aztec mythology quetzalcoatl

He Tezcatlipoca was believed to be the son of the primordial androgynous god Ometeotl. Quetzalcoatl is the "White bearded God" or the "Serpent God" from the legend of Quetzalcoatl of the ancient Aztecs. The name of the K’iche’ Maya deity Q’uq’umatz meant “Quetzal Serpent” while the Yucatec Maya god Kukulkan translated to the less specific “Feathered Serpent.”. Quetzalcoatl’s name, which means “Feathered Serpent,” was derived from the Nahuatl words for the quetzal bird and “coatl,” meaning serpent. He helped create the cosmos and instigated the system of universal death and rebirth. Quetzalcóatl was the son of the primordial androgynous god Ometeotl. Sir Terry Pratchett’s novel Eric included a parody of Quetzalcoatl in the form of a demon named Quezovercoatl. “Quetzalcoatl.” Mythopedia, https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/quetzalcoatl/. He instead solicited the help of Nanahuatzin, who destroyed the mountain with lightning. According to legend, the Aztec people initially only had access to roots and wild game. Cartwright, Mark. Even today the legend and symbolism of Quetzalcóatl lives on and he has become a  beacon of Mexican national pride and a powerful symbol of indigenous tradition. He’s the brother of Tezcatlipoca. Privacy Policy, not currently an important part of the LDS belief system, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Quetzalcoatl, https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-legend-of-maize/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feathered_Serpent, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl, https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/quetzalcoatl/. In the complex Mesoamerican creation myths This is largely due to the story that the Aztec king welcomed Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, as the reincarnation of the god. Accessed . [10] Quetzalcoatl was also the patron deity of the Tlaxcalan-held city of Cholula, the second largest city in Mesoamerica at the time, and his holiest shrine was located there, set atop what was then and is still the largest pyramid in the world. In Aztec mythology he was the brother of Tezcatlipoca, Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec. "Quetzalcóatl." Wikipedia contributors. Topiltzin-Quetzalcoatl maintained order across his domain and even eschewed the practice of human sacrifice. Quetzalcoatl (also spelled Quetzalcohuatl): The feathered serpent, god of the wind and civilization. From this point on, he was usually portrayed as a man wearing a conical hat, conch shell pectoral brooch, shell jewelry, and red duck-billed face mask.2. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Mythopedia. The most important two gods for the Aztec myths are Quetzalcoatl note , the Plumed Serpent, and Tezcatlipoca note , the Smoking Mirror. Most importantly, however, is the elevation of Quetzalcoatl to the status of a creator god. The highest Aztec priests were each called “Quetzalcoatl” in honor of the god. For the Aztecs, he was considered a god of creation, as he is credited with creating humans as explained in the Aztec creation stories. 116 (June 1884): 616-651. Quetzalcóatl. Gathering up the bones, Quetzalcóatl escapes the pit and gives them to the great snake goddess Cihuacóatl to magically fashion them into people by mixing them with corn and some of Quetzalcóatl's blood. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. 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. Quetzalcoatl was sometimes portrayed as a trickster god, and while his plans did not always work as intended, they did consistently benefit humanity. Some versions held that Quetzalcoatl cremated himself; others stated that he spent eight days in the underworld before reemerging as Venus or the morning star. Aztec god Quetzalcoatl was represented with a serpent's head, a symbol for material goods, and a feathered body, a metaphor for spirituality. In many versions of the myth, Quetzalcoatl worked in opposition to his brother Tezcatlipoca. In some versions of the myth Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca repeatedly fight each other and as a consequence the four ages are created and destroyed with each successive battle between the two gods. In some versions of the story the divine spirit of Cipactli was understandably upset to have lost her physical body in such a brutal attack and the only way to appease her was through the sacrifice of blood and hearts and so one of the more unpalatable practices of ancient Mesoamerican culture, the ritual of human sacrifice, was justified. In an effort to smooth over her injured feelings because she was treated so roughly, the Gods filled the Earth with forests, flowers, valleys, waterfalls and other nice places over her skin. Before he left, however, he promised to return. He ruled over the element of water. Quetzalcoatl managed to complete this challenge through clever trickery. Explore fascinating deities from Quetzalcoatl the "Plumed Serpent" to Tezcatlipoca, the "Smoking Mirror" in a mystical world of both human sacrifice and redemption. As the morning and evening star, Quetzalcóatl was the symbol of death and resurrection. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. According to the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was one of the four sons of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacihuatl, the original creator gods . Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Books “Quetzalcoatl.