In Supercurioso we are great lovers of each and every one of the mythologies Today we are going to talk about the gods of the Mexica. This civilization, also known as Aztecs , were a Mesoamerican people who lived in the Valley of Mexico . Its mythology was rich in deities, among which the primordial ones stood out . They starred in the legend of the five suns that explains the creation, since the Aztecs thought there was a world before theirs.
Thanks to this article you will know in depth the gods of the Mexicas that will amaze you, their names are Quetzalcoatl, Tláloc and Xipe Tótec. Deities tremendously powerful and important to the Aztecs that will impress you. Come and discover them!
3 gods of the Mexicas that will amaze you
1. Quetzalcoatl
The literal meaning of its name is feathered serpent, in some legends this deity is considered as the main god of the Mexica. It represented the duality between the physical world of men (the serpent) and that of the spirits (the feathers) . In the legend of the five suns, it is said that this god is the son of the two main ones called Ometecuhtli and Omecíhuatl. The Mexicas related to Quetzalcoatl with the planet Venus.
In other towns, this deity was represented as a bearded man. This caused that when the Spaniards initiated the conquest of South America the inhabitants of the zone confused Hernán Cortés with Quetzalcóatl, due to their big beards and their fierce aspect that fitted with the images of the humanoid Quetzalcóatl.
2. Tláloc
This great deity represented the rainy season for the Mexicas, so they performed great ceremonies to honor him during the first month of the year. Its name translates into Nahuatl as nectar of the earth and although it was originally a deity venerated by the Mexica, it soon became one of the most important gods in all of Central America. Like most of the gods of the Mexica, Tlaloc represented a great duality because it could be a blessing as well as the greatest misfortune. In the same way that rain is a guarantee of fertility and a flood disaster guarantee. He was represented with a large upper lip, with a black or blue face and a gold banner in the shape of a snake, a tool with which he made lightning bolts and lightning bolts. .
The rituals to Tláloc were horrifying, as they sacrificed a large number of children dressed as the deity on the hill set for the god. The Mexica believed that people who died drowned or victims of leprosy ended up in the so-called paradise of Tlaloc, from which gushed beneficial water for the Earth and life. It was located in the eastern region of the Universe.
3. Xipe Tótec
The translation of his name turns out to be very macabre, since its literal meaning is "our flayed lord". It represents both renewal and dry soil, as we have already mentioned, the deities of the Mexica culture had a duality between good and evil. Represented with a chicahuaztli (rattle that attracted the rain) in one hand and always wrapped in the skin of flayed human beings. Legend has it that he was the first god who sacrificed himself to feed all living creatures, ripped his eyes out and skinned so that all people who inhabited the earth could eat and not starve . The sacrifices to Xipe Totec they were as bloody as those that were made to Tláloc, since the tributes of this deity were stripped skin strips believing that this would make the god very happy because he made that same sacrifice to humans. Changing the skin was a symptom of a renewal and although it may seem macabre, the rituals were emotional, because they meant a new beginning and a kind of resurrection although in our times this is difficult to get into our heads.
As you may have seen after reading this article about the gods of the mexicas , these were both cruel and kind. The sacrifices that were made to him were tremendously bloody, although the people who venerated him saw it as a pride. These were the most important gods within the mexica mythology , his cult spread throughout much of Central America with different names but with the same essence.
Now we would like to know your opinion about these hard mexicas deities. Which one of them has impressed you the most? Do you think that the sacrifices that were made to these gods were typical of savages? What is your opinion of the sacrifice made by Xipe Totec to feed all the human beings who lived on earth? As we always tell you, we are looking forward to reading your comments. So go ahead and write to us and answer these questions we are throwing you!