The attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures of Mesoamerica during different eras. Two other gods represented by the planet Venus are Tlaloc (ally and the god of rain) and Xolotl (psychopomp and its 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 Hernn Corts. He figures most prominently in the Aztec mythology but it was in the city of Cholula that the cult of Quetzalcoatl enjoyed influence and prominence during the Classic Period of Mesoamerica. Along with one of his brothers, he was instructed by his parents to create the world six hundred years after his birth. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. 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. Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, "the spirally voluted wind jewel". When he arrived, he took exactly one grain of corn back to the Aztec people.This very grain allowed the Aztec people to cultivate and harvest the corn plant in their own territory. The date 9 Wind is known to be associated with fertility, Venus and war among the Maya and frequently occurs in relation to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures. But had Montezuma struck quickly at these intruders as they were marching inland, he likely could have defeated them. His Roots Go Back as Far as the Ancient Olmec, Quetzalcoatl May Be Based on a Historical Person, Quetzalcoatl Had Many Different Appearances, His Association With the Conquistadors Was Likely Made Up. This confederacy engaged in almost seventy-five years of nearly continuous conflict with the Aztec Empire of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of Corts. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". [40] However, a majority of Mesoamericanist scholars, such as Matthew Restall (2003, 2018[37]), James Lockhart (1994), Susan D. Gillespie (1989), Camilla Townsend (2003a, 2003b), Louise Burkhart, Michel Graulich and Michael E. Smith (2003), among others, consider the "Quetzalcoatl/Corts myth" as one of many myths about the Spanish conquest which have risen in the early post-conquest period. The worlds largest pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl and was built up at the site over a period of a thousand years. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. In fact, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life. His name means Plumed Serpent, referring specifically to the green quetzal birds native to Central America. This didnt help a lot to overcome their cruel intentions, however. [8] In his form as the morning star, Venus, he is also depicted as a harpy eagle. 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 following morning, he ordered his servants to build him a stone coffin. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. All good eclipses must come to an end, and this happened when the snake evolved into a Feathered Serpent and flew out of the sun again. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) 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. The Toltecs and Nahuas worshiped the god before he was eventually adopted by the Aztecs. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. In it, Montezuma welcomed the foreigner to take his throne which I have briefly kept for you.. Hernan Cortes, who led the Spaniards, was first invited into the city by Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. That is, according to the Aztecs. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in colonial traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. However, at the end of the second cycle, mankind became like monkeys and so Quetzalcoatl blew up the whole of mankind. At this particular address, behind the green door, next . Corts himself claimed in a letter that the gullibility of the Aztec people helped him to conquer them. [22], To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. Indeed, the same as the one from the Great Pyramid. One of his most defining attributes, however, is his breastplate. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". Its still in line with the ubiquity of the plumed serpent, but the Aztec religion probably saw Quetzalcoatl as a more important deity in the creation of the world when compared to the civilizations that came before them. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. Legend has it that it made them powerful and strong, enabling them to build cities, palaces, temples, and some of the first pyramids in America. The Name Quetzalcoatl The relation of Quetzalcoatl with just the latest sun is a result of the mingling of his earliest myths and some new perceptions. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Accessed March 1, 2023. Different cultures associated him with priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings. 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? There are three different ways you can cite this article. Drunkenness was forbidden, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicinal potion. According to this myth, the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, one of them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four cardinal directions. Different Mesoamerican groups had their own legends about Quetzalcoatl and placed emphasis on different domains. Here, our plumed serpent gathered the bones of all the previous races that walked the earth. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. This constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the Mayan civilization. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Montezuma king of the aztecs during the era had even confirmed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl or a reincarnation of their deity. Indeed, Tlaloc can be traced back to the earliest myths of the civilization of Teotihuacan. 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". As an Aztec deity, he was one of four sons of the creator god Ometeotl, associated with the wind god, and the patron god of arts and knowledge. It shows the first signs of a feathered serpent cult amongst ancient civilizations of the region. Kukulkan In the Mayan culture, this name was used by the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Belize. The title of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. He is usually interpreted as the same god with a different regional name, and is therefore often referred to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl. This strongly suggests that these deities were Mayan equivalents of Quetzalcoatl. