Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico.[1] The Aztecs were Nahuatl-speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures. According to legend, the various groups who were to become the Aztecs arrived from the north into the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco. The location of this valley and lake of destination is clear – it is the heart of modern Mexico City – but little can be known with certainty about the origin of the Aztec. There are different accounts of their origin. In the myth the ancestors of the Mexica/Aztec came from a place in the north called Aztlan, the last of seven nahuatlacas (Nahuatl-speaking tribes, from tlaca, "man") to make the journey southward, hence their name "Azteca." Other accounts cite their origin in Chicomoztoc, "the place of the seven caves," or at Tamoanchan (the legendary origin of all civilizations).
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. Together they symbolize life and death.
The Mexica/Aztec were said to be guided by their god Huitzilopochtli, meaning "Left-handed Hummingbird" or "Hummingbird from the South." At an island in Lake Texcoco, they saw an eagle holding a rattlesnake in its talons, perched on a nopal cactus. This vision fulfilled a prophecy telling them that they should found their new home on that spot. The Aztecs built their city of Tenochtitlan on that site, building a great artificial island, which today is in the center of Mexico City. This legendary vision is pictured on the Coat of Arms of Mexico.
Huitzilopochtli is raising up the skies of the South, one of the four directions of the world, surrounded by their respective trees, temples, patterns, and divination symbols.
According to legend, when the Mexica arrived in the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco, they were considered by the other groups as the least civilized of all, but the Mexica/Aztec decided to learn, and they took all they could from other people, especially from the ancient Toltec (whom they seem to have partially confused with the more ancient civilization of Teotihuacan). To the Aztec, the Toltec were the originators of all culture; "Toltecayotl" was a synonym for culture. Aztec legends identify the Toltecs and the cult of Quetzalcoatl with the legendary city of Tollan, which they also identified with the more ancient Teotihuacan.
Because the Aztec adopted and combined several traditions with their own earlier traditions, they had several creation myths. One of these, the Five Suns, describes four great ages preceding the present world, each of which ended in a catastrophe, and "were named in function of the force or divine element that violently put an end to each one of them".[2]Coatlicue was the mother of Centzon Huitznahua ("Four Hundred Southerners"), her sons, and Coyolxauhqui, her daughter. She found a ball filled with feathers and placed it in her waistband, becoming pregnant with Huitzilopochtli. Her other children became suspicious as to the identity of the father and vowed to kill their mother. She gave birth on Mount Coatepec, pursued by her children, but the newborn Huitzilopochtli defeated most of his brothers, who became the stars. He also killed his half-sister Coyolxauhqui by tearing out her heart using a Xiuhcoatl (a blue snake) and throwing her body down the mountain. This was said to inspire the Aztecs to rip the hearts out of their human sacrifices and throw their bodies down the sides of the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, who represents the sun chasing away the stars at dawn.
Our age (Nahui-Ollin), the fifth age, or fifth creation, began in the ancient city of Teotihuacan[citation needed]. According to the myth, all the gods had gathered to sacrifice themselves and create a new age. Although the world and the sun had already been created, it would only be through their sacrifice that the sun would be set into motion and time as well as history could begin. The most handsome and strongest of the gods, Tecuciztecatl, was supposed to sacrifice himself but when it came time to self-immolate, he could not jump into the fire. Instead, Nanahuatl the smallest and humblest of the gods, who was also covered in boils, sacrificed himself first and jumped into the flames. The sun was set into motion with his sacrifice and time began. Humiliated by Nanahuatl's sacrifice, Tecuciztecatl too leaped into the fire and became the moon.[3]
Primo Feliciano Velázquez (1975). Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas (ed.). Códice Chimalpopoca. Anales de Cuauhtitlán y Leyenda de los Soles (in Spanish). México. p. 161. ISBN968-36-2747-1.
Adela Fernández (1998). Panorama Editorial (ed.). Dioses Prehispánicos de México (in Spanish). México. p. 162. ISBN968-38-0306-7.
Cecilio Agustín Robelo (1905). Biblioteca Porrúa. Imprenta del Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Historia y Etnología (ed.). Diccionario de Mitología Nahua (in Spanish). México. p. 851. ISBN978-9684327955.
Otilia Meza (1981). Editorial Universo México (ed.). El Mundo Mágico de los Dioses del Anáhuac (in Spanish). México. p. 153. ISBN968-35-0093-5.
Patricia Turner and Charles Russell Coulter (2001). Oxford University Press (ed.). Dictionary of Ancient Deities. United States. p. 608. ISBN0-19-514504-6.
Michael Jordan (2004). Library of Congress (ed.). Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses. United States. p. 402. ISBN0-8160-5923-3.
Nowotny, Karl Anton (2005). Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, c2005 (ed.). Tlacuilolli: Style and Contents of the Mexican Pictorial Manuscripts with a Catalog of the Borgia Group. p. 402. ISBN978-0806136530.