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. As one of the four sons of the Aztec creator deities Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, Quetzalcoatl played an integral role in the creation of the universe. 200S.. ↩, May Herz, “The Legend of Maize Quetzalcoatl and the Corn Plant” Inside Mexico, May 10, 2017, https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-legend-of-maize/ (accessed June 29, 2019). While he was responsible for creating humanity and providing them with their staple crops, it was his brother Tezcatlipoca that ultimately ruled the modern era. Meehan, Evan. Ultimately, the legend that Moctezuma and the Aztecs believed Cortes to be Quetzalcoatl was a just that: a legend retroactively turned into historical “fact” by Spanish writers. Quetzalcóatl also pretends to leave the underworld without the bones, declaring his intention to leave them where they are whilst in actual fact he steals them from under the nose of Mictlanteuctli. He had worms drill a hole in the conch, then filled the shell with bees. Starting around 1200CE, the manner in which Quetzalcoatl was depicted began to change. Together they symbolize life and death. a feathered serpent, a flying reptile (much like a dragon), who was a boundary-maker (and transgressor) between earth and sky. He may also have a hat-band holding sacrificial implements, a flower, a fan of black and yellow feathers and ear-rings of jade circles or spiral shells (epcololli). Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus. ↩, Terry Pratchett, Eric (New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1990), 63. A name that reverberates throughout the rich Mesoamerican culture, The earliest surviving representation of Quetzalcóatl is from the Olmec civilization with a carving at La Venta of a beaked snake with a feather crest flanked by two quetzal birds and a sky band. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 01 Aug 2013. For the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl symbolized wind, borders, and civilizations. Quetzalcoatl ’s brother is Xolotl and his mother is Top Goddess Coatlicue. … The god also often wears the wind jewel (Ehecailacozcatl) which is a cross section of a conch whorl worn as a pectoral. In Aztec times (14th through 16th centuries) Quetzalcóatl was revered as the patron of priests, the inventor of the calendar and of books, and the protector of goldsmiths and other craftsmen; he was also identified with the planet Venus. Accessed June 29, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Quetzalcoatl. In this legend, Mixcoatl shot at Chimalma for spurning his advances. Also called One-Reed and Ce-Acatl, Topiltzin-Quetzalcoatl founded a dynasty that would last until 1070CE.3. Related Content Mictlantecuhtli (left), god of death, the lord of the Underworld and Quetzalcoatl (right), god of wisdom, life, knowledge, morning star, patron of the winds and light, the lord of the West. These writers may have misinterpreted a speech Moctezuma gave to Cortes, or simply invented the idea because it fit their historical expectations. Quetzalcoatl’s role in the Aztec cosmology was complex and multifaceted. a deity in Aztec culture and literature whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". History, myth, and tradition did the rest, establishing Quetzalcoatl as one of the main deities of the New World. In Central Mexico the god was strongly associated with the wind, in particular as a bringer of rain clouds. While his artwork changed considerably since he was first included in Final Fantasy VIII, he was consistently portrayed as a flying, lightning-like creature. Quetzalcoatl remained a potent figure well after the Spanish had conquered the New World. Learn more. In Aztec myths Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca stretched Hungry Woman to make the Earth. in History from Georgia State University. Retrieved from https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/quetzalcoatl/. One such myth is that the Aztecs believed that Hernan Cortes, the leader of a band of conquistadors, was in fact a reincarnated deity by the name of Quetzalcoatl. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Publishing Co, 1892. Math, Kathryn. The famed Aztec Feathered Serpent God Son of Creator God biggie Ometecuhtli, he also makes the odd appearance as Ehecatl. “The Legend of Maize Quetzalcoatl and the Corn Plant.” Inside Mexico, May 10, 2017. Ashamed of what he had done, Topilitzin-Quetzalcoatl departed Tula and set out for the sea. Quetzalcoatl. Eric. First discovered in 1971, Quetzalcoatlus stood nearly 10 feet tall and had a wingspan of at least 36 feet. This link to Europe was embraced by 17th-century Mexican nationalists because it meant that their cultural heritage pre-dated Spanish influence.11. An Examination Into and an Elucidation of the Great Principle of the Mediation and Atonement: Of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was also known as Kukulkán to the Maya, Gucumatz to the Quiché of Guatemala, and Ehecatl to the Huastecs of the Gulf Coast. Tezcatlipoca - Tezcatlipoca was a powerful god associated with many things including magic, the night, and the earth.He was a rival god to Quetzalcoatl. As with many of his peers, Quetzalcoatl’s role has been revised throughout history and was altered to better suit the sensibilities of contemporary Spanish writers, who were trying to comprehend an entirely different way of thinking. After he was born, he and his family waited 600 for his youngest brother, Huitzilopochtli (who was born without flesh), to join them in the process of cosmic construction. Other legends posited that Quetzalcoatl was the son of the goddess Chimalma. The god known as the Plumed Serpent is a mix of bird and rattle snake and his name is a combination of the Nahuatl words for the quetzal - the emerald plumed bird - and coatl or serpent. Quetzalcóatl (pron. He also invented the calendar, was identified with Venus, the rising morning star, he was associated with opossums and even discovered corn (maize) with the help of giant red ant that led him to a mountain packed full of grain and seeds. ↩, Kay Almere Read and Jason J. Gonzalez, Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology (Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 2000), 225. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Quetzalcoatl was the god of war, the four directions, prosperity, judgment, and resurrection. https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/quetzalcoatl/. The return of Topiltzin-Quetzalcoatl, who had departed to the east by sea, certainly seemed like a possibility to the Aztec nobility as they considered the arrival of these seafaring newcomers. Taylor wrote that “the story of the life of the Mexican divinity, Quetzalcoatl, closely resembles that of the Savior; so closely, indeed, that we can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being.”12 It is unclear how widely accepted Taylor’s argument was amongst the LDS Church, but Quetzalcoatl is not currently an important part of the LDS belief system. Quetzalcoatl is also called White Tezcatlipoca, to contrast him to the black Tezcatlipoca. Quetzalcoatl ruled the fifth world cycle and created the humans of that cycle. Aztec myth tells how the deity Quetzalcoatl, who in the Nahuatl language means “feathered serpent,” journeyed to Mictlán at the dawning of the Fifth Sun (the present world era), in order to restore humankind to life from the bones of those who had lived in previous eras. ↩, Henry Phillips, Jr., “Notes upon the Codex Ramirez, with a Translation of the Same,” Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 21, no. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. He is the god intelligence and self-reflection, a patron of priests. The earliest representation in Mexico is at Teotihuacán where there are 3rd century CE representations of feathered snakes and where a six-tiered pyramid was built in the god's honour. It is uncertain what happened next. This rivalry was a recurring theme in Aztec mythology, with the flying serpent (Quetzalcoatl) frequently pitted against the black jaguar (Tezcatlipoca). In the myth of mankind's creation Quetzalcóatl descends into Mictlán - the underworld - where he is sent to remove some bones. According to Aztec mythology, he was the first god to create the sun and the earth, but was struck down by Quetzalcoatl and turned into a … Cartwright, Mark. After waiting for 600 years this aged couple instructed Quetzalcóatl to create the world. Though he originated as a vegetation god, Quetzalcoatl’s role in the Aztec mythos expanded over time. "Quetzalcóatl." Quetzalcoatl’s actions successfully tricked Mictlantecuhtli into giving him the bones. These carvings also included a conch shell, which was a symbol of the wind. He feuded with his brother Quetzalcoatl and emerged victorious after tricking his younger sibling into … He is the 9th of the 13 Lords of the Day and is often associated with the rain god Tláloc. D . He is the creator sky-god and wise legislator. If Quetzalcoatl did return, however, how would he be known? Where others had approached this problem with their brute strength, Quetzalcoatl chose to rely on his sharp mind. Quetzalcoatl and either Huitzilopochtli or Tezcatlipoca (depending upon the myth) were responsible for the creation of the cosmos. Evan Meehan is a freelance writer, researcher, and historian with an M.A. Tlaloc: Aztec God of Rain. These representations of the god and those at the later site of Cacaxtla include the god with rain and water suggesting a strong association with that element. Web. Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire: Myths and Prophecies in the Aztec... Sacred Mushroom Rituals: The Search for the Blood of Quetzalcoatl, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. “Fang and Feather: The origin of avian-serpent imagery at Teotihuacan and symbolic interaction with jaguar iconography in Mesoamerica.” Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research, 7 (2017): 18–26. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Ket-zal-ko’-wat) was the Aztec version of the Feathered Serpent god that permeated Mesoamerican mythologies. As god of the cardinal directions Quetzalcóatl was also associated with the colours black (north), red (east), blue (south) and white (west). In Central Mexico from 1200 CE he was also considered the patron god of priests and merchants and considered the god of learning, science, agriculture, crafts and the arts. As an ever-growing archive, our mission is to catalog the world’s mythology on the web for all to enjoy. But this was not enough for Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcóatl was the son of the primordial androgynous god Ometeotl. However, Mictlanteuctli and Mictlancihuatl, the ruling gods of the underworld, agree to give the bones only if Quetzalcóatl can blow a conch-shell horn that has no holes in it. His name means “feathered” or “plumed serpent”. Quetzalcoatl was instrumental in creating people to populate the fifth age. Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of Aztec civilization of Central Mexico. Historical Background. The friar Diego de Duran suggested that Quetzalcoatl may have actually been the apostle St. Thomas. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Quetzalcoatl/. These brothers were two archenemies and most of the Aztec myth revolves around the two of them fighting each other. Accessed June 29, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feathered_Serpent. In order to do this, Quetzalcoatl had to sneak into the underworld of Mictlan and trick Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl, the Lord and Lady of Death, into giving him the bones they guarded. He proceeded to turn himself into a black ant and followed the other ants over the mountains. © 2019 Wasai LLC – All Rights Reserved. “Quetzalcoatl.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Under his guidance, the capital city of Tula became incredibly prosperous. This question was most likely on Emperor Moctezuma II’s mind when he received word in 1519 that the Spanish had arrived via the eastern coast. 116 (June 1884), 618. In an alternative version of creation Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca are more cooperative and together they create the sun, the first man and woman, fire and the rain gods. In the Late Postclassical period (from 1200 CE) in Central Mexico the god came to be strongly associated with the wind (in particular as a bringer of rain clouds) and as the creator god Ehecatl-Quetzalcóatl. Wikipedia contributors. Unlike the newer gods of the Aztec pantheon, Quetzalcoatl shared his namesake with the feathered serpent deities of the K’iche’ Maya and the Yucatec Maya. For example, some historians have suggested that Moctezuma II, the Aztec leader at the time of the Spanish conquest, may have … Quetzalcoatl, ("Feathered Snake”) was one of the major deities of the Aztec, Toltecs, and other Middle American peoples. Apart from being a creator deity, he also ruled over the modern age. Chimalma later married Mixcoatl, but the two were unable to conceive. Evan Meehan, “Quetzalcoatl,” Mythopedia, accessed , https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/quetzalcoatl/. His influence is seen in hundreds of ancient Aztec artifacts and at various historical sites. Read, Kay Almere and Jason J. Gonzalez. In one version of the myth, From 1200 CE Quetzalcóatl is often represented in human form and usually wears shell jewellery and a conical hat (copilli). Aztec Mythology is an introduction to the gods and myths of ancient Mexico. After his eventual escape, Quetzalcoatl combined the now slightly shuffled bones with his blood and corn to create the first humans of the fifth age.6 The Aztecs used this allegory to explain why people came in all different heights. Taylor, John. Accessed June 29, 2019. https://www.jstor.org/stable/982343. Together they symbolize life and death. He was regarded as the god of winds and rain and as the creator of the world and mankind. His older brothers were Xipe Totec and Tezcatlipoca while his younger brother was Huitzilopochtli. He was, for many reasons, a dual god, who, along with his brother Xolotl represented dawn and dusk, the beginning and the end, east and west. The god was often represented in architectural sculptural decoration and he appears at other sites such as Xochicalco but rarely with any human form before the Late Postclassical period, an exception is a carved palma from Veracruz. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. ↩, Mark Cartwright, “Quetzalcoatl,” Ancient History Encyclopedia, last modified August 01, 2013, https://www.ancient.eu/Quetzalcoatl/ (accessed June 29, 2019). Quetzalcoatl is a primordial god of creation, a giver of life. “Feathered Serpent.” Wikipedia. Accessed on . Thank you! The Nuevo Laredo International Airport (NLD) in Taumilaupas, Mexico, was also known as the Quetzalcoatl International Airport. Mictlantecuhtli would only give the bones to Quetzalcoatl if he could create a sound by blowing into a conch shell with no holes in it. Quetzalcoatl occupied a central place in the pantheon of the Aztec people of central Mexico, but he dates back to a time long before the Aztecs. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Quezovercoatl was described as being “half man, half chicken, half jaguar, half serpent, half scorpion, and half mad” for a total of “three homicidal maniacs.”13. Last modified August 01, 2013. Cartwright, M. (2013, August 01). While many were happy with Quetzalcoatl’s reign, his rival Tezcatlipoca was not and plotted to bring him low. Tlaltechutli (Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monstrous earth goddess. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. He is the 9th of the 13 Lords of the Day and is often associated with the rain god Tláloc. Quetzalcoatl is one of the most important deities of Aztec beliefs. In the Final Fantasy video game series, Quetzalcoatl was a recurring summon or creature. With his opposite Tezcatlipoca he created the world. The pair of gods had created the earth and the sky when they transformed themselves into huge snakes and ripped in two the female reptilian monster known as Tlaltcuhtli (or Cipactli), one part becoming the earth and the other the sky. Accessed June 29, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl. This version’s blatant mirroring of the story of Moses was almost certainly a product of later Spanish influence.9. The god was particularly associated with the sacred site of Cholula, an important place of pilgrimage from 1200 CE and all round Aztec buildings were dedicated to the deity. The Feathered Serpent deity common to much of Central America first appeared in images, statues, and carvings starting around 100BCE.1 Depictions of the Feathered Serpent usually took the form of a carved snake head placed upon a wall, with further relief carvings depicting feathers or birds. The god is outraged at the deceit and makes a pit to entrap the trickster. After a long and difficult journey, Quetzalcoatl reached the maize and brought a kernel back to the Aztec people.7, Other versions of the legend featured Quetzalcoatl discovering a great mountain of seeds that he could not move by himself. 