";s:4:"text";s:18233:"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. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. [need quotation to verify] Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the neck. Quetzalcoatl is thus not only an Aztec god. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. Temple of Ehcatl-Quetzalcoatl. There are three different ways you can cite this article. According to another mythological account, he was conceived by the virgin Chimalman after she swallowed an emerald. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322 (accessed March 2, 2023). Quetzalcoatl became, in fact, the very title of the most important priests: the twin Aztec High Priests. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the twin Aztec high priests. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". Xochiquetzal and the Moon At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. Manage Settings The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. 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 . [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4','ezslot_7',140,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-box-4-0'); This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); By the Late Classic Period (600AD-900AD), it appears that the worship of Quetzalcoatl had spread throughout the Mesoamerican region. Quetzalcoatls twin, Xolotl, was a god associated with death. According to stories, Aztec people only ate animals or roots until Quetzalcoatl arrived. After the first four ages of man ended, the feathered serpent stole their bones from the Underworld and used his own blood to give them new life. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. The two priests came to their position after living an exemplary life, with pure and compassionate hearts. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. The Tlaxcalteca, along with other city-states across the Plain of Puebla, then supplied the auxiliary and logistical support for the conquests of Guatemala and West Mexico while Mixtec and Zapotec caciques (Colonial indigenous rulers) gained monopolies in the overland transport of Manila galleon trade through Mexico, and formed highly lucrative relationships with the Dominican order in the new Spanish imperial world economic system that explains so much of the enduring legacy of indigenous life-ways that characterize southern Mexico and explain the popularity of the Quetzalcoatl legends that continued through the colonial period to the present day. 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. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . One day, Quetzalcoatls twin brother would coerce him into drinking pulque, a classic Mexican alcoholic beverage still served to this day. By the 3rd century AD this was recognizable as a god, who had a pyramid dedicated to his honor in the city of Teotihuacn. [8] In his form as the morning star, Venus, he is also depicted as a harpy eagle. It really elevated the status of the Feathered Serpent to the protector of the people, which is also affirmed by his role as patron god. Although little is known about the specific ways in which he was revered, some historians believe that the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms and other intoxicants may have played a large role. Having been in awe of the sun and its light, the snake decided to fly toward the sun. Quetzalcoatl is the most recognizable name among the Aztec gods. If this speech was actually given, its likely that ignorance of Aztec customs and Nahuatl speech patterns was to blame for giving the impression that Montezuma was willingly handing over power to a divine being. In the underworld, Quetzalcoatl went all the way to Mictln; the lowest region of the Aztec underworld. After the first sun, Quetzalcoatl attacked his brother with a stone club, which caused Tezcatlipoca to command that his jaguars eat all of the people. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. READ MORE: Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. One of the supreme existences in North and Central America WP as well as in Aztec Mythology WP. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. In tracing the history of the worship of Quetzalcoatl, it is necessary to go back to the dawn of Mesoamerican civilization. Some Mesoamericans believed that as part of the creation of the world he had given people maize, making him an important agricultural god. The Aztec confederacy was opposed by other Nahua groups to the east. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. Tlaloc blew the snake into the air, to a point where he was higher than the birds. His appearance can change drastically, however, depending on the region, era, and context. Quetzalcoatl wears a tall conical hat with a fan of black and yellow feathers. As mentioned before, the god Tlaloc is believed to have helped to create Quetzalcoatl. 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). Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. On the basis of the different symbolic systems used in portrayals of the feathered-serpent deity in different cultures and periods, scholars have interpreted the religious and symbolic meaning of the feathered-serpent deity in Mesoamerican cultures. Indeed, the same as the one from the Great Pyramid. Even in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl was connected to the fertility of the earth. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. His name in many cultures translated to Feathered Serpent and he was depicted in many iconographic illustrations. 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. While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. What are the facts associated with this mysterious god? The Teotihuacan iconographical depictions are often interpreted as a version where Quetzalcoatl played the role of a fertility-related serpent deity. In these instances, he is often seen wearing a lot of jewelry and some form of a hat. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. 