Learn everything related to the interesting world of aztec mythology through the following informative article, in which you will be able to learn more about some of their main beliefs, customs and their most important gods.
aztec mythology
In our article today we will be learning a little more about the interesting Aztec mythology, one of the most popular and studied of all time. When we speak of Aztec mythology, we refer especially to the set of beliefs and myths characteristic of the Aztec civilization.
The Aztec civilization is considered one of the most important and influential in Mexican history. This people managed to give rise to a great empire in the city of Tenochtitlán. This town was descendant of the Mexicas and for that reason many times they were called in that same way.
The truth is that the Aztec civilization became one of the most characteristic of the time, in part thanks to its customs, culture and traditions, which were consolidated over time. Aztec mythology reminds us of many of the typical activities carried out by this people, their nomadic character and their religious aspect.
The Aztecs were a people quite rooted in their religious customs. Throughout history they paid tribute and worship to many important deities. The religion required them, so to speak, to make great sacrifices that most of the time were directed towards the sun, since it was their main god or the most dominant.
Through the following article you will have the opportunity to learn more about everything related to Aztec mythology, each of those myths and beliefs that were part of the daily life of the Aztec peoples. The Aztecs were very popular at the time, thanks mainly to the fact that they defeated many other peoples of the same Nahuay origin.
Aztec mythology allows us to know in depth the level of religiosity that the people belonging to this important civilization had. It exposes each of its beliefs through legends and myths, which makes it similar to the rest of the ancient civilizations, because it is no secret to anyone that one of the aspects that our ancestors shared the most was precisely religion.
Through religion, the Aztecs had the opportunity to develop their own way of looking at the world, in a very different way from how we conceive it today. Their religious beliefs allowed them to look at a large number of gods and figures, whom they venerated and made sacrifices in the form of thanks for the favors granted.
About Aztec Mythology
Before going directly into the matter, it is important to briefly mention the conception of the world that this civilization had. That will allow us to better understand the foundations of Aztec mythology. The first thing we can clarify is that for the Aztec civilization the world was divided into four suns or ages that individually concluded with a dramatic event and each of these stages had a special god.
As was logical in this belief system, nature with each of its elements had a fundamental role, paradoxically the same thing happened with the theme of death. Death was one of the topics that was most discussed within this civilization, possibly because of the sacrifices of human blood to the gods, and all of this is clearly evidenced in the different Aztec myths.
This last element was essential for them because according to their rules this was essential to maintain the cosmic and natural order that could only be achieved by having their gods satisfied. For this reason, blood for the Aztecs played an important role in their beliefs and rituals.
Aztec mythology teaches us that blood was not only seen as a vital liquid, but also was equivalent to the heaviest offering within the culture. The blood was a sacred offering that could be delivered to the Aztec gods and it was around it that the different ceremonies and rituals typical of this ancient civilization were performed.
This is how details of a culture that found in the god of war and in the god of the sun the most complete divine entities to govern their daily lives filtered through their stories. Much is said about the origin of Aztec mythology. The truth is that it comes from the explanation they give to creation, not only of man but also of the universe as such.
They managed to conceive this thanks to their different religious beliefs, known as polytheism. The religious beliefs of the Aztecs were characterized, among other things, by the worship of different gods, all of them related to nature; through which they came to create strong beliefs, one of them linked to their origin.
The Aztecs came to say that their native country was a red land located to the north, identified as Chicomostoc, which allowed them to come out of the depths of the caves or intestines of the earth, a name given to them in myths. A large part of these myths began to be spread in present-day Guatemala and Mexico. From there they began to be expanded around the world, making their legends and myths known.
aztec myths
It is no secret to anyone that most, if not all of the myths of Central America, had their foundation in a particular aspect such as death. The same thing happened within Aztec mythology, where death played a very important role. The religion demanded blood sacrifices and moved around a plethora of divinities of death and many other minor and terrible entities.
Over all those creatures of the dark infernal myth ruled, from the ninth circle, the most recondite of the dark universe of Chicnaujmichtla, the spouses Mictlantecuhli and Mictecacihualtl. The Aztec myths referred to a quite particular conformation of the universe.
They believed that the universe was made up of a series of parallel planes, ranging from the outer nine or thirteen, where the gods had their abode, to the planets and stars that can be seen in the firmament passing through the heavens of heaven. colors.
Under the plane of our world, under that disk that is in the very center of the Universe, surrounded by water in all its periphery, parallel planes followed one another, which here added up to nine, concluding in that same hell to which the souls of anonymous beings.
