Tezcatlipoca is the patron of life and death and the source of god Quetzalcoatl’s destructive powers (Hamnett, 42). – meaning ‘maiden’) was a feminine deity of beauty, sexual love and power, fertility, and arts and crafts. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcóatl 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. In the Aztec creation story, Ometecuhtli was self-birthed, and as such the androgynous being’s dual genders acted as husband and wife to give birth to the other four major Aztec gods –. His ‘full name’, then, is often given as Quetzalcóatl-Ehécatl. As for his depiction, Mictlantecuhtli was often represented as a skeletal figure with blood spots or an ominous entity wearing a skull mask and necklace of eyeballs. Now as the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli was perceived as the singular entity that all human souls had to encounter, regardless of their righteousness or immorality. Major Aztec Gods 1- Huitzilopochtli . Shop Aztec God of Life and Death. human sacrifice to the Aztec war god, Huitzilopochtli. Interestingly enough, in that regard,  she was often venerated as the wife (or sister) of Tláloc, while in some cases, she was even worshipped as the feminine form of Tláloc himself. Tlaloc was a widely-worshiped deity and there was a site in … She was Queen of the Ages. Consequently, her hair and skin give way to trees and flowers, while her eyes and nose account for the caverns and springs. She is the sister of Chimalma and Coatlicue, according to Aztec mythology. Interestingly enough, while in the Aztec pantheon, Mixcoatl played a secondary role to Huitzilopochtli, he was sometimes worshipped as the ‘red’ aspect of Tezcatlipoca (‘The Smoking Mirror’), an entity responsible for striking the first fire with flint. On the symbolic level, she was also seen as the embodiment of earth – however, with dual characteristics – that of a loving, nourishing mother and of an insatiable force that required the lifeblood of its hosts. The Aztec Wind God’s name was Ehécatl (which simply means Wind in Náhuatl). Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec god of life, wind, and morning star. The Aztec god was also associated with a range of various concepts, including north, hurricanes, war, rulership, eternal youth, divination, sorcery, and jaguars. Like most of the Aztec gods, Tezcatlipoca is also associated to human sacrifice. Huitzilopochtli was the god of war and the sun. An old god Nanauatzin, sick with boils on his skin, made the leap and was consummated by flames and became the fifth Sun God. You can tell this too from the simple fact that EVERY Mexica child, boy or girl, went to school: the Aztecs were one of the first societies in the world to provide ‘universal education’. The Aztec Wind God’s name was Ehécatl (which simply means Wind in Náhuatl). Tezcatlipoca is the Aztec god of fire and of the night. A fertility deity is a god or goddess associated with fertility, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, and crops.In some cases these deities are directly associated with these experiences; in others they are more abstract symbols. One of the principal gods of Aztec people was Mictlantecuhtli. This partly has to do with the shared origins of Mixcoatl, who was also known as Camaxtli (roughly translating to ‘without deer sandals’), and was venerated in earlier and contemporary Mesoamerican cultures like the Otomi, the Chichimecs, and the Toltecs. And in case we have not attributed or misattributed any image, artwork or photograph, we apologize in advance. He was also the god of merchants and of arts, crafts, and knowledge. Before eating, each guest would drop some food on the ground as an offering to the god Tlaltecuhtli. Centeotl's name (pronounced something like Zin-tay-AH-tul) means “Maize Cob Lord” or “the Dried Ear of the Maize God”. Interestingly enough, while in the Aztec pantheon, Mixcoatl played a secondary role to, , he was sometimes worshipped as the ‘red’ aspect of, (‘The Smoking Mirror’), an entity responsible for striking the first fire with flint. The deity of the hunt, Mixcoatl, among the major Aztec gods, has a pretty complex history in the mythical narrative. Huehueteotl also tends to wear a large brazier marked with symbols of fire and which may itself have held incense. This nature of the conflict was also epitomized by Huitzilopochtli association to warfare – and as such, he was accompanied by his entourage of fallen warriors (whose spirits returned to earth as hummingbirds) and women who died during childbirth (which was perceived as an act of bravery). The Aztec goddess of ‘collected’ water on earth, thus embodying rivers, lakes, and oceans, Chalchiuhtlicue was considered as the female (protector) deity of navigation, childbirth, and newborn babies. Huitzilopochtli, god of war, sun, human sacrifice, patron of the city of Tenochtitlan, and national god of the Mexica (Aztec). Huitzilopochtli was the god of war, the sun and sacrifice. In another instance, Mixcoatl is mentioned to be the father to, mother but ended up having their hearts eaten by the god of war) and also, . The 57 principal Aztec gods 1- Quetzalcoatl-God of life, the winds and wisdom . He was worshipped in the temple at the Great Pyramid of Cholula. Considered as one of the major Aztec gods, Taking cues from the mythical narrative, Aztecs interpreted the ‘sibling rivalry’ between Huitzilopochtli and his sister. Like other major Aztec gods, he was also worshipped in the previous Mesoamerican cultures. Taking cues from the mythical narrative, Aztecs interpreted the ‘sibling rivalry’ between Huitzilopochtli and his sister Coyolxauhqui as the tussle between the sun and the moon for the control of the sky. A deity of agricultural renewal, vegetation, seasons, goldsmiths, and liberation, Suffice it to say, with the imagery of flayed skin and also the cult of death (and rebirth) associated with Xipe Totec, the Mexica people tended to venerate this Aztec god with human sacrifices – mostly carried out during the March festival of. One of the popular modes of sacrifice involved the mock gladiatorial combat where the prisoner (chosen on account of his bravery) was tied to a stone and handed a ‘fake’ macuahuitl with feathers instead of sharp obsidian blades. , was venerated as the creator of mankind and earth. The Aztec religion was made up of a complex set of beliefs, rituals and gods that helped the Aztec/Mexica to make sense of their world's physical reality, and the existence of life and death. They produce our sustenance ... which nourishes life. His color is black and he is considered to be the god of the North. Free Returns High Quality Printing Fast Shipping. Now judging by the aforementioned timeline, it is safe to assume that Tláloc’s cult was one of the oldest in Mexico, possibly centered around the mysterious origins of the city of Teotihuacan (not to be confused with Tenochtitlan). He was also the god of merchants and of arts, crafts, and knowledge. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcóatl was successfully able to retrieve the human bones from the underworld. ) Huitzilopochtli, Father of the Aztecs. Also known as Kukulkán to the Maya and Gucumatz to the Quiché (of Guatemala), etymologically, the very name ‘Quetzalcoatl’ comes from the combination of the Nahuatl words for the quetzal – the emerald plumed bird, and coatl or serpent. Lots of different size and color combinations to choose from. Interestingly enough, in that regard,  she was often venerated as the wife (or sister) of, , while in some cases, she was even worshipped as the feminine form of, In the narrative of the Aztec lore, Chalchiuhtlicue plays a crucial role in the Mexica version of the deluge myth, as she is the one to bring forth the cataclysmic flood and destroy the world of the Fourth Sun (the world of the Fifth Sun is once again populated by humans due to the efforts of. In any case, he was one of the major Aztec gods in the later pantheon whose temple was situated south of the Great Temple in Tenochtitlan. He is usually depicted as a serpent or feathered serpent. They called that Tenochtitlan. He was credited for the defeats and victories of the Aztec warriors in the war. Next Question > Test your knowledge of the Aztec civilization! As for the historical side of affairs, Chalchiuhtlicue was an important Aztec deity in a time period as late as the 16th century. It has been speculated that this god has its origins in either the Olmec or the Yope culture. That structure was deeply rooted in a … Dog T-Shirt designed by Admin Store. In the Aztec’s creation story, several gods had to sacrifice themselves in order to sustain the weak god who nobly sacrificed himself to create the sun. (White Tezcatlipoca) ... (The Aztecs prayed to him when there were deaths in water) Opochtli, god of fishing and birdcatchers discoverer of harpoons and the net; Huixtocihuatl, goddess of salt and patron of cultivated foods and people in the salt trade; Atlacoya, goddess of drought. Incredibly enough, it was the latter who elevated her to the position of the goddess of love – thus somewhat mirroring a political rivalry between the major Aztecs deities. He had to (hopelessly) fend off an experienced Aztec warrior/s fully armed and armored. Aztec God of Death. Mictlantecuhtli (left), god of death, the lord of the Underworld and Quetzalcoatl (right), god of wisdom, life, knowledge, morning star, patron of the winds and light, the lord of the West. Tlaloc. This is somewhat discerned from his ominous name roughly meaning – ‘our lord with the flayed skin’. In the narrative of the Aztec lore, Chalchiuhtlicue plays a crucial role in the Mexica version of the deluge myth, as she is the one to bring forth the cataclysmic flood and destroy the world of the Fourth Sun (the world of the Fifth Sun is once again populated by humans due to the efforts of Quetzalcoatl – discussed earlier in the article). In any case, beyond her powers of sexuality, Xochiquetzal was also venerated as the patroness of young mothers, pregnancy, weaving, and embroidery. And while he could be a forgiving, nourishing god, he could also be vengeful and use hail and thunderstorms when angered. Interestingly enough, as opposed to other Aztec gods, Xochiquetzal had pretty straightforward depiction in the mythical narrative, as she was often represented as an attractive, youthful woman who was dressed in her exquisite attire bedecked with flowers and followed by a vibrant retinue of birds and butterflies. Many sources list more than a hundred different gods or goddesses, while others list dozens more. The Aztec religion was made up of a complex set of beliefs, rituals and gods that helped the Aztec/Mexica to make sense of their world's physical reality, and the existence of life and death. Her festival coincided with the month of February (at the commencement of the rains), usually involving various rituals, like fasting, feasting, bloodletting, and brutal episodes of human sacrifice (that even included women and children). Marshall H. Saville; Alec Christensen (eds.). As for the historical side of affairs, the Feathered Serpent, in spite of his initial ‘hybrid’ characteristics, was usually depicted (post circa 1200 AD) in a human form who usually is adorned in shell jewelry and wears a conical hat (copilli). 03.02 The Aztecs 1. The elderly members of the family were well taken care of and respected in Aztec society. Tlaloc was the Aztec god of rain. The lack of any formal cult is possibly explained by the Aztec belief system that placed Ometecuhtli in the 13th heaven (symbolically, the highest plane) that made the entity ‘disconnected’ from the affairs of the ‘lower’ Aztec gods and mortals. Huitzilopochtli is the god of war. Venerated as the ‘mother of gods’, Coatlicue among the major Aztec gods and goddesses, was also mythically regarded as the feminine entity that gave birth to the stars, moon, and Huitzilopochtli (the patron god of sun and war). The pyramid of Quetzalcoatl (god of the 'feathered serpent') is showing the alternating 'Tlaloc' (left, with goggle eyes, a god of rain, fertility, and water) and feathered serpent (right, with a collar of feathers) heads. When Cortez first arrived at the Aztecs, many thought that he was the god Quetzalcoatl in human flesh. Aztec children were instructed early in life about manners and correct behavior. 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