As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. Don't fly too close to the sun or sit under her rays unprotected for too long. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. This was not because he was a builder or king, but because he oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities to flourish. Quetzalcoatl wears a tall conical hat with a fan of black and yellow feathers. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. . From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. This made it an important sign of fertility because it brought with it the rains that renewed the earth. It is not a coincidence that Quetzalcoatl is just as often referred to as the Feathered Serpent by his worshipers and historians. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. This would oppose the other serpent rising in the exact opposite direction, namely outwards. 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. 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. 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. 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. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. 3. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. The gods powers extended beyond the wind, however. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. But, remember, the promise of Quetzalcoatl was to bring heaven to the beings that were living in hell. He wouldnt become the new Aztec ruler, however. Later, Xavier and the Aztecs summon Quetzalcoatl in his mortal form and wind up angering him after cutting him open. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. He also encouraged them to worship a different god, Quetzalcoatl (kehtsahlkoh AHT uhl), or the Feathered Serpent. Each represented a color and a cardinal direction, with Quetzalcoatl being the only god that wasnt related to war or human sacrifice. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. Quetzalcoatl had aspects in which he functioned as other gods. 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. 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. Because of this, the latest reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl would come to earth to do exactly that. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. The cult even spread down into the Maya lands. Human worship. This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. Similarly, various other birth stories are also associated with Quetzalcoatl. Its more likely that Montezuma saw the Spanish not as enemies but as possible allies in his ongoing campaign to enlarge his empire. In one myth tied to this belief, the two killed a great monster and used its body to craft the world. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. It allows for a form of food security, and therefore for peace, and as a result, has taken on not only physical and economic importance but spiritual significance as well. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. The date 9 Wind is known to be associated with fertility, Venus and war among the Maya and frequently occurs in relation to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures. 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. Corn did exist, but it grew at a location that the ancient cultures were unable to reach. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. The relation of Quetzalcoatl with just the latest sun is a result of the mingling of his earliest myths and some new perceptions. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent deity. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. The worship of Quetzalcoatl is wide-reaching, has a rich history, and exemplifies the complex world of Aztec mythology. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death This confederacy engaged in almost seventy-five years of nearly continuous conflict with the Aztec Empire of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of Corts. Quetzalcoatl was considered important in the pantheon of Aztec gods. Like many other Mesoamerican deities, the story of our god sees several reincarnations. In some versions of the ancient Mesoamerican histories, Quetzalcoatl was reborn as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli after being burned on a funeral pyre. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. Other parties have also promulgated the idea that the Mesoamericans believed the conquistadors, and in particular Corts, to be awaited gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gernimo de Mendieta. This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. 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. 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. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. Quetzalcoatl was associated with the wind-god Ehecatl and is often depicted with his insignia: a beak-like mask. Represented as the plumed serpent, Quetzalcoatl was also seen as manifest in the wind, one of the most powerful forces of nature; a text in the Nahuatl language captures this relationship: Quetzalcoatl; yn ehecatl ynteiacancauh yntlachpancauh in tlaloque, yn aoaque, yn qujqujiauhti. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. Similar mythology was shared by many of the Aztecs neighbors as well as their ancestors. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. 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. 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 only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. 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