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. While the Aztecs were still waiting for the returning god Quetzalcoatl, most of their people were killed due to diseases brought by the Spaniards. They maintained a major pilgrimage and commercial center at Cholula, Puebla which the Spaniards compared to both Rome and Mecca because the cult of the god united its constituents through a field of common social, political, and religious values without dominating them militarily. 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 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. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. Before he left, however, he promised to return. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. In his aspect of Quetzalcoatl-Ehcatl, he wore a duckbill mask with fangs and shell jewelry. The Nahua largely spoke dialects of the same language, Nahuatl, which helped to unify their culture. [43] In a 1986 paper for Sunstone, he noted that during the Spanish Conquest, the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. After months of rain, the snake was forced to come out of the cave. He also has red and green feathers around his head and back. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. The Nahuatl nouns compounded into the proper name "Quetzalcoatl" are: (in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl languages), Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, "Evidence of Mushroom Worship in Mesoamerica", "New Taxonomical and Ethnomycological Observations on, "All You Need To Know About The Ancient Aztec Gods and Goddesses", "Readings in Classical Nahuatl: The Death of Quetzalcoatl", "Gift of the Gods: Chocolate in the Aztec Empire", "The Complete New York City Horror Movie Marathon! 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. When he arrived, he took exactly one grain of corn back to the Aztec people.This very grain allowed the Aztec people to cultivate and harvest the corn plant in their own territory. The east is represented by Xipe Totec who is the Red Tezcatlipoca and the god of gold and farming. It shows the first signs of a feathered serpent cult amongst ancient civilizations of the region. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. 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. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. 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. 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. The south is represented by Huitzilopochtli who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca and the god of war. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star ( Venus ), wind and rain. 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 the modern era, however, many aspects of this legend have come into question. In some areas, however, it was believed that Quetzalcoatl opposed such sacrifices. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming and springtime. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. 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. At one hand, Mayans considered a snake as the embodiment of the cosmos. While in his own story, this was not all too literal, his actions that followed were actually the literal interpretation of his promise. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. This made crops grow and brought water for drinking. Among the Aztecs, it was related to wind, Venus, Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. 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. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice[26] while others describe him practicing it.[27][28]. As the morning star, he was known by the title Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, meaning "lord of the star of the dawn". Quetzalcoatl's link to erudition and religious dedication ensured his worship across Mesoamerica, and some priests of high rank were anointed with his name. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. . He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. The feathered serpent was a deity who was widely worshiped and persisted for a long period of time. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. It has been suggested that these stories recall the spread of the feathered-serpent cult in the epi-classic and early post-classic periods.[12]. Because, if they did include human sacrifice, basically a part of Quetzalcoatl himself would be killed in order to honor him. From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. The temple of Quetzalcatl at Tenochtitln, the Aztec capital, was a round building, a shape that fitted the god's personality as Ehcatl. Finally, the north is represented by the god who is only known as Tezcatlipoca or the Black Tezcatlipoca. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. The Toltec people, who the Aztecs considered to be their ancestors, used Quetzalcoatl as a title for military and political rulers. 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. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl wasnt all that happy with it, however. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. Quetzalcoatl stole the bones from the Underworld, taking great risks and evading many traps to bring them to the surface. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. Often our current time was considered the fifth sun,[29] the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. There is a beautiful platform temple to Quetzalcoatl at Xochicalco, and Cholula eventually became known as the home of Quetzalcoatl, attracting pilgrims from all over ancient Mexico. The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. Montezuma's failure to act has been attributed to his belief that Cortes was none other than Quetzalcoatl, who had once gone away to the east, promising to return. ";s:7:"keyword";s:27:"how to worship quetzalcoatl";s:5:"links";s:379:"Collie Death Notices,
Raymond Burr Trampoline,
Michael Smithers Obituary,
Articles H
";s:7:"expired";i:-1;}
