Quetzalcoatl (pronounced [ketsalˈkoːaːtɬ] in Nahuatl) is an Aztec sky and creator god. Nahuatl ( is a group of related languages and dialects of the Aztecan or Nahuan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family Aztec religion is a Mesoamerican religion combining elements of Polytheism, Shamanism and Animism within a framework of Astronomy and calendrics See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always The name is a combination of quetzalli, a brightly colored Mesoamerican bird, and coatl, meaning serpent. Quetzals are strikingly colored Birds of the Trogon family ( Trogonidae) found in tropical regions of the Americas. The name was also taken on by various ancient leaders. Due to their cyclical view of time and the tendency of leaders to revise histories to support their rule, many events and attributes attributed to Quetzalcoatl are exceedingly difficult to separate from the political leaders that took this name on themselves. ^[1] Quetzalcoatl is often referred to as The Feathered Serpent and was connected to the planet Venus. He was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge. ^[2] Today Quetzalcoatl is arguably the best known Aztec deity, and is often thought to have been the principal Aztec god. However, Quetzalcoatl was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. A pantheon (from Greek Πάνθειον - pantheion, literally "a temple of all gods " neut For the fictional character from the Legends of Dune books see Titan (Dune#Tlaloc. Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipōca teskatɬiˈpoːka was a central deity in Aztec religion, associated with a wide range of concepts including the night sky the night In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli, also spelled Uitzilopochtli (Huitzilopōchtli wi

Several other Mesoamerican cultures are known to have worshipped a feathered serpent god: At Teotihuacan the several monumental structures are adorned with images of a feathered serpent (Notably the so-called "Citadel and Temple of Quetzalcoatl"[1]). Teotihuacan is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the Pre-Columbian Americas Such imagery is also prominent at such sites as Chichén Itza and Tula. Chichen Itza (tʃiːˈtʃɛn iːˈtsɑː from Chi'ch'èen Ìitsha' "At the mouth of the well of the Itza " is a Tula is a town of 28432 (2005 census in the southwestern part of the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico, some 100 km to the north-northwest of Mexico City This has led scholars to conclude that the deity called Quetzalcoatl in the Nahuatl language was among the most important deities of Mesoamerica. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined ^[3]

The god Quetzalcoatl was sometimes conflated with Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl, a semi-legendary 10th century Toltec ruler. Topiltzin Cē Ācatl Quetzalcōatl ( Our Prince One-Reed Feathered Serpent) is a mythologised figure appearing in 16th-century accounts of Aztec and Nahua Toltec-style Vessel 1jpg|thumb|250px|right|A rather expressive orange-ware clay vessel in the Toltec style

Contents 1 Antecedents and origins 2 Religion and ritual 3 Attributes 4 Moctezuma controversy 5 Alternative interpretations 6 References in other media 7 Notes 8 References 9 See also

Antecedents and origins

The Feathered Serpent deity was important in art and religion in most of Mesoamerica for close to 2,000 years, from the Pre-Classic era until the Spanish conquest. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into a number of named successive eras or periods from the earliest evidence of human habitation The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain 's conquest settlement and rule over much of the Western hemisphere. Civilizations worshiping the Feathered Serpent included the Mixtec, Toltec, Aztec, who adopted it from the people of Teotihuacan, and the Maya. The Mixtec (or Mixteca) are an indigenous Mesoamerican people inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla Toltec-style Vessel 1jpg|thumb|250px|right|A rather expressive orange-ware clay vessel in the Toltec style Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political Teotihuacan is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the Pre-Columbian Americas

The cult of the serpent in Mesoamerica is very old; there are representations of snakes with bird-like characteristics as old as the Olmec preclassic (1150-500 BC). The Olmec were an ancient Pre-Columbian people living in the Tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in what are roughly the modern-day states The snake represents the earth and vegetation, but it was in Teotihuacan (around 150 BC) where the snake got the precious feathers of the quetzal, as seen in the Murals of the city. Teotihuacan is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the Pre-Columbian Americas Quetzals are strikingly colored Birds of the Trogon family ( Trogonidae) found in tropical regions of the Americas. The most elaborate representations come from the old Quetzalcoatl Temple around 200 BC, which shows a rattlesnake with the long green feathers of the quetzal.

Teotihuacan was dedicated to Tlaloc, the water god, at the same time Quetzalcoatl, as a snake, was a representation of the fertility of the earth, and it was subordinate to Tlaloc. For the fictional character from the Legends of Dune books see Titan (Dune#Tlaloc. As the cult evolved, it became independent.