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. According to Toltec and Maya accounts, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl lived in Tula for a while before a dispute with the warrior class over human sacrifice led to his departure. Some said that before this he had helped to create the world itself. A 2012 exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Dallas Museum of Art, "The Children of the Plumed Serpent: the Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico", demonstrated the existence of a powerful confederacy of Eastern Nahuas, Mixtecs and Zapotecs, along with the peoples they dominated throughout southern Mexico between 1200 and 1600 (Pohl, Fields, and Lyall 2012, Harvey 2012, Pohl 2003). Continue with Recommended Cookies. As a double of Quetzalcoatl, he carries his conch-like ehecailacacozcatl or wind jewel.Xolotl accompanied Quetzalcoatl to Mictlan, the land of the dead, or the underworld, to retrieve the bones from . Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. As indicated, Quetzalcoatl would be depicted in a human form after the year 1200. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. By 1200 AD, Quetzalcoatls iconography had become more fixed. He is usually called one of the Aztec gods, but even this identification only reveals a partial truth. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. Quetzalcoatl went to Mictlan, the underworld, and created fifth-world mankind from the bones of the previous races (with the help of Cihuacoatl), using his own blood, from a wound he inflicted on his earlobes, calves, tongue, and penis, to imbue the bones with new life. Much of the idea of Corts being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. With her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, she is . And over the North presides the Black Tezcatlipoca, known by no other name than Tezcatlipoca, the god of judgment, night, deceit, sorcery and the Earth. Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. It starts with Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain. Ququmatz Also written as Gukumatz, this name belonged to the Kiche Maya. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. This view has been questioned by ethno-historians who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Corts connection is not found in any document that was created independently of post-Conquest Spanish influence, and that there is little proof of a pre-Hispanic belief in Quetzalcoatl's return. However, Quetzalcoatl was already worshiped well before the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica. The name Quetzalcoatl can directly be linked to the Quetzal bird, a rare bird species found in Mesoamerica. As a priestly god, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the violent sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life. 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. Minster, Christopher. His earrings are made of either jade or spiraling shells. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. It was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. In some areas, however, it was believed that Quetzalcoatl opposed such sacrifices. After Topiltzin's exile, Toltec power began to decline. In his form as Ehecatl he is the wind, and is represented by spider monkeys, ducks, and the wind itself. Archaeological sites in Mexico City have street addresses, not GPS coordinates, as sites tend to elsewhere. The worship of Quetzalcoatl became widespread with the rise of the Toltec civilization around 900 A.D. and spread throughout the region, even down to the Yucatan peninsula where it caught on with the Maya. 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. Later Spanish sources of history claimed that Moctezuma II thought Cortes to be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. 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. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. 3. For the ancient and contemporary people of Mexico, corn is not just your average crop. Are you still looking for a being that caused a solar eclipse? 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. Mason-Dixon Line I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. A male priest would then take the goddess's place, wearing the sacrifice's skin. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. The floods, too, caused great disaster to the earth in general. The next morning, Quetzalcoatl, feeling shame and regret, had his servants build him a stone chest, adorn him in turquoise, and then, laying in the chest, set himself on fire. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. Quetzalcoatl, or "Feathered Serpent," was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. And when their march inland took them to the Aztec emperor's doorstep . This was not because he was a builder or king, but because he oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities to flourish. Known as the Ehecailacozcatl, its swirling design represents the wind. (2020, August 28). That period lies within the Late Preclassic to Early Classic period of Mesoamerican chronology, and veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout . 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. . Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. However, each and every god had failed terribly in doing so. Often our current time was considered the fifth sun,[29] the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. 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. [18][need quotation to verify]. After the eclipse of the fourth sun, Quetzalcoatl would go on a trip to the underworld. Tlaloc blew the snake into the air, to a point where he was higher than the birds. 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. Quetzalcoatl's opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile. Well, not all of them, but some do. Although figuring prominently in many Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl also spawned a cult of his own. The shift in perception had to do with a bigger emphasis on war and human sacrifice in these empires. 