Different versions of the birth of god are prevalent in Mesoamerican mythology. 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. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. Quetzalcoatls quarrels with his brother Tezcatlipoca sometimes brought about these destructions of the world. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. 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. 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. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. 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. Ultimately, Quetzalcoatl was forced into exile. 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 is also evident in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. That is, according to the Aztecs. As a priestly god, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the violent sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. 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). Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. 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. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. The first one, Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the embodiment of the expansion of the empire. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. What a conundrum. The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. For example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. 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. 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. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? Cholula remained the most important center of worship of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered-serpent deity, in the post-classic period. But still, how could that ever be the case? He wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. 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. 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. After months of rain, the snake was forced to come out of the cave. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. 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? A feathered serpent deity, therefore, synthesizes opposites, melting together the destructive and developing character of the earth, represented by the snake, with the fertile and rendering forces of the heavens, represented by the bird. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice.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. Because of this, the ways in which he was worshipped varied widely. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. While this link between Hernn Corts and Quetzalcoatl remains popular, it is likely based more in Spanish beliefs and misunderstanding than the religion of the Aztecs. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. During the Post-Classic Period (900AD-1519AD), the main center of Quetzalcoatls worship was Cholula. These were part of the Nahua culture, which included both these states and other independent ethnic groups in central Mexico. How should one worship the sun? The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. [citation needed], In the Codex Chimalpopoca, it is said Quetzalcoatl was coerced by Tezcatlipoca into becoming drunk on pulque, cavorting with his older sister, Quetzalpetlatl, a celibate priestess, and neglecting their religious duties. This betterment meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. However, as opposed to earlier depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan version of the deity had more elaborate features. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". Xolotl was the sinister god of monstrosities who wears the spirally-twisted wind jewel and the ear ornaments of Quetzalcoatl. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Toltec religion. 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's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. In a version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl was born by a virgin named Chimalman, to whom the god Ometeotl appeared in a dream. [43] In a 1986 paper for Sunstone, he noted that during the Spanish Conquest, the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. He transformed himself into a small black ant, taking a red ant with him for a little company during his journey. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star ( Venus ), wind and rain. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. [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. Different cultures associated him with priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. The four suns before Quetzalcoatl had been destroyed by disastrous events, like floods, fires, and volcanic eruptions. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. [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. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . READ MORE: Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. This, too, can be seen in the birth of Quetzalcoatl. Besides giving life to people, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to survive. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. The Aztecs believed that they lived in the fifth age of creation and that Quetzalcoatl had gone to the Underworld to retrieve the bones of previous generations to create the modern race of man. 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. 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. 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. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. 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. Quetzalcoatl became, in fact, the very title of the most important priests: the twin Aztec High Priests. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. 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. Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. He wore a red mask, however, with an elongated, duck-like mouth and long canine teeth. Rather, one was named Quetzalcoatl Totec Tlamacazqui, and the other one Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. Although probably not exactly a depiction of the same feathered-serpent deity worshipped in classic and post-classic periods, it shows the continuity of symbolism of feathered snakes in Mesoamerica from the formative period and on, for example in comparison to the Maya Vision Serpent shown below. 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. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. 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. The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Have you ever eaten blue, white, black, or red corn? A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. (2020, August 28). The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. Quetzalcoatl is thus not only an Aztec god. 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