Aztec mythology Totally Explained

Everything about Aztec Mythology totally explained

The Aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many gods (over 100) and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs.

History

Aztec culture is generally grouped with the cultural complex known as the Nahua because of the common language they shared. 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's 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 Aztlán, 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 Chicomostoc, "the place of the seven caves", or at Tamoanchan (the legendary origin of all civilizations).
   The Mexica/Aztec were said to be guided by their god Huitzilopochtli, meaning "Left-handed Hummingbird" or "Hummingbird from the South". When they arrived at an island in the lake, they saw an eagle which was perched on a nopal cactus full of its fruits (nochtli). (Due to a mistranslation of an account by Tesozomoc, it became popular to say the eagle was devouring a snake, but in the original Aztec accounts, the snake isn't mentioned. One states that it was eating a bird, another indicates that it was only perched in the cactus, and a third just says it was eating something.) 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.
   According to legend, when the Mexicas 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 peoples, especially from the ancient Toltec (whom they seem to have partially confused with the more ancient civilization of Teotihuacan). To the Aztec, the Toltecs 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'd several creation myths; one of these describes four great ages preceding the present world, each of which ended in a catastrophe. Our age – Nahui-Ollin, the fifth age, or fifth creation – escaped destruction due to the sacrifice of a god (Nanahuatl, "full of sores", the smallest and humblest of the gods) who was transformed into the Sun. This myth is associated with the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which was already abandoned and destroyed when the Aztec arrived. Another myth describes the earth as a creation of the twin gods Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl. Tezcatlipoca lost his foot in the process of creating the world and all representations of these gods show him without a foot and with a bone exposed. Quetzalcoatl is also called "White Tezcatlipoca".

Gods

Acolnahuacatl, or Acolmiztli - a god of the underworld, Mictlan
Acuecucyoticihuati (see Chalchiuhtlicue)
Amimitl - god of lakes and fishermen
Atl - god of water

Atlacamani - goddess of oceanic storms such as hurricanes

Atlacoya - goddess of drought

Atlatonan (also Atlatonin) - goddess of the coast

Atlaua - water god

Ayauhteotl - goddess of mist, fog, vanity and fame

Camaxtli - god of hunting, war, fate and fire

Centeotl (see Cinteotl)

Chalchiuhtlatonal - god of water

Chalchiuhtecolotl - a night owl god

Chalchiuhtlicue (also Chalciuhtlicue, or Chalchihuitlicue) (She of the Jade Skirt). (Sometimes Acuecucyoticihuati) - the goddess of lakes and streams, and also of birth; consort of Tlaloc.

Chalchiuhtotoliq (Precious Night Turkey) - god of pestilence and mystery

Chalmecatecuchtlz - a god of the underworld, Mictlan and sacrifices

Chalmecatl the underworld, Mictlan and the north

Chantico - the goddess of hearth fires, personal treasure, and volcanoes

Chicomecoatl (also Chalchiuhcihuatl, Chiccomeccatl, or Xilonen) - goddess of new maize and produce, wife of Cinteotl.

Chicomexochtli - a patron of artists

Chiconahui - a domestic fertility goddess

Chiconahuiehecatl - associated with creation

Cihuacoatl (also Chihucoatl or Ciucoatl) (Woman Serpent) - an aspect of Ilamatecuhtli and consort of Quetzalcoatl

Cinteotl (also Centeotl or Centeocihuatl) - the principal maize god, son of Tlazolteotl

Cipactonal - god of astrology and the calendar

Citlalatonac (see Ometeotl)

Citlalicue - a creator of the stars

Coatlicue (She of the Serpent Skirt) - legendary mother of Coyolxauhqui, the Centzon Huitzahua, and Huitzilopochtli

Cochimetl (also Coccochimetl) - god of commerce, bartering, and merchants

Coyolxauhqui - legendary sister of Huitzilopochtli, associated with the moon, possibly patroness of the milky way

Cuaxolotl - a goddess of the hearth

Ehecatl (also Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl) - the god of the Wind and creator of the earth, heavens, and the present race of men. As god of the west, one of the skybearers

Huehuecoyotl (also Ueuecoyotl) - a trickster god of indulgence and pranks. A shapeshifter, associated with drums and the coyote

Huehueteotl (also Ueueteotl, Xiuhtecuhtli, Xiutechuhtli) - an ancient god of the hearth, the fire of life. Associated with the pole star and the north, and serves as a skybearer

Huitzilopochtli (also Mextli, Mexitl, Uitzilopochtli) - the supreme god of Tenochtitlan, patron of war, fire and the sun

Huixtocihuatl (also Uixtochihuatl) - a goddess of salt and saltwater

Ilamatecuhtli (also Cihuacoatl or Quilaztli) - aged goddess of the earth, death, and the milky way. Her roar signalled war

Itztlacoliuhqui-Ixquimilli - god of stone, obsidian, coldness hardness, and castigation. Aspect of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli

Itzli - god of sacrifice and stone knives.

Itzpapalotl - Queen of Tomoanchan and one of the Cihuateteo (night demons) and tzitzimime (star demons)

Ixtlilton - the god of healing, dancing, festivals and games. Brother of Xochipilli.

Macuilcozcacuauhtli (five vulture) - one of the Ahuiateteo (gods of excess)

Macuilcuetzpalin (five lizard) - one of the Ahuiateteo (gods of excess)

Macuilmalinalli (five grass) - one of the Ahuiateteo (gods of excess)

Macuiltochtli (five rabbit) - one of the Ahuiateteo (gods of excess)

Macuilxochitl (five flower) - the god of games and gambling, and chief of the Ahuiateteo (gods of excess)

Malinalxochitl - sorceress and goddess of snakes, scorpions and insects of the desert

Matlalceuitl (also Matlalcueje) - goddess of rainfall and singing. Identified with Chalchiuhtlicue.

