2. Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. It is not a coincidence that Quetzalcoatl is just as often referred to as the Feathered Serpent by his worshipers and historians. It was not just a populist idea that gained interest in Aztec society. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. Tlaloc blew the snake into the air, to a point where he was higher than the birds. 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/. 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. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent deity. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. However, as opposed to earlier depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan version of the deity had more elaborate features. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. The Name Quetzalcoatl According to the source, the same feathered serpent deity is also referred to as the god of the corn plant. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. 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., -Bernadino de Sahagn, Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . 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. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. However, later sources uncover that already a year before him a similar figure dwelled in the lands of the Aztec territory. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. 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. Others said that he had invented the calendar and books. This is evident in the iconography recovered from these sites. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. 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 appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. He also encouraged them to worship a different god, Quetzalcoatl (kehtsahlkoh AHT uhl), or the Feathered Serpent. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. [9] In Mazatec legends the astrologer deity Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, who is also represented by Venus, bears a close relationship with Quetzalcoatl. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. Xochiquetzal and the Moon His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. 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. For example, a depiction in Acapulco, Mexico, shows the Aztec snake god in all its glory. In the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. His appearance can change drastically, however, depending on the region, era, and context. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. Members of this confederacy from Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Oaxaca provided the Spaniards with the army that first reclaimed the city of Cholula from its pro-Aztec ruling faction, and ultimately defeated the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. The east is represented by Xipe Totec who is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the god of gold and farming. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. One of his most defining attributes, however, is his breastplate. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. Quetzalcoatl is closely associated with the myth of the four cardinal directions. The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus was named after the deity. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. 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. He was quite a bit bigger than he was before. According to one version, Quetzalcoatl was born to a virgin called Chimalman to whom god Onteol appeared in a dream. 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. Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. These were part of the Nahua culture, which included both these states and other independent ethnic groups in central Mexico. His form of reincarnation, more specifically, would be that of a white person with a long beard. Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican god whose name literally means feathered serpent. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. In Aztec language, his name indicated him to be a boundary between the Earth and the sky. Ashamed, Quetzalcoatl left Tula and headed east, eventually reaching the Gulf Coast. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . Indeed, it turned out that this was the only viable option since the snake wasnt planning on moving for other reasons. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. The Aztecs believed that they lived in the fifth age of creation and that Quetzalcoatl had gone to the Underworld to retrieve the bones of previous generations to create the modern race of man. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. Historians debate to what degree, or whether at all, these narratives about this legendary Toltec ruler describe historical events. Hernan Cortes, who led the Spaniards, was first invited into the city by Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322 (accessed March 2, 2023). "[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. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. Circular temples were believed to please Ehcatl because they offered no sharp obstacles to the wind. [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. 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. The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. In the iconography of the classic period, Maya serpent imagery is also prevalent: a snake often appears as the embodiment of the sky itself, and a vision serpent is a shamanic helper presenting Maya kings with visions of the underworld. In fact, he wanted to tempt him to come out into the light. One legend claimed that the star was Quetzalcoatls heart, placed in the sky after he burned himself alive out of shame for neglecting his duties. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. Human worship. This is best described in the sixteenth-century book Popol Vuh: the written creation story from the Mayas. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. Manage Settings 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. [7] Animals thought to represent Quetzalcoatl include resplendent quetzals, rattlesnakes (coatl meaning "serpent" in Nahuatl), crows, and macaws. 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. Or rather, arrived again. In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. This was not because he was a builder or king, but because he oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities to flourish. Because of this, the ways in which he was worshipped varied widely. 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. 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". Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. Around the 5th and 6th centuries, the cult of the feather serpent spread to many central Mexican cities, including Cocaxtla and Cholula. The first keeper of written records, he was patron of the Calmecac, a school for noble children who learned to paint histories and astrology, as well as practice the art of war. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. 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. After the second sun, Tezcatlipoca turned all of the people into monkeys, which displeased Quetzalcoatl, who caused the monkeys to be blown away by a hurricane. 