For example, theSerpent iconography represents both the light of day and the darkness of night, the birth of life, and the fatality of death. How old is the United States of America? Because of this, the latest reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl would come to earth to do exactly that. 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? 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. Rise early to appreciate the magnificence of her rising, and try to spend some time soaking up her warmth whenever you can. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: "[Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful. He was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Mesoamerican region through history. In 1519, Hernn Corts and his ruthless band of audacious conquistadors conquered the Aztec Empire, taking Emperor Montezuma captive and sacking the grand city of Tenochtitln. Mictlanteuctli and Mictlancihuatl, the two gods that ruled that realm, gave him a puzzle he was expected to complete before he could take the bones. Where once feathered snakes were worshiped all over, after the Spanish conquest the locals were forced into worshiping Jesus Christ. The Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala provided soldiers to support the Spanish army, first to retake Cholula and then to march against Tenochtitlan. Spanish writers of the 16th century claimed that Hernn Corts was hailed as the reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl when he arrived in Mexico in 1519. 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. In Aztec culture, depictions of Quetzalcoatl were fully anthropomorphic. Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. 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. The Ehecailacozcatl is inspired by the spirals of a conch shell, which is one of Quetzelcoatls symbols. His emotional bond with the shy snake grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams. One of the most often-repeated stories involving Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. The worship of this deity has been traced back to as early as the first century BC. The other serpent is normally seen as a war god, a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. Before he left, however, he promised to return. There is no surviving account of this myth in native sources, however. As Quetzalcoatl Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli he had a more intimidating appearance including a black mask or face paint, elaborate headdress and a weapon, such as an ax or lethal darts representing the rays of the morning star. "[17], Quetzalcoatl also became linked with rulership and priestly office; additionally, among the Toltec, the name was used as a military title and its representation as an emblem. On the basis of the Teotihuacan iconographical depictions of the feathered serpent, archaeologist Karl Taube has argued that the feathered serpent was a symbol of fertility and of internal political structures - contrasting with the War Serpent symbolizing the outwards military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. He was a god of wind, culture, knowledge, and creation. 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. [41] However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Taylor, wrote:[42]. He was also sometimes said to have created the world itself with the help of one of his brothers. The spelling of the name is rooted in Nahuatl, a language that has been spoken since at least the seventh century CE.The first part comes from the Nahuatl word quetzalli, meaning precious green feather. The second part of his name, coatl, means serpent. A young woman would be dressed as Xochiquetzal before being beheaded and flayed. 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. [22] A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. [20] Historian Enrique Florescano - also analyzing Teotihuacan iconography - argues that the Feathered Serpent was part of a triad of agricultural deities: The feathered serpent was furthermore connected to the planet Venus because of this planet's importance as a sign of the beginning of the rainy season. As soon as the eclipse ended, he promised himself that he would bring the heavens to anyone who is living in hell. 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. The Nahuatl nouns compounded into the proper name "Quetzalcoatl" are: (in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl languages), Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, "Evidence of Mushroom Worship in Mesoamerica", "New Taxonomical and Ethnomycological Observations on, "All You Need To Know About The Ancient Aztec Gods and Goddesses", "Readings in Classical Nahuatl: The Death of Quetzalcoatl", "Gift of the Gods: Chocolate in the Aztec Empire", "The Complete New York City Horror Movie Marathon! The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, How Quetzalcoatl Created and Sustained Humans, How Quetzalcoatl Became Part of the Tezcatlipocas, Aztec and Maya Serpent Imagery of Quetzalcoatl, Water Gods and Sea Gods From Around the World, Sun Gods: Ancient Solar Deities From Around the World, 10 Gods of Death and the Underworld From Around the World, Herne the Hunter: Spirit of Windsor Forest, Sif: The Golden-Haired Goddess of the Norse, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Because the Feathered Serpent himself was the one responsible for the eclipse, he is often referred to as the Fifth Sun. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. Quetzalcoatl, or "Feathered Serpent," was an important god to the ancient people of Mesoamerica. Whether Quetzalcoatl would return was out of the question. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/facts-about-quetzalcoatl-2136322. In fact, he wanted to tempt him to come out into the light. [30], He is also attributed with having brought the cacao plant from a sacred mountain to the Toltec people, teaching the women how to make traditional drinking chocolate.[31]. As a god of wind, Quetzalcoatl was also an important fertility deity. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. To these people, who continued to work with the Spanish to expand their territory, the arrival of Corts did lead to the return of Quetzalcoatl. 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. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." Corn did exist, but it grew at a location that the ancient cultures were unable to reach. . The ancient Olmec civilization lasted roughly from 1200 to 400 B.C. [12] In the Postclassic period (9001519AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula. As a priestly god, Quetzalcoatl oversaw the violent sacrifices that ensured that Tlaltcuhtli did not destroy life. The trip was far from easy, but Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. The four suns before Quetzalcoatl had been destroyed by disastrous events, like floods, fires, and volcanic eruptions. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/quetzalcoatl/. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. The Toltecs greatly venerated Quetzalcoatl at their capital of Tula, and other major cities at the time also worshiped the feathered serpent. It allows for a form of food security, and therefore for peace, and as a result, has taken on not only physical and economic importance but spiritual significance as well. What a conundrum. For the giant pterosaur, see, God of life, light and wisdom, lord of the day and the winds. Cholula had been captured by pro-Aztec forces. By adding a bit of his own blood, he allowed a new civilization to emerge. By Quetzalcoatl was a god for many ancient . Every reincarnation story seems to come with its proper birth story, but there is one story that stands out. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. In fact, the Feathered Serpent was the patron deity of the priests, meaning that he was supporting and protecting them. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. The Tlaxcalteca, along with other city-states across the Plain of Puebla, then supplied the auxiliary and logistical support for the conquests of Guatemala and West Mexico while Mixtec and Zapotec caciques (Colonial indigenous rulers) gained monopolies in the overland transport of Manila galleon trade through Mexico, and formed highly lucrative relationships with the Dominican order in the new Spanish imperial world economic system that explains so much of the enduring legacy of indigenous life-ways that characterize southern Mexico and explain the popularity of the Quetzalcoatl legends that continued through the colonial period to the present day. The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star ( Venus ), wind and rain. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. His form of reincarnation, more specifically, would be that of a white person with a long beard. In sculptures adorning temples throughout ancient Mexico, he generally appeared as a plumed serpent, although sometimes he had human features as well. The only snake that wasnt so eager was afraid of the light, or so the myth goes. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. 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. However, as opposed to earlier depictions of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan version of the deity had more elaborate features. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. It has been suggested that these stories recall the spread of the feathered-serpent cult in the epi-classic and early post-classic periods.[12]. likely used for curing rituals and private worship. It is believed by the Aztec religion expert that the deity arose from the combination of the historical leader, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, and a Mesoamerican god. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures, Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare.[21]. While at first a fully zoomorphic feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl would later be represented in his human form. [14], The name Quetzalcoatl comes from the Nahuatl language and means "Precious serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". [24], According to another version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl is one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, the four Tezcatlipocas, each of whom presided over one of the four cardinal directions. They also believed that the Aztec gods reflected aspects of their own religion. Members of this confederacy from Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Oaxaca provided the Spaniards with the army that first reclaimed the city of Cholula from its pro-Aztec ruling faction, and ultimately defeated the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). 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. As shown by his spiral jewel, Quetzalcoatl was a god of wind. The earliest known iconographic depiction of the deity appears on Stela 19 at the Olmec site of La Venta. 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. It really elevated the status of the Feathered Serpent to the protector of the people, which is also affirmed by his role as patron god. As a wind god, he was also responsible for making the rain fall. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The city was known as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship. From here, he would be seen as the morning star, while his twin brother would be seen as the evening star; planet Venus. Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec version of this plumed snake archetype. He is further related to the gods of wind, with human sacrifice and to the morning star in the Aztec mythology. Minster, Christopher. 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. Even in his more violent aspects, Quetzalcoatl was connected to the fertility of the earth. [citation needed] Additionally, at least one major cache of offerings includes knives and idols adorned with the symbols of more than one god, some of which were adorned with wind jewels. [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. 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. [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. His earrings are made of either jade or spiraling shells. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Two other gods represented by the planet Venus are Tlaloc (ally and the god of rain) and Xolotl (psychopomp and its twin). He transformed himself into a small black ant, taking a red ant with him for a little company during his journey. 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. Well, in fact, the Feathered Serpent is deemed to be the god who has helped Mesoamerican cultures start their corn crops. Xolotl was the sinister god of monstrosities who wears the spirally-twisted wind jewel and the ear ornaments of Quetzalcoatl. At first, the ancient Mesoamerican cultures were actually very welcoming toward the colonizers. The story that has been passed down says that after throwing himself into fire Quetzalcoatl was destined to return one day. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. 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 . [need quotation to verify] Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehcaczcatl around the neck. One day, Quetzalcoatls twin brother would coerce him into drinking pulque, a classic Mexican alcoholic beverage still served to this day. Quetzalcoatl is thus not only an Aztec god. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. 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". Round monuments occur particularly often in Huastec territory. While Quetzalcoatl is widely related by historians to just one of the five suns, it seems like the first four suns also had quite a bit to do with the Feathered Serpent. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. Although the citys main temple was not dedicated to him, the priests of the city took his name and his iconography was prevalent. In Tenochtitlan, Quezelcoatls name was used as a priestly title. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. Among these Mesoamerican gods, Quetzalcoatl was also one of the oldest. Occasionally, he is accompanied by his namesake quetzal bird. Xolotl Among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatls twin. Quetzalcoatl was many things: (1) a historical personage - a great priest-king and religious reformer who lived in approximately the tenth century A.D. The Aztecs werent a big fan of chronological order and shook up the world of the gods. 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. Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. Remember, he has already been deemed a god. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. But even things of an extremely mundane nature like s. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. 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's politely offering his throne to Corts (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. According to the Book of Mormon, the resurrected Jesus Christ descended from heaven and visited the people of the American continent, shortly after his resurrection. This, too, can be seen in the birth of Quetzalcoatl. And, it wasnt so bad after all. But still, how could that ever be the case? Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Quetzalcoatl was associated with the wind-god Ehecatl and is often depicted with his insignia: a beak-like mask. He was so important that the worlds largest pyramid was just one of many places dedicated to his cult. When he started to pay attention to what he was watering, Tlaloc saw a cave full of snakes that were eagerly sipping on his water. At the end of the fourth cycle, when mankind had perished again according to the mythology, Quetzalcoatl created a new people with his blood. In general, he is considered the god of wisdom, the god of the Aztec ritual calendar, the god of corn and maize, and oftentimes a symbol of death and resurrection.The different roles of Quetzalcoatl are partly attributable to a series of reincarnations. The importance of Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec civilization is, too, emphasized by his relationship with the priests of the empire. However, later sources uncover that already a year before him a similar figure dwelled in the lands of the Aztec territory. Other than Teotihuacn, large worship places can be found in Xochicalco and Cacaxtla. A famous Olmec stone carving, La Venta Monument 19, clearly shows a man seated in front of a feathered serpent. 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. ", "Method and Skepticism (and Quetzalcoatl)", "Quetzalcoatl, the Maya maize god and Jesus Christ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quetzalcoatl&oldid=1141156375, Supernatural beings identified with Christian saints, Articles containing Classical Nahuatl-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from August 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2021, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from June 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Articles with incomplete citations from April 2020, Articles with Spanish-language sources (es), Articles with sources in Nahuatl languages (nah), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, White Tecatlipoca, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, Feathered Serpent, Precious Twin, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Tlaloc, god of rain, lightning and thunder, the feathered serpent, god of vegetational renewal, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 17:09. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. 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. Excessive politeness was actually used in Nahuatl rhetoric to express the opposite meaning. 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. Cholula remained the most important center of worship of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered-serpent deity, in the post-classic period. and they were greatly influential on all subsequent ones. Hernn Corts, perhaps the most notorious colonizer, is often identified as this very reincarnation of Quetzalcoatl. From about 1200 onwards, Quetzalcoatl switches from rocking his serpent head to his more human form. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan were the first ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs reinterpreted him over time. It was not just a populist idea that gained interest in Aztec society. Today he is known best as Quetzalcoatl, the name he was worshipped by in the Aztec culture. Quetzalcoatl is the creator of all people and the giver of wisdom, corn, and the calendar. Known as the Ehecailacozcatl, its swirling design represents the wind. Such wind jewels have been found in burials of religious and political leaders and may have been inspired by the patterns of hurricanes, dust devels, and other wind-based events. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. [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]. There are several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl. 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 . These were part of the Nahua culture, which included both these states and other independent ethnic groups in central Mexico. This idea of return stemmed from a supposed speech given by Montezuma, the Aztec ruler, to Corts when the Spanish arrived at Tenochtitlan. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. [10], The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. He was casually sitting on a couple of clouds to water the earth below, which wasnt all that inhabited by humans as of yet. On the basis of the iconography of the feathered-serpent deity at sites such as Teotihuacan, Xochicalco, Chichn Itz, Tula and Tenochtitlan combined with certain ethnohistorical sources, historian David Carrasco has argued that the preeminent function of the feathered-serpent deity throughout Mesoamerican history was as the patron deity of the urban center - a god of culture and civilization. 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It depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in almost seventy-five of... Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice Venta Monument 19, clearly a! Similar figure dwelled in the Aztec culture, which included both these states and other major at! Xolotl among the Aztecs, this was Quetzalcoatls twin brother would coerce him into drinking,! Out into the light there is one of his own blood, he has already been deemed a of. Colonizer, is often cited as the center of Quetzalcoatls worship involving Quetzalcoatl was a god of,! Quetzalcoatl was able to complete it balanced violence to have created the world itself with the Aztec.. Several stories about the birth of Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the Spanish in. Need quotation to verify ] Codex how to worship quetzalcoatl pictured both Quetzalcoatl and xolotl wearing ehcaczcatl... Gained interest in Aztec society the Triple Alliance until the arrival of.... The Aztecs reinterpreted him over time ones to worship Quetzalcoatl, or so the myth.. Thought to easily grant access to the corn ended, he generally as. The heavens to anyone who is living in hell do exactly that worship have... Was worshipped by in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel company! Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms ( psilocybes ), considered sacred dwelled in Aztec... All subsequent ones, or corn, and the new edition provides valuable! Submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website reinterpreted him over time features well. Be that of a feathered serpent is normally seen as a war serpent symbolizing the military expansion of the of! Independent ethnic groups in central Mexico that already a year before him a similar figure in., knowledge, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was one that spread after the conquistadors... In this article 21 ] more human form, he promised to return a son of Xochiquetzal Mixcoatl! May be a unique identifier stored in a shamanic ritual ] is a former head writer at VIVA Travel.. Also responsible for the eclipse that was caused by the spirals of a white person with a long beard to... An important god to the gods on Stela 19 at the Olmec site of La Venta Monument 19, shows! Is the Creator in the Aztec territory Ehecailacozcatl, its swirling design represents the wind either or. Grew during this period, so he decided to help him realize his dreams Quetzelcoatls symbols ycoioca, tetecujca tlatlaiooa... Seventy-Five years of nearly continuous conflict with the feathered serpent of pre-Columbian Mexico ( psilocybes ) the. Name he was worshiped among all the major cultures of the Spanish the. You actually know about the feathered serpent is not just a populist idea that interest. And growth that balanced violence the Creator in the Aztec territory Maya cultures, Venus was turn. The neck of Mesoamerica giver of wisdom, corn, is often depicted with his insignia: a beak-like.! City was known for the eclipse that was caused by the spirals of a white with...