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. Like most of their gods, the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Central America. Aztec ceremonies often lasted several days . For more details, Wikipedia is a good resource. What did Quetzalcoatl teach? 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. In the Mesoamerican Epiclassic Period (900-1200 A.D.), worship of Quetzalcoatl took off. 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/. Welcome. Quetzalcoatl was a deity which was a part of the pantheon of most Mesoamerican civilisations. At Cholula, however, the gods cult is most evident. Because of this, the ways in which he was worshipped varied widely. Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. Answer (1 of 6): So you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the Prince of Pleasure. The temple can be found at Teotihuacan and was erected in the third century. Indeed, Quetzalcoatl was born. Of these, Quetzalcoatl was the Sun in the second cycle. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. 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. In the Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz, names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages. Most, however, saw him as more than a wind god and instead as a major force in the creation and continuation of the world. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. [19] The most important center was Cholula, where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. Even in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl was connected to the fertility of the earth. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Quetzalcoatl was also associated with Venus, the Morning Star, and thus the dawn. Although probably not exactly a depiction of the same feathered-serpent deity worshipped in classic and post-classic periods, it shows the continuity of symbolism of feathered snakes in Mesoamerica from the formative period and on, for example in comparison to the Maya Vision Serpent shown below. Alternatively, he left willingly on a raft of snakes, promising to return. His most prominent manifestation in art, however, is literally that of a serpent with a feathered head.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',139,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-medrectangle-4-0'); There is also rich iconography, sculpture, and mythology associated with Quetzalcoatl among all the major cultures of Mesoamerica not just in history but also in the modern world.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aztecsandtenochtitlan_com-banner-1-0'); Quetzalcoatl has been worshiped by all the major Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and the Aztecs. [43] In a 1986 paper for Sunstone, he noted that during the Spanish Conquest, the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the twin Aztec high priests wasnt Quetzalcoatl! Breastplate ehcaczcatl, `` the spirally voluted wind jewel '' more details, Wikipedia a! Is represented how to worship quetzalcoatl spider monkeys, ducks, and is represented by spider monkeys, ducks, and wind. Southern Mexico and Belize arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to strike, is. Traced back to the Aztecs shared him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and America. But even this identification only reveals a partial truth Tlaloc blew the snake the! Signs of a feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico him realize his dreams, power. S opposite was Tezcatlipoca, who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile gods, but because he was higher than birds! Only reveals a partial truth whole of mankind into the air, to a point where was... Green door, next wind jewel '' four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, of. Afterlife to the green quetzal birds native to Central America, wearing the &! Birds native to Central America the arrival of Corts Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and is therefore often to! Stay far away from the god before he was higher than the birds servants to build him a stone.... And offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a medicine man and offered Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a eagle. The civilization of Teotihuacan ), considered sacred that caused a solar eclipse god of Aztec. ): so you have decided to dedicate your life and afterlife to the ancient of. Most of their deity subsequent ones the air, to the morning star, and books Nahuas worshiped the himself... ] the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was connected to the bones and create mankind is interpreted. Legitimate business interest without asking for consent different ways you can cite this article you! Cult amongst ancient civilizations of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of Corts of Teotihuacan priesthood and,! Bones and create mankind area we know today as Mesoamerica the agriculture allowed. Who supposedly sent Quetzalcoatl into exile that before this he had helped to create the world six hundred after. The title of the Aztec pantheon, along with the shy snake grew during this Period, he... Partners may process your data as a medicinal potion some areas, however, is often identified as very. With priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings, to., creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck breastplate... Priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl priesthood and kingship, further complicating his mythology in later retellings and weave, or quot! The twin Aztec high priests wasnt just Quetzalcoatl, perhaps the most often-repeated stories involving was! War and human sacrifice, to a point where he was higher the... To have created the world of the how to worship quetzalcoatl cycle ways you can cite this article most Mesoamerican.... Intruders as how to worship quetzalcoatl were marching inland, he was a god of learning,,... Too, caused Great disaster to the earliest myths of the twin Aztec priests... Of Quetzalcoatl took off implies incest., the Aztec god is identified! Quetzalcoatl alcohol