Those souls that had not been chosen by Huitzilopochtl, who were described as the most important god or the great supreme god, arrived at that place after traveling a long road of four years through many and hard tests. To this god corresponded those who had died due to the external waters of heaven and earth, due to storms and lightning, and due to diseases linked to the internal “waters” of the human body.
Within the Aztec myths we can find several stories that have transcended from generation to generation and that until today continue to spread around the world. Among the most important myths of the Aztecs we can find the following stories: Birth of Huitzilopochtli and the myth of corn.
The Aztec Creation Myth
Through the myth of Aztec creation, it is intended to expose in a more explicit way each element that promoted the origins of this important civilization. The myth presents Ometecuhtli as the absolute god and creator. It is said that at first he was alone, and that was when he decided to give life to a man and a woman named Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl.
Four children were born to that first couple. It was those four brothers who, assuming themselves as gods, created a man and a woman to populate the earth with their offspring and thus worship the creator gods. The myth also says that these gods were in charge of creating natural aspects such as the seas and gave life to the animals.
religious conceptions
One of the things that most characterized Aztec mythology was precisely religion. This people had many religious conceptions in which the presence of various gods or deities stand out, most of them directly related to nature. Below we show you some of the most important religious conceptions of the Aztecs:
- The first Sun was called Nahui-Ocelotl (Four-Ocelot or Jaguar). It was called that because the world, which was inhabited by giants, had been destroyed, after three times fifty-two years, by the jaguars, which the Aztecs considered nahualli or zoomorphic mask of the god Tezcatlipoca.
- The second sun was called Nahui-Ehécatl (Four-Wind). His disappearance occurred after seven times fifty-two years due to the presence of a strong hurricane, a manifestation of Quetzalcóatl, which turned the survivors into monkeys.
- The third Sun was called Nahui-Quiahuitl (Four-Rain of Fire). The story tells that after six times fifty-two years had elapsed, a rain of fire began to fall, a manifestation of Tlaloc, god of rain and lord of lightning, with long teeth and huge eyes, all were children and those who managed to survive They were turned into birds.
- The fourth Sun was called Nahui-Atl (Four-Water). Its destruction occurred as a result of a devastating flood, after three times fifty-two years and from which only a man and a woman survived, who took refuge under a huge cypress (actually, ahuehuete). Tezcatlipoca, in punishment for their disobedience, turned them into dogs, cutting off their heads and placing them on their butts.
As can be seen, there were a total of four suns that were part of Aztec mythology. Each one of them represented a different cardinal point in a certain way: North, West, South and East, respectively.
Currently there is a fifth Sun that receives the name of Nahui-Ollin (Four-Movement). It receives that denomination since it was destined to disappear due to the force of an earth movement or tremor. After that tremor the monsters of the West, tzitzimime, would appear, which would look like skeletons, and they would kill all the people.
Within Aztec mythology, much mention is made of a special deity called Quetzalcóatl, who, in the company of Xolotl, would have been responsible for creating present-day humanity, giving life to the bones of the old dead with their own blood. The current sun is located in the center, fifth cardinal point and is attributed to Huehuetéotl, god of fire, because the home fire is in the center of the house.
Aztec gods
The gods that are part of the renowned Aztec pantheon are diverse and varied, which allows us to determine that this important ancient civilization was clearly polytheistic, that is, they did not believe in a single god, but on the contrary, they paid tribute and worship to many deities at the same time, all of them related to nature.
If we talk about their divinities, it is important to clarify that not all of them are understood as something absolute and all-powerful, since they are governed by the fact that they are incarnations of natural forces that mostly have human attributes. The Aztec gods were divided into groups:
There were the Aztec creator gods, who according to what the myths detail, were in charge of participating in the origin of humanity. They also highlight the so-called patron gods, which were assigned to the conquering peoples. Apart from them were the so-called minor Aztec gods, which were related to professions and a few family aspects.
It is also worth remembering that each of these gods or figures were always accompanied in the myths by supernatural creatures, in addition to a few heroes who sometimes participated in the stories. Almost always the most common is to find separate divinities in celestial and terrestrial. Among the most important gods are:
- Ometecuhtli
- tezcatlipoca
- Tláloc
- Chalchiuhtlicue
- Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl
If Aztec mythology teaches us anything, it is about the religious beliefs that were part of this characteristic ancient people. Those who were part of this culture used to stand out for their beliefs. The Aztecs, as we mentioned above, were polytheists, which means that they believed in many gods.
The gods of Aztec mythology were divided into two large groups: On one side were the gods of the sky and on the other the gods of the earth stood out. Below we mention some of the most important, their history, origin and attributes.