In time Quetzalcoatl was mixed with other gods and acquired their attributes. Quetzalcoatl is often associated with Ehecatl, the wind god, and represents the forces of nature, and is also associated with the morning star (Venus). Ehecatl (Ehécatl ehēcatl Ecatl 'ekatɬ is a Pre-Columbian deity associated with the Wind, who features in Aztec mythology and the mythologies of The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University Quetzalcoatl became a representation of the rain, the celestial water and their associated winds, while Tlaloc would be the god of earthly water, the water in lakes, caverns and rivers, and also of vegetation. Eventually Quetzalcoatl was transformed into one of the gods of the creation (Ipalnemohuani).

The Teotihuacan influence took the god to the Mayas, who adopted him as Kukulkán. Quetzalcoatl (Quetzalcōhuātl keʦalˈkoːwaːtɬ is an Aztec sky and creator god. The Maya regarded him as a being who would transport the gods.

In Xochicalco (700-900 AD), the political class began to claim that they ruled in the name of Quetzalcoatl, and representations of the god became more human. Xochicalco ("sho-chee-cal-co") is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site in the western part of the Mexican state of Morelos. They influenced the Toltec, and the Toltec rulers began to use the name of Quetzalcoatl. The Toltec represented Quetzalcoatl as man, with god-like attributes, and these attributes were also associated with their rulers. Toltec-style Vessel 1jpg|thumb|250px|right|A rather expressive orange-ware clay vessel in the Toltec style

The most famous of those rulers was Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl. Topiltzin Cē Ācatl Quetzalcōatl ( Our Prince One-Reed Feathered Serpent) is a mythologised figure appearing in 16th-century accounts of Aztec and Nahua Ce Acatl means "one reed" and is the calendaric name of the ruler (923 - 947), whose legends became almost inseparable from accounts of the god. The Toltecs would associate Quetzalcoatl with their own god, Tezcatlipoca, and make them equal and enemies. Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipōca teskatɬiˈpoːka was a central deity in Aztec religion, associated with a wide range of concepts including the night sky the night

The Nahuas would take the legends of Quetzalcoatl and mix them with their own. Quetzalcoatl would be considered the originator of the arts, poetry and all knowledge. The figure of Ce Acatl would become inseparable from the image of the god.

Speculative literature has also associated Quetzalcoatl with Votan, a culture hero mentioned in a 1702 account of Tzeltal beliefs and practices in Chiapas by Bishop Nuñez de la Vega. Votan is a Legendary or mythological figure mentioned in early European accounts of the Maya civilization. Year 1702 ( MDCCII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Tzeltal is a Mayan language spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Religion and ritual

The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in most traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. This article refers to the religious act For the album by Michael W Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred" from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" Human sacrifice was an aspect of historical Aztec culture/religion although the extent of the practice is debated by scholars

Mesoamerican priests and kings would sometimes take the name of a deity they were associated with, so Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan are also the names of historical persons.

One noted Post-Classic Toltec ruler was named Quetzalcoatl; he may be the same individual as the Kukulcan who invaded Yucatán at about the same time. Kukulkan (" Plumed Serpent " " Feathered Serpent " is one of the many gods in the pantheon of Maya mythology. Yucatán is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located on the north of the Yucatán Peninsula. The Mixtec also recorded a ruler named for the Feathered Serpent. The Mixtec (or Mixteca) are an indigenous Mesoamerican people inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla In the 10th century a ruler closely associated with Quetzalcoatl ruled the Toltecs; his name was Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl. Topiltzin Cē Ācatl Quetzalcōatl ( Our Prince One-Reed Feathered Serpent) is a mythologised figure appearing in 16th-century accounts of Aztec and Nahua This ruler was said to be the son of either the great Chichimeca warrior, Mixcoatl and the Culhuacano woman Chimalman, or of their descent. Chichimeca was the name that the Nahuas generically applied to a wide range of semi- Nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico, and carried Mixcoatl (Mixcōhuātl for "cloud serpent" miʃˈkoː Chimalman is a Goddess in Aztec mythology, the mother of Quetzalcoatl.

It is believed that the Toltecs had a dualistic belief system. Toltec-style Vessel 1jpg|thumb|250px|right|A rather expressive orange-ware clay vessel in the Toltec style Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who, in one legend, sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipōca teskatɬiˈpoːka was a central deity in Aztec religion, associated with a wide range of concepts including the night sky the night Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales.

The Aztecs turned him into a symbol of dying and resurrection and a patron of priests. When the Aztecs adopted the culture of the Toltecs, they made twin gods of Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl, opposite and equal; Quetzalcoatl was also called White Tezcatlipoca, to contrast him to the black Tezcatlipoca. Together, they created the world; Tezcatlipoca lost his foot in that process.

Along with other gods, such as Tezcatlipoca and Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl was called "Ipalnemohuani", a title reserved for the gods directly involved in the creation, which means "by whom we live". Because the name Ipalnemohuani is singular, this led to speculations that the Aztec were becoming monotheistic and all the main gods were only one. While this interpretation cannot be ruled out, it is probably an oversimplification of the Aztec religion.

Attributes

The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star, and his twin brother Xolotl was the evening star (Venus). The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University In Aztec mythology, Xolotl (ˈʃolotɬ in Nahuatl) was the god with associations to both Lightning and death The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University As the morning star he was known by the title Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, meaning "lord of the star of the dawn. In Aztec religion, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli ( Nahuatl for "Lord of the Dawn" tɬaːwiskaɬpanˈteːkʷtɬi is the god of the planet Venus " 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. The word Calendar consist of two words 1 Cal ( in Pashto means Year in Hindi and Persian is Sal- also means Year Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the Aztec high priest.

Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. Usually, our current time was considered the fifth sun, the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. Quetzalcoatl allegedly went to Mictlan, the underworld, and created fifth-world mankind from the bones of the previous races (with the help of Chihuacoatl), using his own blood, from a wound in his penis, to imbue the bones with new life. This page is about the Aztec underworld for the rapper called Mictlan see Doomtree. In Aztec mythology, Cihuacoatl (" Snake woman" also Cihuacóatl, Chihucoatl, Ciucoatl) was one of a number of motherhood The penis (plural penises, penes

His birth, along with his twin Xolotl, was unusual; it was a virgin birth, to the goddess Coatlicue. In Aztec mythology, Xolotl (ˈʃolotɬ in Nahuatl) was the god with associations to both Lightning and death Coatlicue, also known as Teteoinan (also transcribed Teteo Inan) "The Mother of Gods" (Cōhuātlīcue koː Alternatively, he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. In Aztec mythology, Xoːchiquetzal (ʃotʃi'ketsal was a goddess of Flowers fertility games dancing and Agriculture, as well as craftsmen prostitutes Mixcoatl (Mixcōhuātl for "cloud serpent" miʃˈkoː

One Aztec story claims that Quetzalcoatl was seduced by Tezcatlipoca into becoming drunk and sleeping with a celibate priestess, and then burned himself to death out of remorse. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipōca teskatɬiˈpoːka was a central deity in Aztec religion, associated with a wide range of concepts including the night sky the night His heart became the morning star (see Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli). In Aztec religion, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli ( Nahuatl for "Lord of the Dawn" tɬaːwiskaɬpanˈteːkʷtɬi is the god of the planet Venus

Moctezuma controversy

It has been widely believed that the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II initially believed the landing of Hernán Cortés in 1519 to be Quetzalcoatl's return. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political Moctezuma, also known as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin (Motēuczōma Xōcoyōtzin|mo Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca ( 1485&ndash December 2, This has been questioned by many ethnohistorians (e. g. Matthew Restall 2001) who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Cortés connection is asserted in no documents created independently of post-Conquest Spanish influence, and that there is little proof of a pre-Hispanic belief in Quetzalcoatl's return. Most documents expounding this theory are of entirely Spanish origin, such as Cortés's letters to Charles V of Spain, in which Cortés goes to great pains to present the naïve gullibility of the Mexicans in general as a great aid in his conquest of Mexico. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.

Much of the idea of Cortés being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca ( 1485&ndash December 2, In the codex's description of the first meeting between Moctezuma and Cortés, the Aztec ruler is described as giving a prepared speech in classical oratorial Nahuatl, a speech which, as described verbatim in the codex (written by Sahagún's, Tlatelolcan informants who were probably not eyewitnesses of the meeting), included such prostrate declarations of divine or near-divine admiration as,

"You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you,"

and,

"You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth. "

Subtleties in, and an imperfect scholarly understanding of, high Nahuatl rhetorical style make the exact intent of these comments tricky to ascertain, but Restall argues that Moctezuma politely offering his throne to Cortés (if indeed he did ever give the speech as reported) may well have been meant as the exact opposite of what it was taken to mean: politeness in Aztec culture was a way to assert dominance and show superiority. This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in the widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Cortés as the returning god Quetzalcoatl.

Other parties have also propagated the idea that the Native Americans believed the conquistadors to be gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gerónimo de Mendieta. Fray Gerónimo de Mendieta (1525—1604 alternatively Jerónimo de Mendieta) was a Franciscan missionary and historian who spent most of his life in the Spanish ^[4] Some Franciscans at this time held millennarian beliefs (Phelan 1956) and the natives taking the Spanish conquerors for gods was an idea that went well with this theology. Bernardino de Sahagún, who compiled the Florentine Codex, was also a Franciscan. Bernardino de Sahagún (1499 &ndash October 23 1590) was a Franciscan missionary to the Aztec ( Nahua) people of Mexico The Florentine Codex is the name given to 12 books created under the supervision of Bernardino de Sahagún between approximately 1540 and 1585

Some scholars still hold the view that the fall of the Aztec empire can in part be attributed to Moctezuma's belief in Cortés as the returning Quetzalcoatl, but most modern scholars see the "Quetzalcoatl/Cortés myth" as one of many myths about the Spanish conquest which have risen in the early post-conquest period.

