how to worship quetzalcoatl

They maintained a major pilgrimage and commercial center at Cholula, Puebla which the Spaniards compared to both Rome and Mecca because the cult of the god united its constituents through a field of common social, political, and religious values without dominating them militarily. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. Human worship. 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. [24] In another story, the virgin Chimalman conceived Quetzalcoatl by swallowing an emerald. After the eclipse of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl would go on a trip to the underworld. A lot of cultures such as the Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs, and many polities in Central Mexico used to worship the deity Quetzalcoatl during Postclassic period. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. 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 Hernn Corts. 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. While not usually feathered, classic Maya serpent iconography seems[original research?] Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. One of these groups centered around the city of Cholula, where the great pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. While with all the feathers it might resemble more of a dragon and move a bit away from classic depiction, it is really meant to be Quetzalcoatl. They therefore claimed that Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec name for Thomas the Apostle and that the naive natives believed that he, like Christ, would one day return to finish converting them to Christianity. Of course, he was an ant, so moving from one side of the mountain to the other was a bit tougher than just flying there like a bird or slide-dancing there like a snake. Quetzalcoatl was not only one of the most important deities in pre-Columbian Mexico, he was also one of the oldest. He took his companion Xolotl, a dog-headed god, with him. Furthermore, he saw the Quetzal birds flying in the sky, which was also something he had never seen before. 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. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. 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. The concept of duality, therefore, meant Quetzalcoatl was associated with life. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. Quetzalcoatl is not a religious symbol in the Latter-day Saint faith, and is not taught as such, nor is it in their doctrine that Quetzalcoatl is Jesus. This article is about a Mesoamerican deity. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. After the second sun, Tezcatlipoca turned all of the people into monkeys, which displeased Quetzalcoatl, who caused the monkeys to be blown away by a hurricane. After all, thats the process that he himself went through: from darkness to light. . Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. The name Quetzalcoatl comes from this language and is most widely-used both because it was recorded by Spanish conquerors and because Nahuatl is still spoken by roughly 1.5 million people. While this link between Hernn Corts and Quetzalcoatl remains popular, it is likely based more in Spanish beliefs and misunderstanding than the religion of the Aztecs. Cortes continued to play the role of Quetzalcoatl for many years and eventually impacted others to convert. And, it wasnt so bad after all. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. Franciscans then equated the original Quetzalcoatl with Thomas and imagined that the Indians had long-awaited his return to take part once again in God's kingdom. Despite their joint leadership, their rivalry didn't ended as Tezcatlipoca, feared by his worshipers . Quetzalcoatl drank it, became intoxicated and committed incest with his sister, Quetzalptatl. The legend reports that Quetzalcoatl was a peaceful king and priest of Tollan, but he was deceived by Tezcatlipoca and his followers, who practiced human sacrifice and violence. While the other snakes told him he would never be able to do so, the rain god Tlaloc had other plans. There, they greatly influenced late Mayan culture. Historian Matthew Restall concludes that: The legend of the returning lords, originated during the Spanish-Mexica war in Corts' reworking of Moctezuma's welcome speech, had by the 1550s merged with the Corts-as-Quetzalcoatl legend that the Franciscans had started spreading in the 1530s. Each of these four sons presides over one of the four cardinal directions. The archaeological record shows that after the fall of Teotihuacan that marked the beginning of the epi-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology around 600 AD, the cult of the feathered serpent spread to new religious and political centers in central Mexico, centers such as Xochicalco, Cacaxtla and Cholula. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. Welcome. How old is the United States of America? [45][46] The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice.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. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. With the importance of the snake and bird for Aztec and Mayan culture in mind, it goes without saying that there are many depictions of feathered serpents in ancient excavations. At temples such as the aptly named "Quetzalcoatl temple" in the Ciudadela complex, feathered serpents figure prominently and alternate with a different kind of serpent head. From ancient snake gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs! Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. However, independent historical sources do not substantiate this claim and later historians have disputed it as well. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. While other gods had relied on brute force for reaching the other side, Quetzalcoatl relied on intelligence in order to reach the maize. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. The story of the life of the Mexican divinity, Quetzalcoatl, closely resembles that of the Savior; so closely, indeed, that we can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl wears a tall conical hat with a fan of black and yellow feathers. Franciscans such as Toribio de Benavente "Motolinia" saw elements of Christianity in the pre-Columbian religions and therefore believed that Mesoamerica had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle, who, according to legend, had "gone to preach beyond the Ganges". Amazed by the grace and beauty of the birds, the snake decided his destiny was to fly like them. [37] This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in the widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Corts as the returning god Quetzalcoatl. In the extant Mayan sources, it has been revealed that Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, was associated with warfare as well as fertility. [13] Furthermore, early Spanish sources written by clerics tend to identify the god-ruler Quetzalcoatl of these narratives with either Hernn Corts or Thomas the Apostleidentifications which have also become sources of a diversity of opinions about the nature of Quetzalcoatl. 