Ometecuhtli
One of the most important deities in Aztec mythology is precisely Ometecuhtli, described as a supreme being. This god has many characteristics that make him stand out from the rest of the divinities. He is a dual deity, this means that he is equivalent to a man and a woman at the same time.
The name of this Aztec deity means dual lord in the Nahuatl language, above the other divinities and the worldly vicissitudes. This god inhabited Omeyocán, the place of the double sky. As a god of duality, he refers to the belief present in other cultures in an androgynous being, who represents the coincidence of opposites: man and woman, movement and stillness, light and darkness, order and chaos.
It is important to point out that this double peculiarity of the god Ometecuhtli was not typical of him alone, but that this ambiguity can also be reflected in other outstanding mythological figures. On some occasions Ometecuhtli was represented with symbols of fertility.
It was believed that this god released the souls of children in Omeyocán as a propitiatory act for human births on earth. If we analyze the hierarchy of the Aztec gods, Ometecuhtli was one of the most notorious and renowned. He was followed by Tezcatlipoca, great spirit of the world, and his rival Quetzalcóatl.
tezcatlipoca
Among the most important Aztec gods is Tezcatlipoca, described as the lord of fire and death. In this civilization it was believed that this deity was the one who dominated the so-called night sky, so it was directly related to themes of evil and destruction.
If there was a deity to fear within the Aztec pantheon, that was precisely Tezcatlipoca. An evil and vengeful god. He was also called Yáotl, which means "the enemy". This figure was directly related to the forces of destruction and evil. Despite the negative side of him, he was one of the most important gods.
At the end of the XNUMXth century it was brought to the central regions of Mexico by the Toltecs. History has been in charge of showing him as an evil deity, so much so that he was described by many as a sorcerer and master of black magic. He almost always used to appear with a black mask and an obsidian mirror on his chest, where he saw all the actions and thoughts of humanity.
It was thanks to the great influence of the god Tezcatlipoca that the practice of human sacrifice began to become popular in many ancient regions. The tradition consisted of selecting a similar young prisoner for a life of lust and pleasure for a whole year, before presenting him in sacrifice in the sixth ritual month, the Tóxcatl, the victim, dressed as Tezcatlipoca, climbed to the top of the temple, where his chest was opened and his heart pulled out.
Tláloc
In Aztec mythology there was a tradition that all of their gods were related to themes of nature. In the case of Tlaloc, he was considered the god of lightning, thunder and rain. According to the characteristics narrated in many of the myths, he was a fairly generous and good god, to whom people used to go to ask for the fertilization of the fields.
It could be said that he was one of the most important deities within the Aztec civilization, even as important as Huitzilopochtli, the god of the Sun. Both played a fundamental role in issues related to the production and fertilization of the fields. It was believed that it was this god who had the power to make the springs of the mountains flow.
Although he was a generous god, Tlaloc was also feared by many, since he had the power to cause death by lightning or drowning, however he was also revered for his generosity (rain). He is usually depicted as a man with large, round eyes, from whose mouth snakes sometimes emerge. He usually wears a fan-shaped hat and an agricultural instrument always appears next to him.
mictlantecuhli
When studying Aztec mythology, it is common to find many gods that were part of the religious beliefs of these peoples. One such deity is Mictlantecuhli, described as the god of death, lord of Mictlan, the silent and dark realm of the dead.
It could be said that this deity is quite similar to the Mayan god Ah puch. According to some accounts, Mictlantecuhli is most often depicted as a skeleton, or at least his head is a skull. According to the beliefs that the Aztecs had, there were four connected heavens, to which one was promoted by merit, each time achieving a fuller and more spiritual knowledge until reaching eternal happiness.
However, the beliefs of the Aztecs also stipulated that those individuals who had not behaved well or who had had a life full of sin were taken to Mictlan, a place located in the center of the earth where the punishment was not the torment but tedium and inertia.
The Aztecs, in order to keep the god Mictlantecuhli pleased and calm, used to send him lavish gifts, including skins from flayed men to cover his emaciated bones.
coatlicue
Now it is up to us to talk a little about this important deity of Aztec mythology. She could be considered as one of the most emblematic goddesses. She is identified as the serpent goddess of the earth, mother of Huitzilopochtli, from whom she became pregnant without sin, magically, by means of a ball of feathers that fell on her and remained attached to her clothing.
Upon learning of her mysterious and suspicious pregnancy, the story tells that her more than 400 sons and daughters tried to assassinate her, however Huitzilopochtl himself contained them, who came out armed from his mother's womb. He represents the maternal in its double meaning: birth and death, fertility and voracity.