Mayahuel (also Mayahual, or Mayouel) - the goddess of maguey, and by extension, alcohol

Metztli (also Metztli, Tecuciztecatl, Tecciztecatl)- lowly god of worms who failed to sacrifice himself to become the sun, and became the moon instead, his face darkened by a rabbit.

Mextli - a god of war and storms

Mictecacihuatl (also Mictlancihuatl) - goddess of death and Lady of Mictlan, the underworld

Mictlantecuhtli (also Mictlantecuhtzi, or Tzontemoc) - the god of death and Lord of Mictlan, also as god of the south, one of the skybearers

Mixcoatl (cloud serpent) - god of hunting, war, and the milky way. An aspect of Tezcatlpoca and father of Quetzalcoatl

Nanahuatzin (also Nana, Nanautzin, or Nanauatzin) - lowly god who sacrificed himself to become sun god Tonatiuh

Omacatl (see Tezcatlipoca)

Omecihuatl (see Ometeotl)

Ometecuhtli (see Ometeotl)

Ometeotl (also Citlatonac or Ometecuhtli (male) and Omecihuatl (female)) - the god(s) of duality, pregenator(s) of souls and lord/lady of heaven

Ometotchtli (two rabbit) - drunken rabbit god, leader of the Centzon Totochtin

Opochtli - left-handed god of trapping, hunting and fishing

Oxomoco - goddess of astrology and the calendar

Patecatl - the god of medicine, husband of Mayahuel

Paynal - the messenger to Huitzilopochtli

Quetzalcoatl (also Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli) (quetzal-feathered serpent) - creator god and patron of rulership, priests and merchants. Associated with Ehecatl as the divine wind

Quilaztli (see Ilamatecuhtli)

Tecciztecatl (see Mextli)

Temazcalteci (also Temaxcaltechi) - goddess of bathing and sweatbaths

Teoyaomicqui (also Teoyaomiqui)- the god of dead warriors

Tepeyollotl - (The jaguar form of Tezcatlipoca) god of the heart of the mountain, associated with jaguars, echoes, and earthquakes

Tepoztecatl (also Tezcatzontecatl) - god of pulque and rabbits

Teteoinnan - mother of the gods

Tezcatlipoca (also Omacatl, Titlacauan) - omnipotent god of rulers, sorcerers and warriors; night, death, discord, conflict, temptation and change. A sinister rival to Quetzalcoatl. Can appear as as a jaguar.

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli - destructive god of the morning star (venus), dawn, and of the east. One of the skybearers

Tlaloc (also Nuhualpilli) - the great and ancient provider and god of rain, fertility and lightning

Tlaltecuhtli - goddess of earth, associated with difficult births

Tlazolteotl (also Tlaelquani, Tlazolteotli)- the goddess of purification from filth, disease or excess

Tloquenahuaque - a creator god or ruler

Toci (also Temazcalteci) - grandmother goddess, heart of the earth and mother of the gods. Associated with midwives and war

Tonacatecuhtli - the aged creator and provider of food and patron of conceptions

Tonacacihuatl - consort of Tonacatecuhtli

Tonantzin - a mother goddess

Tonatiuh - a sun god and heavenly warrior, associated with eagles and with the Maya

Tzitzmitl - aged grandmother goddess

Xilonen - the goddess of young maize

Xipe Totec - the god of the seasons, seed germination and renewal, considered the patron of goldworkers

Xiuhcoatl (fire serpent or turquoise serpent) - embodiment of the sun's rays and emblem of Xiuhtecuhtli

Xiuhtecuhtli -(also called Huehueteotl)

Xochipilli - the young god of feasting, painting, dancing, games, and writing. Associated with Macuilxochitl and Cinteotl

Xochiquetzal - goddess of love, beauty, female sexuality, prostitutes, flowers, pleasure, craft, weaving, and young mothers

Xocotl - star god associated with fire

Xolotl - canine companion of Quetzalcoatl and god of twins, sickness and deformity. Accompanies the dead to Mictlan

Yacatecuhtli (also Yactecuhtli) - the god of merchants and travelers

Serpent gods

Chicomecoatl

Cihuacoatl

Coatlicue

Mixcoatl

Quetzalcoatl

Xiuhcoatl

God groups

Ahuiateteo (also Macuiltonaleque) - five gods who personify excess

Cihuateteo (also Civatateo) - souls of women who died in childbirth who lead the setting sun in the western sky. Also night demons who steal children, and cause seizures, insanity and sexual transgression. They also accompany warriors to heaven.

Centzon huitznahua - southern stars, children of Coatlicue

Centzon Totochtin (400 rabbits) - gods of pulque

Skybearers - associated with the four directions, supported the vault of the sky.

Tzitzimime - star demons of darkness that attack the sun during eclipses and threaten the earth

Supernatural creatures

Ahuitzotl - a man-eating water-dwelling dog-monkey with a hand on its tail

Cipactli - the caiman at the foundations of the earth

Cihuateteo-the spirits of human women who died in childbirth (mociuaquetzque.)

Nagual - a tutelary animal or vegetable spirit

Nahual - a shapeshifting sorcerer or witch

Tlaltecuhtli - a toad goddess

Legendary heroes

Popocatepetl - Legendary warrior

Places

Aztlán (land of the herons) - the original home of the Mexica before the peregrination and the establishment of Tenochtitlan

Iztaccihuatl

Mictlan - the underworld.

Popocatepetl

Tlalocan first paradise.

Tehuantepec place of the hill of the sacred jaguar

Tlillan-Tlapallan middle realm of the heaven (middle paradise).

Tonatiuhichan highest paradise

TamoanchanFurther Information

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