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. Or, more appropriately, Abya Yala.Worship of Quetzalcoatl can be traced back to as early as the Teotihuacan civilization, a prominent urban center that peaked between the 3rd to 8th centuries CE. From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl According to Aztec mythology, Earth had been through four cycles of Sun, each of which resulted in the destruction of mankind. In his aspect as Quetzalcoatl Ehcatl he was the benign god of wind, who brought rains for crops and who brought back the bones of humankind from the underworld, allowing for the resurrection of the species. If this speech was actually given, its likely that ignorance of Aztec customs and Nahuatl speech patterns was to blame for giving the impression that Montezuma was willingly handing over power to a divine being. After the first four ages of man ended, the feathered serpent stole their bones from the Underworld and used his own blood to give them new life. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. So technically, any human form walking this earth contains a bit of Quetzalcoatl. Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. It shows the first signs of a feathered serpent cult amongst ancient civilizations of the region. On the other hand, the snake was considered a vital instrument to help bring visions from the underworld to the Mayan kings. How should one worship the sun? While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. Rather than showing subservience to the invading Spaniards, Montezumas claim that Corts was a gracious ruler was a way of asserting dominance and showing disdain for the Spanish commander. . The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice.. 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 . Therefore, deities that were related to the more violent realms also became more important. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. [need quotation to verify] Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the neck. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. [47], In 1971 Tony Shearer published a book called Lord of the Dawn: Quetzalcoatl and the Tree of Life, inspiring New Age followers to visit Chichen Itza at the summer solstice when dragon-shaped shadows are cast by the Kulkulcan pyramid.[48]. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. Although early images had shown a serpent, by the classical period of Aztec culture Quetzalcoatl was more often shown with a human body. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. 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. In the Codex's description of the first meeting between Moctezuma and Corts, the Aztec ruler is described as giving a prepared speech in classical oratorial Nahuatl, a speech which, as described in the codex written by the Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagn and his Tlatelolcan informants, 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. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. In art, he is represented by various animal symbols such as quetzals, rattlesnakes, crows, and macaws. For example, a depiction in Acapulco, Mexico, shows the Aztec snake god in all its glory. The first images of a similar feathered serpent date back to 900 BC, over two thousand years before the Aztecs came to dominate Central Mexico. READ MORE: 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World. [9] In Mazatec legends the astrologer deity Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, who is also represented by Venus, bears a close relationship with Quetzalcoatl. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. 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 following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. These sources further claimed that it was because of this superstition that Moctezuma II invited Cortes as a guest and didnt harm him or his soldiers. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Even today, however, Nahuatl is just one of sixty-three native languages recognized in Mexico. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. There was one way that would certainly work, namely by letting it rain so abundantly that the snake simply drifted out of the cave. The worship of Quetzalcoatl is wide-reaching, has a rich history, and exemplifies the complex world of Aztec mythology. Rise early to appreciate the magnificence of her rising, and try to spend some time soaking up her warmth whenever you can. Quetzalcoatls quarrels with his brother Tezcatlipoca sometimes brought about these destructions of the world. It has been theorised that the legend was created by mixing Moctezuma IIs welcome speech with a later Franciscan invention that related Cortes with Quetzalcoatl. However, later sources uncover that already a year before him a similar figure dwelled in the lands of the Aztec territory. Rather, one was named Quetzalcoatl Totec Tlamacazqui, and the other one Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui. In 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. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. The city was known as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship. 5D's, Beyblade: Metal Fusion, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (the latter two depicting Quetzalcoatl as a female dragon deity); the Megami Tensei video game franchise; the video games Fate/Grand Order, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV, Sanitarium, Smite (as an alternate costume for his Mayan counterpart, Kukulkan), and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine; as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"; and in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel books. Is a deity in Aztec culture ] the deity has been featured as plumed., ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia world how to worship quetzalcoatl. Warmth whenever you can chronological order and shook up the world of Aztec mythology the Aztecs werent a big of! 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