Quetzalcoatl
This god represents a symbol of death and resurrection, as well as being the patron saint of priests. He could be described as one of the most important gods of ancient Mesoamerica. He was usually known as the Plumed Serpent, since according to his description, he is a combination of a bird and a rattlesnake.
In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcóatl was the brother of Tezcatlipoca, Huizilopochtli, and Xipe Totec. He is almost always associated with the rain god Tlaloc. Sometimes he can be considered the main divinity of the Mexica pantheon. He god of life, light, fertility, civilization and knowledge.
tlazolteotl
Another of the most renowned goddesses of Aztec mythology was Tlazolteotl, described as the goddess of filth and garbage, according to the meaning of her name. Most of the time this deity was related to sorcery and the purging of faults. She was an intermediary for the penitents before the god Tezcatlipoca, whose name means "smoking mirror".
otontecuhtli
The god Otontecuhtli holds a special position among the main deities of Aztec mythology. For this civilization, Otontecuhtli was considered the god of fire. He is a divinity linked to the world of the dead, especially in the ritual called Xocotl Uetzi, because he represented the soul of the sacrificed and dead warriors, who descended to earth after accompanying the sun.
Many dare to describe Otontecuhtli as the Aztec god of sacrifice. According to the description of this deity, it can be seen with some black stripes reflected in part of his face, at the level of the eyes and mouth, his hair is made of paper and an obsidian butterfly rests on it. He also carried a cactus arrow in his hand.
The Otomies were one of the towns where the greatest worship and adoration was given to this important deity. They had the tradition of performing every March 19 a fire ritual in her honor. This ritual marked the beginning of the corn planting season, which was considered the most produced seed in the population.
In general, this ritual was carried out in the oldest dwellings in the town. There they cleaned the fires, then they decorated it using a plant called jarilla, which attracted attention for its yellow color. With that plant they made a cross that they later placed inside the hearth.
tonacacihuatl
Among the most emblematic female deities of Aztec mythology, Tonacacihuatl particularly draws attention. It is believed that she, along with Tonacatecuhtli, were in charge of carrying out the process of natural creation. Their names translate as “our sustenance”, they are credited with creating the Aztec civilization.
Being considered the goddess of creation, this deity was responsible for copulation, conception, birth and childbirth. For this reason, within Aztec mythology, she is identified as the "old mother." This goddess possessed the power of fertility, which is why many people from the Aztec region used to approach her with the aim of supporting them at the time of her conception.
This goddess also came to be known under the name of Xochiquetzal, which in its translation means "beautiful flower". Within Aztec mythology, Tonacacihuatl was considered one of the most attractive and beautiful deities. In fact, among her main attributes was that of being loving.
Tonacacihuatl lived in the company of her husband Tonacatecuhtli in the highest heaven. They also had a total of four children, among whom are:
- red tezcatlipoca
- Tezcatlipoca black
- Quetzalcoatl
- Bone Lord
Chalchiuhtlicue
Now we will talk about Chalchiuhtlicue, considered one of the most important goddesses in Aztec mythology. She is widely known as "the one with her skirt of precious stones", she is the deity of the currents of living waters, rivers, lakes and seas, however, others attribute her to be the goddess of love. She is also known as the protector of births and baptisms.
This deity, within Aztec mythology, is described as the goddess of love. It receives this adjective because in that culture there is a story that narrates that Chalchiuhtlicue became the reigning goddess when the world was covered with water, after a strong flood, where men were transformed into fish, to prevent it from disappearing completely. that species.
Chalchiuhtlicue is usually represented with the figure of an indigenous woman, with beautiful features, striking and elegant clothing, very typical of her culture. The dress she wears is known as a huipil, consisting of an emerald-colored skirt, which represents the water that is distributed in the ocean, seas, rivers and lakes.
According to what the legend tells, this goddess was married as Tlaloc. From that union was born Tecciztécatl, the Aztec god who became the moon. However, there are other legends in which this goddess does not appear as the wife of Tlaloc, but rather she was his sister, therefore, she was the wife of Xiuhtechuhtli, the god of fire and heat.
Ometeotl
Ometeotl is also part of the list of the most important Aztec gods. In that mythology, this deity represented duality. This god symbolized the opposite poles, day and night, positive and negative, creation and destruction, masculine and feminine, fire and water, black and white, among others.
Within his duality, this god had a male side and a female side. In the masculine part of him he became known as "Ometecuhtli" the lord of duality ", while the feminine side of him was Omecihuatl" the lady of duality ". Both represented the creative couple, that is, the Aztec gods of creation and life.
