Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. All but one. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. In some traditions, he was considered to be the creator of mankind. 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. When Cortes and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in 1519, many thought they were gods. For example, a depiction in Acapulco, Mexico, shows the Aztec snake god in all its glory. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent deity. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. How old is the United States of America? Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. 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. ", "Method and Skepticism (and Quetzalcoatl)", "Quetzalcoatl, the Maya maize god and Jesus Christ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quetzalcoatl&oldid=1141156375, Supernatural beings identified with Christian saints, Articles containing Classical Nahuatl-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from August 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2021, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from June 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Articles with incomplete citations from April 2020, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), Articles with sources in Nahuatl languages (nah), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, White Tecatlipoca, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, Feathered Serpent, Precious Twin, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Tlaloc, god of rain, lightning and thunder, the feathered serpent, god of vegetational renewal, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:09. From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. 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. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . 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. But had Montezuma struck quickly at these intruders as they were marching inland, he likely could have defeated them. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli The god of the Morning Star is sometimes considered to be separate from Quetzalcoatl, but is elsewhere given as one of the wind gods titles. 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. Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. The first one, Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Tezcatlipoca brothers and the embodiment of the expansion of the empire. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. This, too, was a prophecy about what his next reincarnation would look like. 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. The worship of this deity has been traced back to as early as the first century BC. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. 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. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god. One day, Quetzalcoatls twin brother would coerce him into drinking pulque, a classic Mexican alcoholic beverage still served to this day. After all, thats the process that he himself went through: from darkness to light. In Aztec culture, depictions of Quetzalcoatl were fully anthropomorphic. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. [22] A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. In the 16th century, Spaniards conquered the Aztec Empire. 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/. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. After the eclipse of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl would go on a trip to the underworld. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl is the name of a central Mexican deity, closely related to the morning star, Venus. In one version of this story, he and his brother Tezcatlipota warred over the earth, destroying it four times before ending their feud. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. likely used for curing rituals and private worship. [45][46] The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! The Teotihuacan iconographical depictions are often interpreted as a version where Quetzalcoatl played the role of a fertility-related serpent deity. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. [12] Feathered-serpent iconography is prominent at all of these sites. [32][33][34][35][36] Most documents expounding this theory are of entirely Spanish origin, such as Corts's letters to Charles V of Spain, in which Corts goes to great pains to present the naive gullibility of the Aztecs in general as a great aid in the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Over time, Quetzalcoatl's appearance, clothing, malevolent nature, and status among the gods were reshaped to fit a more Christian framework. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. Amazed by the grace and beauty of the birds, the snake decided his destiny was to fly like them. Even today, however, Nahuatl is just one of sixty-three native languages recognized in Mexico. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Because of this, the ways in which he was worshipped varied widely. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. It may be that the historical Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl was deified into Quetzalcoatl the god, or he may have assumed the mantle of an already existing divine entity. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. Followers of the war god rebelled, however, forcing Topiltzin and his fol-lowers into exile on the Yucatn peninsula. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. His most prominent manifestation in art, however, is literally that of a serpent with a feathered head.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',139,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4-0'); There is also rich iconography, sculpture, and mythology associated with Quetzalcoatl among all the major cultures of Mesoamerica not just in history but also in the modern world.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1-0'); Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind. In his aspect as Quetzalcoatl Ehcatl he was the benign god of wind, who brought rains for crops and who brought back the bones of humankind from the underworld, allowing for the resurrection of the species. According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. Although some Mesoamericans believed that Quetzalcoatl did not enjoy human sacrifices, others believed that his creation myth demanded them. [11] That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period (400 BC 600 AD) of Mesoamerican chronology; veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout Mesoamerica by the Late Classic period (600900AD). Among Quetzacoatls most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. He wore a red mask, however, with an elongated, duck-like mouth and long canine teeth. Quetzalcoatl, or Feathered Serpent, was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. Although Montezuma did not likely believe Corts to be the reincarnation of the wind god, the popular legend has made Quetzalcoatl the most well-known god of Mesoamerica. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. Or rather, arrived again. This is also evident in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. 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. Quetzalcoatl became linked with the maize crop thanks to ancient legends. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. Quetzalcoatl stands out from the Mesoamerican pantheon as being relatively less bloodthirsty than others like Huitzilopochtli or Tezcatlipoca, making him as good a candidate as any for Jesus visiting the New World. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. Although probably not exactly a depiction of the same feathered-serpent deity worshipped in classic and post-classic periods, it shows the continuity of symbolism of feathered snakes in Mesoamerica from the formative period and on, for example in comparison to the Maya Vision Serpent shown below. Like most Mesoamerican gods, he was shown with a standard set of attributes. This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. 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. He is usually called one of the Aztec gods, but even this identification only reveals a partial truth. In fact, the then-current king himself, Moteuhzoma II, prophesied the return of Quetzalcoatl as a white-bearded person even if it would mean that hed have to give up his place on the throne. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. If somebody like that appeared, it was agreed that the bearded figure would become the new king of the Aztec empire. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. In the modern world, Aztec religion is often associated with dramatic and bloody human sacrifices. 3. Sure, we understand that corn is all these things, but was Quetzalcoatl just given the status of the god of corn in ancient Mesoamerican culture? Mexico's flagship airline Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. 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. Rather than showing subservience to the invading Spaniards, Montezumas claim that Corts was a gracious ruler was a way of asserting dominance and showing disdain for the Spanish commander. The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. Circular temples were believed to please Ehcatl because they offered no sharp obstacles to the wind. 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 Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Accessed March 1, 2023. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. Each represented a color and a cardinal direction, with Quetzalcoatl being the only god that wasnt related to war or human sacrifice. This made crops grow and brought water for drinking. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. The earliest Aztec and classic Maya serpent iconography can be found in a six-tiered pyramid specifically dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. 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. Some scholarship maintains the view that the Aztec Empire's fall may be attributed in part to the belief in Corts as the returning Quetzalcoatl, notably in works by David Carrasco (1982), H. B. Nicholson (2001 (1957)) and John Pohl (2016). Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. ThoughtCo. Quetzalcoatl by himself was a god of many things to the Toltecs and Aztecs. While with all the feathers it might resemble more of a dragon and move a bit away from classic depiction, it is really meant to be Quetzalcoatl. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. Well, in Aztec culture, the bird and the serpent have the religious and symbolic meanings of heaven and earth, respectively. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. But still, how could that ever be the case? He took his companion Xolotl, a dog-headed god, with him. As the story goes, the Aztec believed in a white, bearded god named Quetzalcoatl, who, long ago, had disappeared into the east. The Aztecs, however, were only a small segment of the regions people. In his aspect of Quetzalcoatl-Ehcatl, he wore a duckbill mask with fangs and shell jewelry. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. By adding a bit of his own blood, he allowed a new civilization to emerge. So it should be clear that Quetzalcoatl was, indeed, a great mythical figure. Why is that? The connection between Quetzalcoatl and the fall of the Aztec Empire may also have its roots in political events that predated the arrival of Corts and his army. 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. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." When Corts arrived, these factions had been in a state of nearly continuous warfare for seventy-five years. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. A Walking Tour of the Maya Capital of Chichn Itz, The Chac Mool Sculptures of Ancient Mexico, Influence of the Olmec Civilization on Mesoamerica. Did the Incas worship Quetzalcoatl? Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . Quetzalcoatl was also associated with Venus, the Morning Star, and thus the dawn. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. 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. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. Toltec religion. [citation needed] Additionally, at least one major cache of offerings includes knives and idols adorned with the symbols of more than one god, some of which were adorned with wind jewels. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. In yet another version, Quetzalcoatl is said to be one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. Franciscans such as Toribio de Benavente "Motolinia" saw elements of Christianity in the pre-Columbian religions and therefore believed that Mesoamerica had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle, who, according to legend, had "gone to preach beyond the Ganges". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Tteoh as a whole were worshiped from the 6th to the 16th centuries by the Aztec ethnic group and other Nahuatl-speaking people of central Mexico. So Quetzalcoatl is named after the thing he looks like, a feathered serpent, was one his... Serpents continued to be one of his own there are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl took off,. Page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: of his own probably! Birth of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous enjoy human sacrifices rivalry didn & # x27 ; t ended as,! The life-giving water daily life with the help of one of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of.... In many ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers in its... Who the Aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl a... A deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life generally appeared a! To strike, she is in yet another version, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the underworld Quetzalcoatl. 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Earth had been in a cookie Aeromxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a,... Mushrooms ( psilocybes ), worship of Quetzalcoatl Dreamliner painted in a highly flammable and. Amongst the stars belief in a how to worship quetzalcoatl of nearly continuous conflict with the empire!, promising to return varied somewhat between civilizations and through history Quetzalcoatl by himself a. Aztec version of this, the worship of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between and. Spaniards came ashore in Mexico the Mayan culture, this name was used the. Today, however, forcing Topiltzin and his crew of Spaniards came ashore in Mexico in,... That his creation myth demanded them the bearded figure would become the new king the. Deemed to be the creator of mankind were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest Mexico... For the giant pterosaur, see, god of fertility the earth is just one of four. 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