how to worship quetzalcoatl
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August 5, 2019In the episode "Damnesia You," Xavier winds up in the Aztec world and is immediately (and unsuccessfully) sacrificed for insulting the Sun God, and during the sacrifice the Aztecs humorously fail to pronounce his name. It was not just a populist idea that gained interest in Aztec society. The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. 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. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that the association amounts to nothing more than folklore. Quetzalcoatl was also linked with Aztec priesthood and one of the two high priests in the famous Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan assumed the title of Quetzalcoatl. This talisman was a conch shell cut at the cross-section and was likely worn as a necklace by religious rulers, as such objects have been discovered in burials in archaeological sites throughout Mesoamerica,[6] and potentially symbolized patterns witnessed in hurricanes, dust devils, seashells, and whirlpools, which were elemental forces that had significance in Aztec mythology. 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. Furthermore, he saw the Quetzal birds flying in the sky, which was also something he had never seen before. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. Well, look no further, because Quetzalcoatl is your guy. 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. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. Quetzalcoatl was considered important in the pantheon of Aztec gods. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Toltec religion. This story probably came about later, as Aztec nobles tried to rationalize their defeat. He appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus. Some Mormons believe that Quetzalcoatl, who was associated with the east, (which in turn was represented by the color white to the Aztecs), was white-skinned. . Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. 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. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . 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. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] However, a god that represents both a bird and a serpent in particular should be regarded as the highest of spiritual leaders. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. Instead, these stories were probably the invention of Franciscan monks who followed the initial conquest of Mexico. [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. In the Aztec religion, Chalchiuhtlicue was the goddess of water, but she was also the only Chalchiuhtlicue: The Aztec Goddess of Water, gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl became linked with the maize crop thanks to ancient legends. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. [30], He is also attributed with having brought the cacao plant from a sacred mountain to the Toltec people, teaching the women how to make traditional drinking chocolate.[31]. [25] Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. It is said that he is called the god of wind, spirit of rain, the god of culture, and the . The first rays of light impressed the snake, making him marvel at the world around him. Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. Over more than a thousand years, a similar god was worshipped by virtually every one of Mesoamericas related cultures. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. With great respect and awe. Quetzalcoatl, or Feathered Serpent, was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. The following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. Quetzalcoatl is one of the most well-known Mesoamerican gods, but how much do you actually know about the feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico? A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . The invaders looked an awful lot like these late depictions. Different versions of the birth of god are prevalent in Mesoamerican mythology. They inhabited the top of the Great Pyramid dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. While Quetzacoatl is one of the most well-known gods of ancient Mexico, he is often misunderstood. Cortes continued to play the role of Quetzalcoatl for many years and eventually impacted others to convert. This is also evident in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history. This betterment meant something different with every new installment, which explains why many Aztec deities are related to different realms. 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/. The new perceptions came with the installment of the Toltec and Aztec empire and how they braided their more violent nature in their mythology. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. Some followers of the Latter Day Saints movement believe that Quetzalcoatl was historically Jesus Christ, who Latter-day Saints believe visited the New World as a resurrected being as reported in the Book of Mormon, but believe his name and the details of the event were gradually lost over time. ", "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. Quetzalcoatl is but one of the Aztec gods and goddesses that has animal-like characteristics. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. On the basis of the Teotihuacan iconographical depictions of the feathered serpent, archaeologist Karl Taube has argued that the feathered serpent was a symbol of fertility and of internal political structures - contrasting with the War Serpent symbolizing the outwards military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. The story of how the ordinary Quetzalcoatl became one of the heavenly brothers goes as followed. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. In the extant Mayan sources, it has been revealed that Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, was associated with warfare as well as fertility. Similarly, various other birth stories are also associated with Quetzalcoatl. In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. As a wind god, he was also responsible for making the rain fall. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. A feathered-serpent deity the domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as greatest... Wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the ancient people of Mesoamerica various... That represents both a bird and a serpent in particular should be regarded as the highest spiritual! Quetzalcoatl appears in the duality of serpent figures throughout Mesopotamian history with Quetzalcoatl rays. And Cacaxtla Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form how they braided their more nature! When he arrived in Mexico in 1519 a cult of his own from! 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