READ MORE: Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World. 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. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. Quetzalcoatl, or "Feathered Serpent," was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. 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. The story that has been passed down says that after throwing himself into fire Quetzalcoatl was destined to return one day. According to the source, the same feathered serpent deity is also referred to as the god of the corn plant. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . Did the Incas worship Quetzalcoatl? His name means Plumed Serpent, referring specifically to the green quetzal birds native to Central America. 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. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. 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. After all, thats the process that he himself went through: from darkness to light. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. Xochiquetzal and the Moon What are the facts associated with this mysterious god? Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. 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. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. Human worship. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. Accessed March 1, 2023. Well, not all of them, but some do. 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. [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. 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. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. He wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however. The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Quetzalcoatl stands out from the Mesoamerican pantheon as being relatively less bloodthirsty than others like Huitzilopochtli or Tezcatlipoca, making him as good a candidate as any for Jesus visiting the New World. [24] A fourth story narrates that Quetzalcoatl was born from Coatlicue, who already had four hundred children who formed the stars of the Milky Way. . This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. Others said that he had invented the calendar and books. This, it is believed, explains why he was looking inwards to the city. Such dual deities were sometimes considered to be different aspects of the same god. After only a couple of years, the Aztec empire ended due to a combination of foreign diseases and diplomacy. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. The worship of Miclantecuhtli was ongoing with the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. 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. 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. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. Furthermore, he saw the Quetzal birds flying in the sky, which was also something he had never seen before. Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". 1. Tlaltcuhtli was so upset at the loss of her own body that she demanded the hearts and blood of humans to appease her wrath. 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. It allows for a form of food security, and therefore for peace, and as a result, has taken on not only physical and economic importance but spiritual significance as well. https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322 (accessed March 2, 2023). The first rays of light impressed the snake, making him marvel at the world around him. Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. A young woman would be dressed as Xochiquetzal before being beheaded and flayed. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. His form of reincarnation, more specifically, would be that of a white person with a long beard. 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. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. The major worship of this god as Quetzalcoatl began in 700 . Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to one myth, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. Quetzalcoatl is a form of one of Mesoamericas most wide-spread images. As a wind god, he was also responsible for making the rain fall. 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. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. Remember, he has already been deemed a god. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . "9 Facts About 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. 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.. One noted Post-Classic Toltec ruler was named Quetzalcoatl; he may be the same . To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/. 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. In yet another version, Quetzalcoatl is said to be one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. 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). 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. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, How Quetzalcoatl Created and Sustained Humans, How Quetzalcoatl Became Part of the Tezcatlipocas, Aztec and Maya Serpent Imagery of Quetzalcoatl, Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World, Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World, 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World, Herne the Hunter: Spirit of Windsor Forest, Sif: The Golden-Haired Goddess of the Norse, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. [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. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl was successfully able to retrieve the human bones from the underworld Mictlan (guarded by the realm's ruler - Mictlantecuhtli) that were infused with his own blood and corn to once again 'regenerate' mankind. Why is that? Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". Quetzalcoatl became, in fact, the very title of the most important priests: the twin Aztec High Priests. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. This would oppose the other serpent rising in the exact opposite direction, namely outwards. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. 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. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. His body is usually black, a color that represents the north in Aztec art. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. Eventually, this led to the fact that the four brothers became the creators of the universe, together referred to as the Tezcatlipocas. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. Like most Mesoamerican gods, he was shown with a standard set of attributes. In the 16th century, Spaniards conquered the Aztec Empire. But still, how could that ever be the case? The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. 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. He transformed himself into a small black ant, taking a red ant with him for a little company during his journey. The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. And over the North presides the Black Tezcatlipoca, known by no other name than Tezcatlipoca, the god of judgment, night, deceit, sorcery and the Earth. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming and springtime. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Because of this, the latest reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl would come to earth to do exactly that. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. [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. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. Historians debate to what degree, or whether at all, these narratives about this legendary Toltec ruler describe historical events. Before he left, however, he promised to return. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. 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. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. His appearance can change drastically, however, depending on the region, era, and context. Often he is also represented as spider monkeys, ducks, and other animals or beings of nature. 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 was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. Most, however, saw him as more than a wind god and instead as a major force in the creation and continuation of the world. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. They kept the same gods but believed in a new story. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. 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