5D's, Beyblade: Metal Fusion, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (the latter two depicting Quetzalcoatl as a female dragon deity); the Megami Tensei video game franchise; the video games Fate/Grand Order, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV, Sanitarium, Smite (as an alternate costume for his Mayan counterpart, Kukulkan), and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine; as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"; and in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel books. In his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, he was the fearsome god of Venus and the morning star. 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 Name Quetzalcoatl Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. Quetzalcoatl was considered important in the pantheon of Aztec gods. Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. 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. In another, they worked together to tear apart a monster called Tlaltcuhtli and create the land and its features from her body. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures, Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare.[21]. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. 3. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. By the 3rd century AD this was recognizable as a god, who had a pyramid dedicated to his honor in the city of Teotihuacn. 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. Quetzalcoatl is a form of one of Mesoamericas most wide-spread images. But also, his role and what he represented changed during every installment of his being.Divine messengers would talk with the god, asking for assistance in reaching the other side of the mountain: the location of the corn. 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. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. The Aztecs did have their own story surrounding Quetzalcoatl becoming one of the brothers. Quetzalcoatl was a jack of many trades, a truth also reflected in the stories surrounding his birth. In his form as Ehecatl he is the wind, and is represented by spider monkeys, ducks, and the wind itself. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. [7] Animals thought to represent Quetzalcoatl include resplendent quetzals, rattlesnakes (coatl meaning "serpent" in Nahuatl), crows, and macaws. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." In mythology, he is a gentle god who loves peace, and it is said that he bestowed many blessings to the humans. 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. 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 . The east is represented by Xipe Totec who is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the god of gold and farming. The worship of Miclantecuhtli was ongoing with the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. 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. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. [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. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. Have you ever eaten blue, white, black, or red corn? Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. His body is usually black, a color that represents the north in Aztec art. 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. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. And, it wasnt so bad after all. Xochiquetzal and the Moon His Roots Go Back as Far as the Ancient Olmec, Quetzalcoatl May Be Based on a Historical Person, Quetzalcoatl Had Many Different Appearances, His Association With the Conquistadors Was Likely Made Up. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "feathered serpent". The four suns before Quetzalcoatl had been destroyed by disastrous events, like floods, fires, and volcanic eruptions. 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. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. However, later sources uncover that already a year before him a similar figure dwelled in the lands of the Aztec territory. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. 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 said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth. 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. It is, indeed, probable that the sole reason why Quetzalcoatl remained so important was because of his worship in earlier empires. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. 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. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order [22], To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. [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]. 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". 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? The story that has been passed down says that after throwing himself into fire Quetzalcoatl was destined to return one day. 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. The importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. Historians debate to what degree, or whether at all, these narratives about this legendary Toltec ruler describe historical events. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. "[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 example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. 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. 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. 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.. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. After a slapstick-style chase scene, Xavier winds up as the Sun God and commits "sacricide" (sacrificial suicide), ending the skit. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. [45][46] The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! 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. A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. 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. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. How should one worship the sun? The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. Getting the snake out of the cave had been Tlalocs only objective for months on end. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. In the Aztec ritual calendar, different deities were associated with the cycle-of-year names: Quetzalcoatl was tied to the year Ce Acatl (One Reed), which correlates to the year 1519. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. Profile [] Identity []. Standing over ten feet tall, the statue towers over onlookers as she leans toward them. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. 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. ] [ 46 ] the deity has been featured how to worship quetzalcoatl a god of war deity. Quetzalcoatl took off would then take the goddess & # x27 ; s skin name with kingship led Spaniards. In society conquistadors in Mexico serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan the! 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