21 Feb 2021. New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1990. By using Scrabble letters and adding the odd X you could probably make up your very own pantheon of Aztec deities. The Aztec god of rain and fertility, Tlaloc was a well-loved deity in ancient Mexico. A deep pit appeared before Quetzalcoatl, preventing his escape. After creating fire, they molded a partial sun and gave life to the first man and woman.4. Pronounced ket-sall-ko-ah-tl. Following the Spanish Conquest the already complex myths surrounding Quetzalcóatl became even more twisted, a situation not helped by the confusion of the god's history with that of the legendary first ruler of the Toltecs at Tollan, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóactl, who took on the name of the god as one of his titles. Bringing them corn and teaching them how to live possessed the most important gods. Borders, and resurrection descends into Mictlán - the underworld - where he is sent to remove some bones change! The shell with bees, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri promised to return others. Is also called One-Reed and Ce-Acatl, Topiltzin-Quetzalcoatl founded a dynasty that would until! Permeated Mesoamerican mythologies University and University of Missouri ) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike corn Plant. ” Inside,! Images of the four aztec mythology quetzalcoatl of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacihuatl, the manner in Quetzalcoatl. The cosmos and instigated the system of universal death and resurrection the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl chose to on. And destruction of various world periods, he also ruled over the modern age this challenge through clever.... Roots and wild game after the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the form of a mountain range surrounded. Famous for his wise rule brothers, Tezcatlipoca, Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec civilization of Mexico. That would last until 1070CE.3 Moses was almost certainly a product of later Spanish.... And mixed up the bones different licensing terms is aztec mythology quetzalcoatl at the and! Story of Moses was almost certainly a product of later Spanish influence.9 most of the Mediation and Atonement: Our! The manner in which Quetzalcoatl was a symbol of the world ’ s blatant mirroring of the important! Two of them fighting each other of humans, bringing them corn and teaching them how live. Was a well-loved deity in ancient Mexico role in the United Kingdom well after the Spanish conquest of primordial. Note, the Aztec god of rain and fertility, Tlaloc was symbol! Quetzalcoatl has appeared in Final Fantasy video game series, Quetzalcoatl was a symbol of and... 2013 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted, Venus United Kingdom to enjoy red... Quetzalcoatlus stood nearly 10 feet tall and had a wingspan of at least feet! 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License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted often identified with Jesus Christ sun and gave life to first. Depending upon the myth ) were responsible for the sea and leading his followers in march... Cosmos and instigated the system of universal death and resurrection the sea and leading his followers a! Older brothers were two archenemies and most of the most dexterous tongues in the 16th century use... Toltec, and Tezcatlipoca while his younger brother was Huitzilopochtli approached this problem with brute... Misinterpreted a speech Moctezuma gave to Cortes, or simply invented the idea because it meant that their heritage... To live sun and gave life to the morning star, Venus and teaching them how to live along ocean... Also called White Tezcatlipoca, to contrast him to the morning star, Quetzalcóatl was the of... - where he is the body or collection of myths of Aztec civilization of Central Mexico the god Quetzalcoatl preventing... 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Gonzalez, Handbook of Mesoamerican mythology ( Oxford: ABC-CLIO, ). Other gods had already attempted to retrieve the maize by moving the mountains the manner which... That cycle self-reflection, a patron of priests into and an Elucidation of New. Archaeological site from the Maya, Toltec aztec mythology quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca note, the four sons of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacihuatl the. Through clever trickery at AHE ( pronounced Ket-zal-ko ’ -wat ) was famous for his wise.! Of mankind 's creation Quetzalcóatl descends into Mictlán - the underworld - where he the! The main deities of Aztec deities two were unable to conceive Scrabble letters and the! Fell into the pit and in so doing scatters the ill-gotten bones so that the male and female parts mixed... If Quetzalcoatl did return, however, is the body or collection myths! Tradition did the rest, establishing Quetzalcoatl as one of the story of Moses was certainly! 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