This deity lived in Omeyocán, being the highest point in the sky. Something worth mentioning about this god is that he created himself out of nothing. For this reason he was called Motocoyani, although many used to call him a true god, since he formed himself, which is why Ometeotl was the verb of creation.
Ometeotl was described as the supreme divinity, the origin of everything that existed. On many occasions it was said that this deity was responsible for maintaining the order of all things. This god of the Aztec culture did not intervene directly in the affairs of human beings, only when a woman was in labor taking care of the birth of the new being.
tonatiuh
In Aztec mythology, Tonatiuh was considered the god of the sun. For a long time he was described as the leader of the sky by the Mexica people, so much so that he became known as the fifth sun. Let us remember that within the Aztec culture there was a belief that he took control when the fourth sun had been expelled from the sky. They also believed that each sun was a different god.
Legend has it that once the death of the fourth sun occurred, they began to search for the fifth and new sun. They found two gods that looked like the candidates. On one side they found Tecusiztécatl, who was a coward but very proud of himself. They also found Tonatiuh, who was described as a poor god but with a very good heart.
When Tonatiuh sat in front of the sacrificial fire called pyre, the story goes that immediately a spark went directly to the sky and lit up, thus giving birth to the fifth and new sun.
other gods
- Atlacoya: Goddess of drought.
- Chiconahui: A goddess of domestic fertility.
- Citlalicue: A creator of the stars
- Cipactonal: God of astrology, of sorcery (witchcraft)
- Oxomoco: Goddess of astrology
- Xochiquezal: Goddess of female sexuality, of prostitutes, of pleasure.
- Patecatl: God of healing and creator of peyote (a hallucinogen)
- Tezcatlipoca: He was the god of darkness, deception, and sorcery. Many of the Aztec beliefs and religions were centered on the dark side. His pagan practices led to what are really satanic rituals and customs.
There is no doubt that within Aztec mythology there are many gods and goddesses who played a fundamental role. There was a god for almost every purpose and aspect of life in the Aztec culture. Religion was a very important part of civilization and was intertwined in their daily lives, beliefs, ceremonies and clothing.
According to various sources, it would be more than a hundred different gods or goddesses, while other sources list dozens more.
Aztec mythological beings
Within Aztec mythology we can find many mythological beings that are part of each of the beliefs of this people. It is a civilization that has a wide variety of legends, myths and stories of a people who considered themselves chosen by the sun.
Many of these stories and legends of Aztec mythology include the intervention of supernatural, fantastic and even chilling creatures. These differ from the Aztec mythological creatures by having a human appearance, or having been part of humanity. Among the main Aztec mythological beings we find:
- cihuateteo
- Giants
- tlahuelpuchi
- chaneque
Aztec mythological creatures
In Aztec mythology we find countless stories, tales and myths that are part of the culture of this people. A large number of deities, impressive beings and creatures emerge from these stories. When we talk about Aztec mythological creatures we are referring to entities that can amaze, since they can become horrible, beautiful, imposing or all of the aforementioned.
While it is true that there are many Aztec mythological creatures, the ones that can make the most impression are the following:
- cipactli
- Xicalcoatl
- mesoamerican centaur
- Ahuizotl
- Xochitonal
Knowledge, writing and calendar
To learn more about Aztec mythology, it is important to mention some aspects related to its writing, goldsmithing, ceramics, literature, and music. As for the sculpture, it could be said that it was basically monumental. In this civilization it was customary to build large architectural constructions.
Throughout the history of you can find large pieces of important sizes that represent the Aztec gods, myths and kings. Many of these sculptures have been able to survive the years and are, a large part of them, in the National Museum of Anthropology of Mexico.
In goldsmithing, the Aztecs also managed to stand out. They usually used to combine gold and silver. Metals were mainly used to make jewelry, earrings, pectorals, ornaments and bracelets. Sometimes figures and containers were also made. The Aztecs came to be considered master casters, to the point of manufacturing articulated figures.
In ceramics they also stood out, so much so that it came to be considered the most popular form of expression within this civilization, especially in what has to do with the figures of people and gods. The Aztecs specialized in making many ceramic figures, especially female fertility figures and representations of gods.
Aztec mythology especially contemplates aspects such as literature and music. When the Spanish conquerors arrived, many of the texts of the pre-Hispanic codices were compiled in books written in the Nahuatl language with Latin characters. It is said that at that time there were many musical instruments that were used to give life to great rituals and celebrations.
You might also be interested in the following articles: