Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the twin Aztec high priests. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. Venus, which the god was closely associated with, appeared in the sky at the beginning of the rainy season. For example, the Aztecs revered him as the god of the priesthood, knowledge, and trade. According to one version, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. In mythology, he is a gentle god who loves peace, and it is said that he bestowed many blessings to the humans. The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. He wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however. [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. It is believed by the Aztec religion expert that the deity arose from the combination of the historical leader, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, and a Mesoamerican god. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. 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.. 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. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Circular temples were believed to please Ehcatl because they offered no sharp obstacles to the wind. 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. For more details, Wikipedia is a good resource. The Nahua largely spoke dialects of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to unify their culture. [15] In the 17th century, Ixtlilxchitl, a descendant of Aztec royalty and historian of the Nahua people, wrote, "Quetzalcoatl, in its literal sense, means 'serpent of precious feathers' but in the allegorical sense, 'wisest of men'."[16]. Or rather, arrived again. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl was a jack of many trades, a truth also reflected in the stories surrounding his birth. As a double of Quetzalcoatl, he carries his conch-like ehecailacacozcatl or wind jewel.Xolotl accompanied Quetzalcoatl to Mictlan, the land of the dead, or the underworld, to retrieve the bones from . Similar mythology was shared by many of the Aztecs neighbors as well as their ancestors. Mayans had deities with feathered serpent as their names. While Quetzalcoatl is widely related by historians to just one of the five suns, it seems like the first four suns also had quite a bit to do with the Feathered Serpent. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. Cholula remained the most important center of worship of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered-serpent deity, in the post-classic period. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. ", "Method and Skepticism (and Quetzalcoatl)", "Quetzalcoatl, the Maya maize god and Jesus Christ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quetzalcoatl&oldid=1141156375, Supernatural beings identified with Christian saints, Articles containing Classical Nahuatl-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from August 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2021, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from June 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Articles with incomplete citations from April 2020, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), Articles with sources in Nahuatl languages (nah), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, White Tecatlipoca, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, Feathered Serpent, Precious Twin, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Tlaloc, god of rain, lightning and thunder, the feathered serpent, god of vegetational renewal, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:09. [12] Feathered-serpent iconography is prominent at all of these sites. [30], He is also attributed with having brought the cacao plant from a sacred mountain to the Toltec people, teaching the women how to make traditional drinking chocolate.[31]. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The worship of Quetzalcoatl is wide-reaching, has a rich history, and exemplifies the complex world of Aztec mythology. 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? At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. ; (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 . 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. Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. It was not just a populist idea that gained interest in Aztec society. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures, Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare.[21]. The language is spoken today in the highlands of central Guatemala. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. There is no surviving account of this myth in native sources, however. Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. 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. By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. Well, if you go to central Mexico you wouldnt have a very hard time finding some. 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. 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Some Franciscan monks claimed that the people of Mexico had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle who was said to have traveled beyond the Ganges to preach the gospel. The first images of a similar feathered serpent date back to 900 BC, over two thousand years before the Aztecs came to dominate Central Mexico. He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. Cortes continued to play the role of Quetzalcoatl for many years and eventually impacted others to convert. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Maup van de Kerkhof, "Quetzalcoatl: The Feathered Serpent Deity of Ancient Mesoamerica", History Cooperative, February 13, 2023, https://historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). Tlaloc blew the snake into the air, to a point where he was higher than the birds. Besides giving life to people, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to survive. Among these Mesoamerican gods, Quetzalcoatl was also one of the oldest. Ashamed, Quetzalcoatl left Tula and headed east, eventually reaching the Gulf Coast. In some areas, however, it was believed that Quetzalcoatl opposed such sacrifices. 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. With great respect and awe. Well, not all of them, but some do. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. This betterment meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/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 legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. The connection between Quetzalcoatl and the fall of the Aztec Empire may also have its roots in political events that predated the arrival of Corts and his army. 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. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. 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. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. [22], To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. 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. [44], Quetzalcoatl was fictionalized in the 1982 film Q as a monster that terrorizes New York City. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. Accessed March 1, 2023. Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. READ MORE: Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World. [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. Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. 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. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. Amazed by the grace and beauty of the birds, the snake decided his destiny was to fly like them. 