François-Marie Bertrand (1881). Migne (ed.). Dictionnaire universel, historique et comparatif, de toutes les religions du monde : comprenant le judaisme, le christianisme, le paganisme, le sabéisme, le magisme, le druidisme, le brahmanisme, le bouddhismé, le chamisme, l'islamisme, le fétichisme; Volumen 1,2,3,4 (in French). France. p. 602.
Douglas, David (2009). The Altlas of Lost Cults and mystery religions. Godsfield Press. pp. 34–35.
Boone, Elizabeth H., ed. (1982). The Art and Iconography of Late Post-Classic Central Mexico. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks. ISBN0-88402-110-6.
Boone, Elizabeth Hill (2013). Cycles of Time and Meaning in the Mexican Books of Fate. University of Texas Press. ISBN978-0-292-75656-4.
Brinton, Daniel G. (Ed.) (1890). "Rig Veda Americanus". Library of Aboriginal American Literature. Vol. No. VIII. Project Gutenberg reproduction.(in English and Nahuatl languages)
James Lewis Thomas Chalmbers Spence, The Myths of Mexico and Peru: Aztec, Maya and Inca, 1913 The Myths of Mexico and Peru: Aztec, Maya and Inca
Miguel León Portilla, Native Mesoamerican Spirituality, Paulist Press, 1980 Native Mesoamerican Spirituality: Ancient Myths, Discourses, Stories, Doctrines, Hymns, Poems from the Aztec, Yucatec, Quiche-Maya and Other Sacred Traditions
^Portilla, Miguel León (1980). Native Mesoamerican Spirituality: Ancient Myths, Discourses, Stories, Hymns, Poems, from the Aztec, Yucatec, Quiche-Maya, and other sacred traditions. New Jersey: Paulist Press. p. 40. ISBN0-8091-2231-6.
^Smith, Michael E. "The Aztecs". Blackwell Publishers, 2002.
External links
Rig Veda Americanus at Project Gutenberg, Daniel Brinton (Ed); late 19th-century compendium of some Aztec mythological texts and poems appearing in one manuscript version of Sahagun's 16th-century codices.
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Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico 1 The Aztecs were Nahuatl speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures According to legend the various groups who were to become the Aztecs arrived from the north into the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco The location of this valley and lake of destination is clear it is the heart of modern Mexico City but little can be known with certainty about the origin of the Aztec There are different accounts of their origin In the myth the ancestors of the Mexica Aztec came from a place in the north called Aztlan the last of seven nahuatlacas Nahuatl speaking tribes from tlaca man to make the journey southward hence their name Azteca Other accounts cite their origin in Chicomoztoc the place of the seven caves or at Tamoanchan the legendary origin of all civilizations 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 Together they symbolize life and death The Mexica Aztec were said to be guided by their god Huitzilopochtli meaning Left handed Hummingbird or Hummingbird from the South At an island in Lake Texcoco they saw an eagle holding a rattlesnake in its talons perched on a nopal cactus This vision fulfilled a prophecy telling them that they should found their new home on that spot The Aztecs built their city of Tenochtitlan on that site building a great artificial island which today is in the center of Mexico City This legendary vision is pictured on the Coat of Arms of Mexico Contents 1 Creation myth 2 Pantheon 3 See also 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External linksCreation myth Edit Huitzilopochtli is raising up the skies of the South one of the four directions of the world surrounded by their respective trees temples patterns and divination symbols According to legend when the Mexica arrived in the Anahuac valley around Lake Texcoco they were considered by the other groups as the least civilized of all but the Mexica Aztec decided to learn and they took all they could from other people especially from the ancient Toltec whom they seem to have partially confused with the more ancient civilization of Teotihuacan To the Aztec the Toltec were the originators of all culture Toltecayotl was a synonym for culture Aztec legends identify the Toltecs and the cult of Quetzalcoatl with the legendary city of Tollan which they also identified with the more ancient Teotihuacan Because the Aztec adopted and combined several traditions with their own earlier traditions they had several creation myths One of these the Five Suns describes four great ages preceding the present world each of which ended in a catastrophe and were named in function of the force or divine element that violently put an end to each one of them 2 Coatlicue was the mother of Centzon Huitznahua Four Hundred Southerners her sons and Coyolxauhqui her daughter She found a ball filled with feathers and placed it in her waistband becoming pregnant with Huitzilopochtli Her other children became suspicious as to the identity of the father and vowed to kill their mother She gave birth on Mount Coatepec pursued by her children but the newborn Huitzilopochtli defeated most of his brothers who became the stars He also killed his half sister Coyolxauhqui by tearing out her heart using a Xiuhcoatl a blue snake and throwing her body down the mountain This was said to inspire the Aztecs to rip the hearts out of their human sacrifices and throw their bodies down the sides of the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli who represents the sun chasing away the stars at dawn Our age Nahui Ollin the fifth age or fifth creation began in the ancient city of Teotihuacan citation needed According to the myth all the gods had gathered to sacrifice themselves and create a new age Although the world and the sun had already been created it would only be through their sacrifice that the sun would be set into motion and time as well as history could begin The most handsome and strongest of the gods Tecuciztecatl was supposed to sacrifice himself but when it came time to self immolate he could not jump into the fire Instead Nanahuatl the smallest and humblest of the gods who was also covered in boils sacrificed himself first and jumped into the flames The sun was set into motion with his sacrifice and time began Humiliated by Nanahuatl s sacrifice Tecuciztecatl too leaped into the fire and became the moon 3 Pantheon EditMain article List of Aztec gods and supernatural beings Embodied spirits Tonalleque 1 Cihuateteo 2 Patterns of War 1a Tlaloc 1b Xiuhtecuhtli 2a Mixcoatl 2b Xipe Totec Patterns of Merchants 1a Huehuecoyotl 1b Zacatzontli 2a Yacatecuhtli 2b Tlacotzontli 3a Tlazolteotl and Metztli 3b Tonatiuh Water deities Tlaloc god of rain lightning and thunder He is a fertility god Chalchiuhtlicue goddess of running water lakes rivers seas streams horizontal waters storms and baptism Huixtocihuatl goddess of salt Opochtli god of fishing and birdcatchers discoverer of both the harpoon and net Atlahua god of water a fisherman and archer Fire deities Xiuhtecuhtli god of fire and time Chantico goddess of firebox and volcanoes Xolotl god of death associated with Venus as the Evening Star Double of Quetzalcoatl Death deities Mictlantecuhtli god of the dead ruler of the Underworld Mictlan Mictecacihuatl goddess of the dead ruler of the Underworld Mictlan Xolotl god of death associated with Venus as the Evening Star Double of Quetzalcoatl Sky deities Tezcatlipoca god of providence the darkness and the invisible lord of the night ruler of the North Xipe Totec god of force lord of the seasons and rebirth ruler of the East Quetzalcoatl god of the life the light and wisdom lord of the winds and the day ruler of the West Huitzilopochtli god of war lord of the sun and fire ruler of the South Xolotl god of death associated with Venus as the Evening Star Double of Quetzalcoatl Ehecatl god of wind Tlaloc god of rain lightning and thunder He is a fertility god Coyolxauhqui goddess and leader of the Centzonhuitznahua associated with the moon Meztli goddess of the moon Tonatiuh god of the sun Nanahuatzin god of the sun He sacrificed himself in a burning fire so the god Tonatiuh took his place Centzonmimixcoa 400 gods of the northern stars Centzonhuitznahua 400 gods of the southern stars Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli god of the morning star Venus Lords of the Night Xiuhtecuhtli god of fire and time Tezcatlipoca god of providence the darkness and the invisible lord of the night ruler of the North Piltzintecuhtli god of visions associated with Mercury the planet that is visible just before sunrise or just after sunset and healing Centeotl god of maize Mictlantecuhtli god of the Underworld Mictlan Chalchiuhtlicue goddess of running water lakes rivers seas streams horizontal waters storms and baptism Tlazolteotl goddess of lust carnality and sexual misdeeds Tepeyollotl god of the animals darkened caves echoes and earthquakes Tepeyollotl is a variant of Tezcatlipoca and is associated with mountains Tlaloc god of rain lightning and thunder He is a fertility god Lords of the Day Xiuhtecuhtli god of fire and time Tlaltecuhtli old god goddess of earth changed in the landscape and atmosphere Chalchiuhtlicue goddess of running water lakes rivers seas streams horizontal waters storms and baptism Tonatiuh god of the Sun Tlazolteotl goddess of lust carnality and sexual misdeeds Mictlantecuhtli god of the Underworld Mictlan Mictecacihuatl goddess of the Underworld Mictlan Centeotl god of maize Tlaloc god of rain lightning and thunder He is a fertility god Quetzalcoatl god of life light and wisdom lord of the winds and the day ruler of the West Tezcatlipoca god of providence the darkness and the invisible lord of the night ruler of the North Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli god of dawn Venus Citlalicue goddess of female stars in the Milky Way Citlalatonac god of female stars Husband of Citlalicue Earth deities Xipe