However, it is interesting to note the resemblance of the Quetzacoatl legend with that of the myth of the Pahana held by the Hopis of northern Arizona. The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531 Scholars have described many similarities between the myths of the Aztecs and those of the American Southwest, and posit a common root. The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37 ^[5] The Hopi describe the Pahana as the "Lost White Brother," and they expected his eventual return from the east during which he would destroy the wicked and begin a new era of peace and prosperity. Hopi tradition maintains that they at first mistook the Spanish conquistadors as the Pahana when they arrived on the Hopi mesas in the 16th century. ^[6][7]

Alternative interpretations

Modern esoteric groups, called "Mexicanistas", have mixed the cult of Quetzalcoatl with modern esoteric practices.

Creationists, in a effort to present ancient myths as literal truth, have suggested that the Quetzalcoatl is a definition or description of a pterodactyl. For other meanings see Pterodactyl (disambiguation. Pterosaurs (ˈtɛrəsɔr from the Greek πτερόσαυρος pterosauros They believe their idea to have merit due to supposed (unconfirmed) sightings of pterodactyls throughout the Americas, from early European colonization to modern times. ^[8]

Some believers in The Book of Mormon assert some references to Quetzalcoatl are a corruption of the story of Jesus Christ, of whom The Book of Mormon states visited the Mesoamerican natives after his resurrection. The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)

References in other media

Quetzalcoatl is a Guardian Force in Final Fantasy VIII for the Playstation. When summoned he attacks with a thunderstorm. The name is spelled Quezacotl in the game.

Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan are thought by some enthusiasts for the writings of H.P. Lovecraft to be two of the inspirations for his character Cthulhu. Howard Phillips Lovecraft ( August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of horror, fantasy Cthulhu is a giant fictional creature one of the Great Old Ones in H

In the DC Comics series Aztek, there is told an ancient legend that the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl fought the shadow god Tezcatlipoca. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company Aztek is a Fictional character a superhero in the DC Universe. Tezcatlipoca is a the name used by two Fictional characters who appeared in the DC Comics. After the battle, Quetzalcoatl left the planet Earth and a warning that Tezcatlipoca would return to destroy the world. Whether or not this ancient battle ever occurred or the gods actually ever existed as true gods are unknown. However, during the War of the Gods, a being that resembles and claims to be the Quetzalcoatl awoke by Ares' son Phobos. War of the Gods was an American four-issue Comic book mini-series published by DC Comics in 1991. Ares is a DC Comics character based on the Greek god of the same name. It is never collaborated if this is the same deity from the legends.

In Jackie Chan Adventures episode "Aztec Rat Race", the Noble Rat (with the power of the Rat Talisman residing in it) reanimates a statue of Quetzalcoatl. Jackie Chan Adventures is a successful American animated television series chronicling the adventures of a fictionalized version of Action Believing he is the actual god, he thinks Jade is the goddess Cihuacoatl and El Toro is Xolotl, god of the underworld. In Aztec mythology, Cihuacoatl (" Snake woman" also Cihuacóatl, Chihucoatl, Ciucoatl) was one of a number of motherhood In Aztec mythology, Xolotl (ˈʃolotɬ in Nahuatl) was the god with associations to both Lightning and death

Notes

References

• Boone, Elizabeth H. (1989). "Postscript: Huitzilopochtli and Quetzalcoatl", Incarnations of the Aztec Supernatural: The Image of Huitzilopochtli in Mexico and Europe. The American Philosophical Society, 85–89. ISBN 0-87169-792-0.  
• Lawrence, D. H. (1925). The Plumed Serpent.  
• Martínez, Jose Luis (1980). Gerónimo de Mendieta (1980), in Estudios de Cultura Nahuatl vol 14.  
• Phelan, John Ledy (1956). The Millennial Kingdom of the Franciscans in the New World.  
• Restall, Matthew (2003). Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. Oxford University Press.  

See also

• Huitzilopochtli
• Tezcatlipoca
• Quetzalcoatlus, a pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous named after Quetzalcoatl

In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli, also spelled Uitzilopochtli (Huitzilopōchtli wi Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipōca teskatɬiˈpoːka was a central deity in Aztec religion, associated with a wide range of concepts including the night sky the night Quetzalcoatlus (named for the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl) was a pterodactyloid Pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous For other meanings see Pterodactyl (disambiguation. Pterosaurs (ˈtɛrəsɔr from the Greek πτερόσαυρος pterosauros Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white Chalk cliffs of southern England

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