Cipactli | 10 Curiosities of the Aztec sea monster

The Aztec mythology , as well as that of other civilizations, is flooded with characters as interesting as terrifying. One of them is the Cipactli sea monster, which has spread fear among the inhabitants of Mesoamerican villages since antiquity. But nevertheless, What makes this Aztec sea monster such a relevant figure in the culture of this empire? Soon you will discover it from the 10 curiosities of Cipactli that we have prepared for you.

For the mexicas , as the Aztecs are also known, Cipactli is a monster that has been part of his mythology for many years . Its physical aspect has been recorded in artistic representations that today are studied in order to discover everything about the Aztec customs and traditions, especially those related to the mythology of this group that lived in various states of today. curious Mexico .

10 Curiosities of Cipactli, the Aztec sea monster | Do you dare to know them?

1. The name of this monster means " the black lizard ", Although its color is not exactly black, it is believed that this was called because of how dangerous it was, referring to the dark aspect that nobody dared to alter.

two. Cipactli was characterized for being half fish and half crocodile , reason why it is possible to observe scales on its body, crocodile teeth and a long body whose hue varied, highlighting the colors green, yellow, orange and red. Definitely, a monster that generated fear in those who watched it.

3. One of the main reasons why Cipactli was considered a monster in Aztec mythology was to always be hungry, a characteristic that made the Mexicas believe that this monstrous species could easily reach the villages and satisfy their hunger by devouring the inhabitants .

4. Even though for the Aztecs Cipactli is a monster, in the Toltec culture this name belongs to that of a god , which is able to provide food for families.

5. Various legends involve Cipactli and gods of other cultures, who wanted to attract him to overcome him and give tranquility to the inhabitants of the Mesoamerican peoples. An example of this was the decision he made Tezcatlipoca , one of the Toltec gods most relevant, when cutting a foot and use it as bait to draw the attention of the monster in question.

6. According to the Aztec calendar , known under the name of Tonalpohualli, the first day of the year receives the name of Cipactli.

7. Another of the legends in which this monster is present is in that of the creation of the land for the Aztecs . According to them, Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent God , had to kill Cipactli to be able to create the land. This mythological creature was divided in half, in order to shape the sky and the earth.

8. One of the things that Cipactli represented in the Aztec culture was the chaos , which could be observed through the narrations of which this creature was a part.

9. The marine beast that you knew today inhabited the seas, which had been created by the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue , who is also known as the Aztec goddess of love. However, others attribute this task to the goddess Atl , which is considered the mother of Cipactli.

10. Commonly some authors associate the image of Cipactli with a shark, due to being considered a sea monster and having teeth as sharp as them.

If the curious facts about Cipactli They seemed shocking, do not miss another of the interesting creatures that Aztec mythology has: the Xoloitzcuintles, the dogs of the underworld that will leave you speechless with everything you were able to do. Undoubtedly, this culture left great mythological figures that today are impressive at the time of reading and studying them. Despite being considered fictitious characters, the Mexicas believed faithfully in their existence, which is why they performed human sacrifices to prevent these creatures from seizing their villages and, thus, the gods kept them protected.

We invite you to share your opinion in the comments section and let us know what other Aztec mythological creatures Do you know or would you like us to investigate? At Supercurioso we are open to all ideas suggestions from our readers, so we are waiting for your comments!