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 some Mesoamericans believed that Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy human sacrifices, others believed that his creation myth demanded them. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. 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. 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. The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the twin Aztec high priests. Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. 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. Quetzalcoatl played many roles in ancient Aztec mythology, so its difficult to pin down just one. The worship of Quetzalcoatl is wide-reaching, has a rich history, and exemplifies the complex world of Aztec mythology. The Aztecs did have their own story surrounding Quetzalcoatl becoming one of the brothers. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. 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 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 . In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. [24] In another story, the virgin Chimalman conceived Quetzalcoatl by swallowing an emerald. The Aztecs, however, were only a small segment of the regions people. For this reason, it is also believed that offers to Quetzalcoatl were one of only a few that should not include human sacrifice. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. Profile [] Identity []. The spelling of the name is rooted in Nahuatl, a language that has been spoken since at least the seventh century CE.The first part comes from the Nahuatl word quetzalli, meaning precious green feather. The second part of his name, coatl, means serpent. Amazed by the grace and beauty of the birds, the snake decided his destiny was to fly like them. Furthermore, he saw the Quetzal birds flying in the sky, which was also something he had never seen before. Quetzalcoatl is not a religious symbol in the Latter-day Saint faith, and is not taught as such, nor is it in their doctrine that Quetzalcoatl is Jesus. Minster, Christopher. That is, according to the Aztecs. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. [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. Minster, Christopher. His job was to protect the sun from the dangers of the underworld. Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. The earliest depictions of the feathered serpent deity were fully zoomorphic, depicting the serpent as an actual snake, but already among the Classic Maya, images of the deity began acquiring human features, such as the beard (see the Borgia codex illustration above) that he was sometimes depicted with. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. This talisman was a conch shell cut at the cross-section and was likely worn as a necklace by religious rulers, as such objects have been discovered in burials in archaeological sites throughout Mesoamerica,[6] and potentially symbolized patterns witnessed in hurricanes, dust devils, seashells, and whirlpools, which were elemental forces that had significance in Aztec mythology. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. In Aztec culture, this was considered to be one of the most important primal forces. 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. This didnt help a lot to overcome their cruel intentions, however. The Nahua civilization, which included the central Mexican Aztecs, almost universally worshipped Quetzalcoatl among their gods. Its more likely that Montezuma saw the Spanish not as enemies but as possible allies in his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire. He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. The worship of this deity has been traced back to as early as the first century BC. Most, however, saw him as more than a wind god and instead as a major force in the creation and continuation of the world. The Nahua largely spoke dialects of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to unify their culture. It starts with Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. According to this myth, the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, one of them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four cardinal directions. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god. This story probably came about later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat. He was known as the inventor of books and the calendar, the giver of maize (corn) to mankind, and sometimes as a symbol of death and resurrection. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. As Quetzalcoatl Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli he had a more intimidating appearance including a black mask or face paint, elaborate headdress and a weapon, such as an ax or lethal darts representing the rays of the morning star. This article is about a Mesoamerican deity. They therefore claimed that Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec name for Thomas the Apostle and that the naive natives believed that he, like Christ, would one day return to finish converting them to Christianity. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. Venus, which the god was closely associated with, appeared in the sky at the beginning of the rainy season. Over more than a thousand years, a similar god was worshipped by virtually every one of Mesoamericas related cultures. With great respect and awe. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. At temples such as the aptly named "Quetzalcoatl temple" in the Ciudadela complex, feathered serpents figure prominently and alternate with a different kind of serpent head. Standing over ten feet tall, the statue towers over onlookers as she leans toward them. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. Following the millenarian beliefs that were popular in much of European Christianity, they believed that the conquest of the New World was a vital step in bringing the return of Christ, which would follow major societal changes around the world. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca may have been worshiped as early as 10,000 BC. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. The name Quetzalcoatl comes from this language and is most widely-used both because it was recorded by Spanish conquerors and because Nahuatl is still spoken by roughly 1.5 million people. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. 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. The Spanish helped non-Aztec groups reclaim territory that included a massive pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. However, a god that represents both a bird and a serpent in particular should be regarded as the highest of spiritual leaders. Their rivalry didn & # x27 ; t fly too close to the creation the... And contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average.! Several of the heavenly brothers goes as followed in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite.!, this was considered to be descended from the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures their. Represents both a bird and the sky populist idea that gained interest in Aztec,. 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