Well, not all of them, but some do. The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus was named after the deity. Nor would he be seen as the reincarnation of the Feathered Serpent god.Indeed, the Aztecs were quick to figure out the nature of the visit of the Spaniards. 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. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. Ruler of the, Nicholson 2001, Carrasco 1982, Gillespie 1989, Florescano 2002, Lafaye 1987, Townsend 2003, Martnez 1980, Phelan 1970. 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. Indeed, it turned out that this was the only viable option since the snake wasnt planning on moving for other reasons. 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. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. [citation needed] Additionally, at least one major cache of offerings includes knives and idols adorned with the symbols of more than one god, some of which were adorned with wind jewels. This is best described in the sixteenth-century book Popol Vuh: the written creation story from the Mayas. As the story goes, the Aztec believed in a white, bearded god named Quetzalcoatl, who, long ago, had disappeared into the east. The colonization of Mesoamerica, or rather Abya Yala, has severely impacted the area where Quetzalcoatl was worshiped. For more details, Wikipedia is a good resource. It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . Or rather, arrived again. Profile [] Identity []. After only a couple of years, the Aztec empire ended due to a combination of foreign diseases and diplomacy. Quetzalcoatl is one of the most well-known Mesoamerican gods, but how much do you actually know about the feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico? At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] READ MORE: Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. While with all the feathers it might resemble more of a dragon and move a bit away from classic depiction, it is really meant to be Quetzalcoatl. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. Human worship. For this reason, it is also believed that offers to Quetzalcoatl were one of only a few that should not include human sacrifice. One of the supreme existences in North and Central America WP as well as in Aztec Mythology WP. Because of this, the latest reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl would come to earth to do exactly that. 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. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. [22] A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. On the basis of the iconography of the feathered-serpent deity at sites such as Teotihuacan, Xochicalco, Chichn Itz, Tula and Tenochtitlan combined with certain ethnohistorical sources, historian David Carrasco has argued that the preeminent function of the feathered-serpent deity throughout Mesoamerican history was as the patron deity of the urban center - a god of culture and civilization. This story probably came about later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat. Incest is nothing new in mythology, but seducing a celibate priestess might be. Some scholarship maintains the view that the Aztec Empire's fall may be attributed in part to the belief in Corts as the returning Quetzalcoatl, notably in works by David Carrasco (1982), H. B. Nicholson (2001 (1957)) and John Pohl (2016). The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . 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. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. 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. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. As a god of wind, Quetzalcoatl was also an important fertility deity. He also encouraged them to worship a different god, Quetzalcoatl (kehtsahlkoh AHT uhl), or the Feathered Serpent. There was one way that would certainly work, namely by letting it rain so abundantly that the snake simply drifted out of the cave. 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. Two other gods represented by the planet Venus are Tlaloc (ally and the god of rain) and Xolotl (psychopomp and its twin). In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: [Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful., -Bernadino de Sahagn, Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. The language is spoken today in the highlands of central Guatemala. Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. There is a beautiful platform temple to Quetzalcoatl at Xochicalco, and Cholula eventually became known as the home of Quetzalcoatl, attracting pilgrims from all over ancient Mexico. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. 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. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. [37] This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in the widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Corts as the returning god Quetzalcoatl. Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. 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"). Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. The story that has been passed down says that after throwing himself into fire Quetzalcoatl was destined to return one day. [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. Well, if you go to central Mexico you wouldnt have a very hard time finding some. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. His earrings are made of either jade or spiraling shells. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. Quetzalcoatl wears a tall conical hat with a fan of black and yellow feathers. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. 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. 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". From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. Xolotl Among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatls twin. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. 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. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. 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. Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. Before he left, however, he promised to return. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. 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. [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. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. 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 Spanish helped non-Aztec groups reclaim territory that included a massive pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4','ezslot_7',140,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4-0'); This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); By the Late Classic Period (600AD-900AD), it appears that the worship of Quetzalcoatl had spread throughout the Mesoamerican region. 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. According to this myth, the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, one of them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four cardinal directions. Often he is also represented as spider monkeys, ducks, and other animals or beings of nature. After the eclipse of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl would go on a trip to the underworld. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind. The city was known as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship. Quetzalcoatl, or Feathered Serpent, was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. Over more than a thousand years, a similar god was worshipped by virtually every one of Mesoamericas related cultures. 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 importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. 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. This article is about a Mesoamerican deity. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. [22], To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. 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. The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. The worlds largest pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl and was built up at the site over a period of a thousand years. In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. In some stories he created mankind, and in others he worked with his brother to form the earth itself. For example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. 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. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. [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 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. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. The worship of Miclantecuhtli was ongoing with the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. [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. Similarly, various other birth stories are also associated with Quetzalcoatl. What did Quetzalcoatl teach? Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. 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. A 2012 exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Dallas Museum of Art, "The Children of the Plumed Serpent: the Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico", demonstrated the existence of a powerful confederacy of Eastern Nahuas, Mixtecs and Zapotecs, along with the peoples they dominated throughout southern Mexico between 1200 and 1600 (Pohl, Fields, and Lyall 2012, Harvey 2012, Pohl 2003). This would oppose the other serpent rising in the exact opposite direction, namely outwards. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. Rather, one was named Quetzalcoatl Totec Tlamacazqui, and the other one Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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.. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures, Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare.[21]. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. 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. Ehecatl In some Aztec areas, such as Tenochtitlan, this was another wind god with nearly identical iconography to Quetzalcoatl. As a god, its only logical that such reincarnations would be for the betterment of the earth and its people. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. Quetzalcoatl, or "Feathered Serpent," was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. 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 Nahua civilization, which included the central Mexican Aztecs, almost universally worshipped Quetzalcoatl among their gods. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. . 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. Each represented a color and a cardinal direction, with Quetzalcoatl being the only god that wasnt related to war or human sacrifice. 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. Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. Among the Aztecs, it was related to wind, Venus, Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. The four suns before Quetzalcoatl had been destroyed by disastrous events, like floods, fires, and volcanic eruptions. Rise early to appreciate the magnificence of her rising, and try to spend some time soaking up her warmth whenever you can. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. Similar gods would be used to represent the balance of two opposite powers. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. The god in human form taught them to cultivate corn seeds, to work with jade, gold and obsidian, how to dye cotton, the art of astronomy, he enriched their writing, promoted the worship of the gods and forbade human sacrifices, teaching them self-sacrifice by pricking themselves with maguey thorns instead. 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. (2020, August 28). Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. They kept the same gods but believed in a new story. He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. 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. 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. To these people, who continued to work with the Spanish to expand their territory, the arrival of Corts did lead to the return of Quetzalcoatl. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. 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. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Xochiquetzal and the Moon One day, Quetzalcoatls twin brother would coerce him into drinking pulque, a classic Mexican alcoholic beverage still served to this day.