and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. For this reason, it is also believed that offers to Quetzalcoatl were one of only a few that should not include human sacrifice. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. In the extant Mayan sources, it has been revealed that Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, was associated with warfare as well as fertility. 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 headed east, eventually settling in Chichen Itza. The Nahuatl nouns compounded into the proper name "Quetzalcoatl" are: (in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl languages), Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, "Evidence of Mushroom Worship in Mesoamerica", "New Taxonomical and Ethnomycological Observations on, "All You Need To Know About The Ancient Aztec Gods and Goddesses", "Readings in Classical Nahuatl: The Death of Quetzalcoatl", "Gift of the Gods: Chocolate in the Aztec Empire", "The Complete New York City Horror Movie Marathon! 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. Therefore, deities that were related to the more violent realms also became more important. This view has been questioned by ethno-historians who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Corts connection is not found in any document that was created independently of post-Conquest Spanish influence, and that there is little proof of a pre-Hispanic belief in Quetzalcoatl's return. 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. Xochiquetzal and the Moon The Church of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons, teaches that Jesus Christ walked the Earth after his resurrection, spreading the word of Christianity to all corners of the globe. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. Quetzalcoatl was associated with the wind-god Ehecatl and is often depicted with his insignia: a beak-like mask. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. He also encouraged them to worship a different god, Quetzalcoatl (kehtsahlkoh AHT uhl), or the Feathered Serpent. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. This, it is believed, explains why he was looking inwards to the city. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. 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. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. 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/. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. Legend has it that it made them powerful and strong, enabling them to build cities, palaces, temples, and some of the first pyramids in America. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". Human worship. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. In Aztec culture, this was considered to be one of the most important primal forces. For more details, Wikipedia is a good resource. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). According to the source, the same feathered serpent deity is also referred to as the god of the corn plant. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. According to one version, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. There is a beautiful platform temple to Quetzalcoatl at Xochicalco, and Cholula eventually became known as the home of Quetzalcoatl, attracting pilgrims from all over ancient Mexico. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl was so closely linked to fertility and creation that many groups held him to be the creator of mankind. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. How should one worship the sun? There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. Eventually, this led to the fact that the four brothers became the creators of the universe, together referred to as the Tezcatlipocas. In his aspect of Quetzalcoatl-Ehcatl, he wore a duckbill mask with fangs and shell jewelry. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. [45][46] The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Every reincarnation story seems to come with its proper birth story, but there is one story that stands out. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. 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. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. In the Codex's description of the first meeting between Moctezuma and Corts, the Aztec ruler is described as giving a prepared speech in classical oratorial Nahuatl, a speech which, as described in the codex written by the Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagn and his Tlatelolcan informants, included such prostrate declarations of divine or near-divine admiration as: You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. They kept the same gods but believed in a new story. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. His form of reincarnation, more specifically, would be that of a white person with a long beard. At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. Welcome. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. 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. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . Although some Mesoamericans believed that Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy human sacrifices, others believed that his creation myth demanded them. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. Ruler of the, Nicholson 2001, Carrasco 1982, Gillespie 1989, Florescano 2002, Lafaye 1987, Townsend 2003, Martnez 1980, Phelan 1970. That is, according to the Aztecs. Although the citys main temple was not dedicated to him, the priests of the city took his name and his iconography was prevalent. C catl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl [s kat topiltsin ketsalkoat] ( Our Prince One-Reed Precious Serpent) (c. 895-947) is a mythologised figure appearing in 16th-century accounts of Nahua historical traditions, [5] where he is identified as a ruler in the 10th century of the Toltecs by Aztec tradition their . A young woman would be dressed as Xochiquetzal before being beheaded and flayed. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. Even today, however, Nahuatl is just one of sixty-three native languages recognized in Mexico. His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. 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. But still, how could that ever be the case? Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. Over time, Quetzalcoatl's appearance, clothing, malevolent nature, and status among the gods were reshaped to fit a more Christian framework. 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