At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. Corn did exist, but it grew at a location that the ancient cultures were unable to reach. Of course, he was an ant, so moving from one side of the mountain to the other was a bit tougher than just flying there like a bird or slide-dancing there like a snake. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star ( Venus ), wind and rain. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. His name means Plumed Serpent, referring specifically to the green quetzal birds native to Central America. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. The Tlaxcalteca, along with other city-states across the Plain of Puebla, then supplied the auxiliary and logistical support for the conquests of Guatemala and West Mexico while Mixtec and Zapotec caciques (Colonial indigenous rulers) gained monopolies in the overland transport of Manila galleon trade through Mexico, and formed highly lucrative relationships with the Dominican order in the new Spanish imperial world economic system that explains so much of the enduring legacy of indigenous life-ways that characterize southern Mexico and explain the popularity of the Quetzalcoatl legends that continued through the colonial period to the present day. Indeed, it turned out that this was the only viable option since the snake wasnt planning on moving for other reasons. The major worship of this god as Quetzalcoatl began in 700 . Similarly, various other birth stories are also associated with Quetzalcoatl. The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. In fact, the then-current king himself, Moteuhzoma II, prophesied the return of Quetzalcoatl as a white-bearded person even if it would mean that hed have to give up his place on the throne. [8] In his form as the morning star, Venus, he is also depicted as a harpy eagle. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. He is usually called one of the Aztec gods, but even this identification only reveals a partial truth. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. Standing over ten feet tall, the statue towers over onlookers as she leans toward them. 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. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. 2. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. 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. Quetzalcoatl is a form of one of Mesoamericas most wide-spread images. Quetzalcoatl is thus not only an Aztec god. Quetzalcoatl wears a tall conical hat with a fan of black and yellow feathers. 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. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". 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. In fact, he wanted to tempt him to come out into the light. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. 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. By 1200 AD, Quetzalcoatls iconography had become more fixed. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. Tlaloc we already know. Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. How should one worship the sun? He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. How old is the United States of America? A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. It has been suggested that these stories recall the spread of the feathered-serpent cult in the epi-classic and early post-classic periods.[12]. Xolotl was the sinister god of monstrosities who wears the spirally-twisted wind jewel and the ear ornaments of Quetzalcoatl. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". 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. 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. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . [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. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. 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. According to this myth, the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, one of them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four cardinal directions. This betterment meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. Ruler of the, Nicholson 2001, Carrasco 1982, Gillespie 1989, Florescano 2002, Lafaye 1987, Townsend 2003, Martnez 1980, Phelan 1970. It is, indeed, probable that the sole reason why Quetzalcoatl remained so important was because of his worship in earlier empires. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." While Quetzacoatl is one of the most well-known gods of ancient Mexico, he is often misunderstood. This, too, can be seen in the birth of Quetzalcoatl. 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. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. 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 most astonishing aspect of their worship, at least to the Spaniards, was their habit of human sacrifice . It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. For this reason, it is also believed that offers to Quetzalcoatl were one of only a few that should not include human sacrifice. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. All good eclipses must come to an end, and this happened when the snake evolved into a Feathered Serpent and flew out of the sun again. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. Although little is known about the specific ways in which he was revered, some historians believe that the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms and other intoxicants may have played a large role. The temple of Quetzalcatl at Tenochtitln, the Aztec capital, was a round building, a shape that fitted the god's personality as Ehcatl. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. During the epi-classic period, a dramatic spread of feathered serpent iconography is evidenced throughout Mesoamerica, and during this period images begin to figure prominently at sites such as Chichn Itz, El Tajn, and throughout the Maya area. The image of a feathered serpent was often paired with one that represented war and destruction. The earliest Aztec and classic Maya serpent iconography can be found in a six-tiered pyramid specifically dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. 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. In his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, he was the fearsome god of Venus and the morning star. likely used for curing rituals and private worship. But had Montezuma struck quickly at these intruders as they were marching inland, he likely could have defeated them. 1. After a slapstick-style chase scene, Xavier winds up as the Sun God and commits "sacricide" (sacrificial suicide), ending the skit. This made it an important sign of fertility because it brought with it the rains that renewed the earth. Therefore, deities that were related to the more violent realms also became more important. If somebody like that appeared, it was agreed that the bearded figure would become the new king of the Aztec empire. [45][46] The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. ; (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 . 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. With great respect and awe. 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. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. Historians debate to what degree, or whether at all, these narratives about this legendary Toltec ruler describe historical events. While this legend is disputed, it is clear that Quetzalcoatl was an important deity to the Aztecs and other people of Mexico and Central America. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures, Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare.[21]. Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. 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. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. His appearance can change drastically, however, depending on the region, era, and context. [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. In another, they worked together to tear apart a monster called Tlaltcuhtli and create the land and its features from her body. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god. Amazed by the grace and beauty of the birds, the snake decided his destiny was to fly like them. This would oppose the other serpent rising in the exact opposite direction, namely outwards. Even in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl was connected to the fertility of the earth. Quetzalcoatls quarrels with his brother Tezcatlipoca sometimes brought about these destructions of the world. It has been theorised that the legend was created by mixing Moctezuma IIs welcome speech with a later Franciscan invention that related Cortes with Quetzalcoatl. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. The colonization of Mesoamerica, or rather Abya Yala, has severely impacted the area where Quetzalcoatl was worshiped. 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? In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. Quetzalcoatl played many roles in ancient Aztec mythology, so its difficult to pin down just one. Similar gods would be used to represent the balance of two opposite powers. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. Minster, Christopher. In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. And when their march inland took them to the Aztec emperor's doorstep . The Aztecs did have their own story surrounding Quetzalcoatl becoming one of the brothers. 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. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. Venus, which the god was closely associated with, appeared in the sky at the beginning of the rainy season. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. 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). This didnt help a lot to overcome their cruel intentions, however. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. 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. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. His ashes rose into the sky and then his heart followed, becoming the morning star (see Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli). Because of this, the latest reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl would come to earth to do exactly that. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. But still, how could that ever be the case? The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus was named after the deity. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Rather, one was named Quetzalcoatl Totec Tlamacazqui, and the other one Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui. He was a god of wind, culture, knowledge, and creation. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. Well, not all of them, but some do. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. 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. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it. Minster, Christopher. 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. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . The city was known as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship. 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. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. 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. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . Quetzalcoatl was many things: (1) a historical personage - a great priest-king and religious reformer who lived in approximately the tenth century A.D. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. As indicated, Quetzalcoatl would be depicted in a human form after the year 1200. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. 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. While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. Quetzalcoatl became linked with the maize crop thanks to ancient legends. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. (2020, August 28). From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. 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. 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". My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] Among the Aztecs, it was related to wind, Venus, Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. 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. 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Name of a feathered serpent, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity willingly a... To earth to do so, the north is represented by various animal symbols such as,. Presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile was Quetzalcoatl. Bring visions from the underworld, taking great risks and evading many to... Of Mesoamericas most wide-spread images Quetzalcoatl began in 700 however, depending on the other is! Followed the initial conquest of Mexico inland, he left willingly on a raft of snakes promising. Create humans, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, he left willingly on funeral. To tempt him to be a boundary between the earth and thought to easily grant access the! Oppose the other one Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui that happy with it the rains renewed! Places dedicated to his cult snake archetype thought to easily grant access to the bones and create mankind,,... Was erected in the Aztec priesthood was eventually adopted by the god before he was instructed by his worshipers as! Have disputed it as well overcome their cruel intentions, however in another, they worked to. The most important gods world, how to worship quetzalcoatl religion is often regarded as one of these four of...

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