The major worship of this god as Quetzalcoatl began in 700 . It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. . The archaeological record shows that after the fall of Teotihuacan that marked the beginning of the epi-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology around 600 AD, the cult of the feathered serpent spread to new religious and political centers in central Mexico, centers such as Xochicalco, Cacaxtla and Cholula. Its still in line with the ubiquity of the plumed serpent, but the Aztec religion probably saw Quetzalcoatl as a more important deity in the creation of the world when compared to the civilizations that came before them. Others said that he had invented the calendar and books. 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 not a coincidence that Quetzalcoatl is just as often referred to as the Feathered Serpent by his worshipers and historians. But still, how could that ever be the case? Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. In the extant Mayan sources, it has been revealed that Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, was associated with warfare as well as fertility. By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. 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. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. [13] Furthermore, early Spanish sources written by clerics tend to identify the god-ruler Quetzalcoatl of these narratives with either Hernn Corts or Thomas the Apostleidentifications which have also become sources of a diversity of opinions about the nature of Quetzalcoatl. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. 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. One of the jewels he is depicted with is the wind jewel, affirming his status as a wind god. What did Quetzalcoatl teach? All good eclipses must come to an end, and this happened when the snake evolved into a Feathered Serpent and flew out of the sun again. How should one worship the sun? In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. Nor would he be seen as the reincarnation of the Feathered Serpent god.Indeed, the Aztecs were quick to figure out the nature of the visit of the Spaniards. A 2012 exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Dallas Museum of Art, "The Children of the Plumed Serpent: the Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico", demonstrated the existence of a powerful confederacy of Eastern Nahuas, Mixtecs and Zapotecs, along with the peoples they dominated throughout southern Mexico between 1200 and 1600 (Pohl, Fields, and Lyall 2012, Harvey 2012, Pohl 2003). However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. According to the Book of Mormon, the resurrected Jesus Christ descended from heaven and visited the people of the American continent, shortly after his resurrection. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. The Aztecs, however, were only a small segment of the regions people. For example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. Also, the Quetzalcoatl mural had quite a bit to do with internal peace in society. In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. Several of the peoples of Eastern Mexico united with Corts in the belief that he would help them overthrow the Aztecs. These were part of the Nahua culture, which included both these states and other independent ethnic groups in central Mexico. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". Different versions of the birth of god are prevalent in Mesoamerican mythology. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. 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. Well, if you go to central Mexico you wouldnt have a very hard time finding some. He drove the winds that brought rain and allowed plants to grow. This made it an important sign of fertility because it brought with it the rains that renewed the earth. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. 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. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . The famous Pyramid of the Niches at El Tajin is believed by many to be dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, and the many ball courts there also suggest that his cult was important. It is, indeed, probable that the sole reason why Quetzalcoatl remained so important was because of his worship in earlier empires. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. In general, he is considered the god of wisdom, the god of the Aztec ritual calendar, the god of corn and maize, and oftentimes a symbol of death and resurrection.The different roles of Quetzalcoatl are partly attributable to a series of reincarnations. 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. These languages existed in the Aztec era and were joined by many that still exist in other Central American countries and those that have become extinct. In one myth tied to this belief, the two killed a great monster and used its body to craft the world. With the importance of the snake and bird for Aztec and Mayan culture in mind, it goes without saying that there are many depictions of feathered serpents in ancient excavations. 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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. 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. [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). Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. In the era following the 16th-century Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, a number of records conflated Quetzalcoatl with Ce Acatl Topiltzin, a ruler of the mythico-historic city of Tollan. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. Xolotl Among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatls twin. [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. As indicated, Quetzalcoatl would be depicted in a human form after the year 1200. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. [47], In 1971 Tony Shearer published a book called Lord of the Dawn: Quetzalcoatl and the Tree of Life, inspiring New Age followers to visit Chichen Itza at the summer solstice when dragon-shaped shadows are cast by the Kulkulcan pyramid.[48]. The Myth of Quetzalcoatl: Religion, Rulership, And History In The Nahua World Paperback November 7, 2015, Learn more about Quetzalcoatl at WikiPedia, Copyright - 2023 - Aztecs and Tenochtitlan, The Myth of Quetzalcoatl: Religion, Rulership, And History In The Nahua World. He was also associated with the creation of mankind, so he also possibly occupied the role of creator in the Aztec mythology. Such wind jewels have been found in burials of religious and political leaders and may have been inspired by the patterns of hurricanes, dust devels, and other wind-based events. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. 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