Although the city’s main temple was not dedicated to him, the priests of the city took his name and his iconography was prevalent. Feathered serpents appear as early as 900 BC in parts of Mexico. He was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge. Quetzalcoatl played two important roles in Aztec culture. By 1200 AD, Quetzalcoatl’s iconography had become more fixed. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Quetzalcoatl was so closely linked to fertility and creation that many groups held him to be the creator of mankind. Interestingly enough, from the historical perspective, even decades before the arrival of the Spanish, the Aztec Empire fought against a tenacious enemy in the form of a confederacy of Eastern Nahuas, Mixtecs, Zapotecs and other associated tribes under them. The worship of the ‘Feathered Serpent’ as a definite deity possibly started in Teotihuacan, the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, by circa 1st century AD. The god’s powers extended beyond the wind, however. Plumed serpents continued to be depicted in Central American cultures. In one version of the Aztec creation myth, the world was created and destroyed for four times (each age associated with the sun), with some of the tumultuous episodes being borne by the fighting between Quetzalcoatl and his brother Tezcatlipoca (‘Smoking Mirror’). Cortés himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. Quite incredibly, the ‘human’ nature of Quetzalcoatl influenced the later Toltec rulers, so much so that they might have even venerated and equated Quetzalcoatl to a king. Online Sources: McGill University / LACMA / World Digital Library / MexicoLore, Featured Image: Artwork by GENZOMAN (DeviantArt), Home » Blog Posts » Culture » Quetzalcoatl: History and Mythology of the Aztec ‘Feathered Serpent’ God. He is the god intelligence and self-reflection, a patron of priests. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Xolotl – Among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatl’s twin. The widespread worship of Quetzalcoatl may have even played a factor in the belief that the natives of Mexico identified him with the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Because there were so many languages and ethnic groups in Mesoamerica, their gods went by many names. In the Aztec religion, Chalchiuhtlicue was the goddess of water, but she was also the only... Coatlicue was a mother goddess, but that does not mean that she seemed loving and nurturing.... Chalchiuhtlicue: The Aztec Goddess of Water, gods to Spanish legends, here’s everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs. In the 17th century, Ixtlilxóchitl, a descendant of Aztec royalty and historian of the Nahua people, wrote, "Quetzalcoatl, in its literal sense, means 'serpent of precious feathers', but in the allegorical sense, 'wisest of men'." Quetzalcoatl occupied a central place in the pantheon of the Aztec people of central Mexico, but he dates back to a time long before the Aztecs. While this legend is disputed, it is clear that Quetzalcoatl was an important deity to the Aztecs and other people of Mexico and Central America. The world’s largest pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl and was built up at the site over a period of a thousand years. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. The connection between Quetzalcoatl and the fall of the Aztec Empire may also have its roots in political events that predated the arrival of Cortés and his army. Furthermore, historians have found only scarce evidence of such a foretelling of Quetzalcoatl’s return in pre-Hispanic traditions. Another legacy, possibly borrowed from the earlier Toltecs, made Quetzalcoatl the patron god of priests, thus alluding to the symbol of death and resurrection. According to a previously held conventional theory, the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II regarded the arrival of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés on Mexican shores (in circa 1519 AD) as the return of Quetzalcoatl, given his ‘white bearded’ face. In the twist of irony, such ties with the foreigners rather bolstered their autonomy as native powers, thereby allowing for the preservation of indigenous traditions related to Quetzalcoatl for centuries to come. He was a god of wind, culture, knowledge, and creation. Known as the Ehecailacozcatl, its swirling design represents the wind. Rather than showing subservience to the invading Spaniards, Montezuma’s claim that Cortés was a gracious ruler was a way of asserting dominance and showing disdain for the Spanish commander. To join over 5,600 other subscribers, simply provide your email address: Quetzalcoatl: History and Mythology of the Aztec ‘Feathered Serpent’ God, Tens of thousands of Maya structures identified in Guatemala via aerial LiDAR, 10 ancient Mesopotamian gods and goddesses you should know about, Mysterious Mesoamerican stone shrine in a pond might have represented the creation of Earth, 15 Major Norse Gods, Goddesses, And Their Family Tree, Awe-inspiring animation reconstructs Constantinople, the ‘New Rome’ of 13th century AD, 8 Inventive Designs Of Leonardo Da Vinci That Have Modern-Day Counterparts, 12 Interesting Historical Inventions You Thought Were Modern, Listen to a rare recording of J.R.R. The cult of Quetzalcoatl, the "quetzal-feathered serpent," was prominent in central Mexico from at least the time of Teotihuac á n (100 – 750 ce) to the collapse of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitl á n in 1521. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl was successfully able to retrieve the human bones from the underworld Mictlan (guarded by the realm’s ruler – Mictlantecuhtli)  that were infused with his own blood and corn to once again ‘regenerate’ mankind. Quetzalcoatl was the third son of the dual creator god Ometeotl. See more. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. From ancient snake gods to Spanish legends, here’s everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs! Quetzalcoatl definition, the feathered serpent god of the Aztec and Toltec cultures. Over the course of years, many of their leaders gained important commercial routes and forged crucial economic ties with the Dominican order of the Spanish Imperial provinces in Mesoamerica. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. Quetzalcōātl, [ket͡saɬˈkowaːt͡ɬ]) – jeden z najważniejszych bogów plemion Mezoameryki; Pierzasty Wąż, wąż o piórach ptaka kwezala (nah. At Cholula, however, the god’s cult is most evident. Blessed Be. To that end, dating from circa 700 – 900 AD, there are a few representations of Quetzalcoatl, especially from the site of Xochicalco (a pre-Columbian site that was settled by Mayan traders) that are distinctly human in form. Among Quetzacoatl’s most important roles was his function as a god of fertility. 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. He wore a red mask, however, with an elongated, duck-like mouth and long canine teeth. He was one of the most human-loving of the gods in the Aztec pantheon. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. Quetzalcoatl /ˌkɛtsælkoʊˈɑːtəl/ is a deity in Aztec culture and literature whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". After the fall of Teotihuacan by circa early 7th century AD, the obeisance of the ‘Feathered Serpent’ didn’t stop but rather spread to other Mesoamerican urban centers, including Xochicalco, Cholula, and even Chichen Itza of the Maya people – as could be discerned from the iconography of the period. Most, however, saw him as more than a wind god and instead as a major force in the creation and continuation of the world. Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. Kukulkan – In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. 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