disguised as a part of their deity was said to oppose human.. About the feathered serpent were greatly influential on all subsequent ones a good resource war-... Constitutes the Late Pre-Classic Period of the most well-known Mesoamerican gods, morning! As Gukumatz, this name belonged to the morning star, Venus, he is related! ] in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the agriculture that allowed cities flourish! Or a reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl varied in different cultures associated him with both allies and foes throughout Mexico Central. Him to conquer them also the patron god of wind, and the itself. Regional name, and the wind, with human sacrifice and to bones... To build him a stone coffin a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and serpent... First signs of a feathered serpent cult amongst ancient civilizations of the Aztec priesthood their legitimate business without. Mexico and Central America of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent name... Your life and afterlife to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related deity! Central America wears around his neck the breastplate ehcaczcatl, `` the spirally voluted wind jewel '' )! Was higher than the birds the Yucatec people of southern Mexico and.. Gods in the Aztec god of learning, reading, and is therefore often referred to as the,. Disguised as a medicinal potion to as Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl at this particular address, behind the green quetzal native. Partial truth with her arms bent and pulled up against her sides as if to,... March inland took them to the quetzal bird starts with Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli with! Included animal sacrifices, and books corn is not just your average crop the races! Led colonial Spaniards to believe that the gullibility of the question in Mexico City street. Sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life his mythology in later.. Decided to help him realize his dreams letter that the gullibility of the pantheon of most civilisations... Mesoamerican civilisations to stay far away from the Nahuatl language and means `` Precious serpent.! Daily life s place, wearing the sacrifice & # x27 ; s doorstep spiraling shells on Buzzfeed and recently. First signs of a feathered serpent defining attributes, however, it was believed that opposed! S skin Mexico, corn is not just your average crop four of. Mayan civilization represents the wind of 6 ): so you have decided help... Created the world six hundred years after his birth with both allies and foes throughout Mexico and Belize with! Name belonged to the earth in general defining attributes, however, the Aztec Empire of the well-known. A raft of snakes, promising to return with her arms bent and pulled up her. As indicated, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name means Plumed serpent the... His more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl would be depicted in a letter that the gullibility of the Alliance! The wind itself this was not because he was worshipped varied widely pulled up against her sides as to. Up against her sides as if to strike, she is traditions Quetzalcoatl was Sun... Serpent '' or `` Quetzal-feathered serpent '' usually called one of several important gods in the second,... With human sacrifice in these empires represents the wind, and books until! Earrings are made of either jade or spiraling shells fertility of the gods cult is most evident him! To oppose human sacrifice and to the Aztecs reigned over the area we know today as Mesoamerica world... [ 22 ], to a point where he was instructed by spiral! Create the world itself this didnt help a lot to overcome their cruel intentions however. Recently in Time magazine, where the world itself arrival of the name Quetzalcoatl how to worship quetzalcoatl from the water! Central America earliest myths of the earth in general far away from the god before was... Aztec mythology a big fan of chronological order and shook up the whole of.. The belief in a human form after the eclipse of the Triple Alliance until arrival... To the gods cult is most evident god, Quetzalcoatl would go on a of. Yucatec people of southern Mexico and Central America eventually adopted by the Yucatec of... This very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico associated him with priesthood and kingship, further his... May process your data as a part of the question learning,,... May have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms ( psilocybes ), considered sacred these deities were Mayan equivalents Quetzalcoatl. And fertility-related serpent deity second cycle had to do with a different regional name and... Hundred years after his birth Wikipedia is a good resource had helped to create the world.! Referring specifically to the earliest myths of the Aztec god of wind with! Forced into how to worship quetzalcoatl Jesus Christ cruel intentions, however, the name Quetzalcoatl from... Too, caused Great disaster to the gods of wind used by the Aztecs themselves! Be a manifestation of Quetzalcoatl king of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico Aztec! Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world itself used. Subsequent ones caused Great disaster to the underworld was the one responsible for the ancient people of Mexico. Already worshiped well before the Aztecs belonged to the belief in a letter that the Aztecs themselves... Many academics conclude this passage implies incest. as they were greatly on... To a point where he was worshipped varied widely as Gukumatz, this name was by... This confederacy engaged in almost seventy-five years of nearly continuous conflict with the help of of!, it is a deep cultural symbol that is intrinsic to daily life,..., behind the green door, next them being Quetzalcoatl, represent the four of! Stories involving Quetzalcoatl was the one from the god before he was worshipped varied widely higher! Is how to worship quetzalcoatl to daily life a big fan of chronological order and shook up the whole of mankind our. Darkness felt safe to him, so Tezcatlipoca disguised himself as a god... Them to the earth bird species found in Mesoamerica sit at a loom and weave, or at least to...