Totec god of force lord of the seasons and rebirth ruler of the East Tonacatecuhtli god of sustenance associated with Ometecuhtli Tonacacihuatl goddess of sustenance associated with Omecihuatl Tlaltecuhtli old god goddess of earth changed in the landscape and atmosphere Chicomecoatl goddess of agriculture Centeotl god of the maize associated with the Tianquiztli Pleiades Xilonen goddess of tender maize Matron goddesses Coatlicue goddess of fertility life death and rebirth Chimalma goddess of fertility life death and rebirth Xochitlicue goddess of fertility life death and rebirth Itzpapalotl warrior and death goddess obsidian butterfly leader of the Tzitzimimeh Toci goddess of healthStar deities Centzonmimixcoa 400 gods of the northern stars Centzonhuitznahua 400 gods of the southern stars Citlalicue goddess of female stars in the Milky Way Citlalatonac god of female stars Husband of Citlalicue Itzpapalotl warrior and death goddess obsidian butterfly leader of the Tzitzimimeh Mixcoatl god of the hunt and identified with the Milky Way the stars and the heavens Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli god of the morning star Venus Tzitzimimeh monstrous deities associated with stars often described as demons or devils Xolotl god of death associated with Venus as the Evening Star Double of Quetzalcoatl See also EditList of Aztec gods and supernatural beings Santa Muerte the Mictecacihuatl reincarnate The Stinking Corpse Thirteen HeavensBibliography EditPrimo Feliciano Velazquez 1975 Instituto de Investigaciones Historicas ed Codice Chimalpopoca Anales de Cuauhtitlan y Leyenda de los Soles in Spanish Mexico p 161 ISBN 968 36 2747 1 Adela Fernandez 1998 Panorama Editorial ed Dioses Prehispanicos de Mexico in Spanish Mexico p 162 ISBN 968 38 0306 7 Cecilio Agustin Robelo 1905 Biblioteca Porrua Imprenta del Museo Nacional de Arqueologia Historia y Etnologia ed Diccionario de Mitologia Nahua in Spanish Mexico p 851 ISBN 978 9684327955 Otilia Meza 1981 Editorial Universo Mexico ed El Mundo Magico de los Dioses del Anahuac in Spanish Mexico p 153 ISBN 968 35 0093 5 Patricia Turner and Charles Russell Coulter 2001 Oxford University Press ed Dictionary of Ancient Deities United States p 608 ISBN 0 19 514504 6 Michael Jordan 2004 Library of Congress ed Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses United States p 402 ISBN 0 8160 5923 3 Nowotny Karl Anton 2005 Norman University of Oklahoma Press c2005 ed Tlacuilolli Style and Contents of the Mexican Pictorial Manuscripts with a Catalog of the Borgia Group p 402 ISBN 978 0806136530 Francois Marie Bertrand 1881 Migne ed Dictionnaire universel historique et comparatif de toutes les religions du monde comprenant le judaisme le christianisme le paganisme le sabeisme le magisme le druidisme le brahmanisme le bouddhisme le chamisme l islamisme le fetichisme Volumen 1 2 3 4 in French France p 602 Douglas David 2009 The Altlas of Lost Cults and mystery religions Godsfield Press pp 34 35 Boone Elizabeth H ed 1982 The Art and Iconography of Late Post Classic Central Mexico Washington D C Dumbarton Oaks ISBN 0 88402 110 6 Boone Elizabeth Hill 2013 Cycles of Time and Meaning in the Mexican Books of Fate University of Texas Press ISBN 978 0 292 75656 4 Brinton Daniel G Ed 1890 Rig Veda Americanus Library of Aboriginal American Literature Vol No VIII Project Gutenberg reproduction in English and Nahuatl languages Leon Portilla Miguel 1990 1963 Aztec Thought and Culture Davis J E trans Norman Oklahoma Oklahoma University Press ISBN 0 8061 2295 1 Miller Mary Karl Taube 1993 The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya London Thames and Hudson ISBN 0 500 05068 6 James Lewis Thomas Chalmbers Spence The Myths of Mexico and Peru Aztec Maya and Inca 1913 The Myths of Mexico and Peru Aztec Maya and Inca Miguel Leon Portilla Native Mesoamerican Spirituality Paulist Press 1980 Native Mesoamerican Spirituality Ancient Myths Discourses Stories Doctrines Hymns Poems from the Aztec Yucatec Quiche Maya and Other Sacred TraditionsReferences Edit Kirk p 8 myth Encyclopaedia Britannica Portilla Miguel Leon 1980 Native Mesoamerican Spirituality Ancient Myths Discourses Stories Hymns Poems from the Aztec Yucatec Quiche Maya and other sacred traditions New Jersey Paulist Press p 40 ISBN 0 8091 2231 6 Smith Michael E The Aztecs Blackwell Publishers 2002 External links EditRig Veda Americanus at Project Gutenberg Daniel Brinton Ed late 19th century compendium of some Aztec mythological texts and poems appearing in one manuscript version of Sahagun s 16th century codices Aztec history culture and religion Bernal Diaz del Castillo The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico tr by A P Maudsley 1928 repr 1965 Portal Aztec Mythology in Spanish A Visual Guide to the Aztec Pantheon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aztec mythology amp oldid 1149578741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