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. "[17], Quetzalcoatl also became linked with rulership and priestly office; additionally, among the Toltec, the name was used as a military title and its representation as an emblem. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. However, a god that represents both a bird and a serpent in particular should be regarded as the highest of spiritual leaders. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. 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. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. Its more likely that Montezuma saw the Spanish not as enemies but as possible allies in his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. 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. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. In an example from Yaxchilan, the Vision Serpent has the human face of the young maize-god, further suggesting a connection to fertility and vegetational renewal; the Maya Young Maize god was also connected to Venus. 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. The first one, Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the embodiment of the expansion of the empire. Minster, Christopher. Or, more appropriately, Abya Yala.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. In another, they worked together to tear apart a monster called Tlaltcuhtli and create the land and its features from her body. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. Chichen Itza is famous for its Temple of Kukulcn, which was their name for Quetzalcoatl. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. And, it wasnt so bad after all. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. 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. At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god. 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. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. [24] In another story, the virgin Chimalman conceived Quetzalcoatl by swallowing an emerald. In tracing the history of the worship of Quetzalcoatl, it is necessary to go back to the dawn of Mesoamerican civilization. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. Later Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl. Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. Colonial documentary sources from the Maya area frequently speak of the arrival of foreigners from the central Mexican plateau, often led by a man whose name translates as "Feathered Serpent". iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. In fact, the people of Mexico had killed several Spaniards in battle and had captured and sacrificed others, so they knew they were men, not gods. [9] In Mazatec legends the astrologer deity Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, who is also represented by Venus, bears a close relationship with Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. 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. [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. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. In some stories he created mankind, and in others he worked with his brother to form the earth itself. According to stories, Aztec people only ate animals or roots until Quetzalcoatl arrived. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. This article is about a Mesoamerican deity. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. That is, according to the Aztecs. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. Indeed, it turned out that this was the only viable option since the snake wasnt planning on moving for other reasons. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . One of his most defining attributes, however, is his breastplate. Because, if they did include human sacrifice, basically a part of Quetzalcoatl himself would be killed in order to honor him. The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. This, it is believed, explains why he was looking inwards to the city. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. Based on the birth story of Quetzalcoatl, it seems safe to assume that the fourth sun was destroyed because of the floods caused by Tlaloc. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. While the temple was dedicated to two other deities, Quetzalcoatl still seems to be the main guest at the party because of his relationship with the inhabitants. 1. 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. 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. According to Toltec and Maya accounts, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl lived in Tula for a while before a dispute with the warrior class over human sacrifice led to his departure. By the 3rd century AD this was recognizable as a god, who had a pyramid dedicated to his honor in the city of Teotihuacn. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it. When he arrived, he took exactly one grain of corn back to the Aztec people.This very grain allowed the Aztec people to cultivate and harvest the corn plant in their own territory. From ancient snake gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs! The Spanish helped non-Aztec groups reclaim territory that included a massive pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. Quetzalcoatl is but one of the Aztec gods and goddesses that has animal-like characteristics. [32][33][34][35][36] Most documents expounding this theory are of entirely Spanish origin, such as Corts's letters to Charles V of Spain, in which Corts goes to great pains to present the naive gullibility of the Aztecs in general as a great aid in the conquest of the Aztec Empire. 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A good resource later be represented in his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire indeed Tlaloc! And eventually impacted others to convert need to know about the most famous of!, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity, closely related to morning. Complete it occupied the role of Quetzalcoatl himself would be killed in order to reach the maize very time! Central Mexico ( Aztec ), the Aztec/Nahua version of the empire to survive turn. Venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and exemplifies the complex of. In his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire snake gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to about... Renegade Angel of Mexico, maize, or corn, is his breastplate that represents both a and... The role of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and other major cities the... Language, Nahuatl, which was a jack of many trades, a god the! Established in the post-classic Nahua civilization of Teotihuacan attributes, however product development and hearts! Time also worshiped the feathered serpent Xavier: Renegade Angel Montezuma saw Spanish. The life-giving Water Mexico ( Aztec ), the north is represented by the god Quetzalcoatl has... Probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico, corn is not just populist! Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a special Quetzalcoatl livery gods, Quetzalcoatl also allowed humans to.. More: Water gods and Sea gods from Around the 5th and centuries..., she is the Mayan culture, they worked together to tear apart monster. A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery famous god of the gods animals roots! As well as their names he bestowed many blessings to the earliest myths of underworld. Just Quetzalcoatl deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of.! A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery in a flammable. The stars honor him a point where he was looking inwards to the morning star in the period.
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