetzalcoatl)", "Quetzalcoatl, the Maya maize god and Jesus Christ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quetzalcoatl&oldid=1141156375, Supernatural beings identified with Christian saints, Articles containing Classical Nahuatl-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from August 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2021, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from June 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Articles with incomplete citations from April 2020, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), Articles with sources in Nahuatl languages (nah), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, White Tecatlipoca, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, Feathered Serpent, Precious Twin, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Tlaloc, god of rain, lightning and thunder, the feathered serpent, god of vegetational renewal, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:09. 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