Aztec Pantheon

Huitzilopochtli - God of War

Meaning: left hummingbird (because he was lefthanded?)

Fourth and youngest son of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacíhuatl (Xochiquétzal)

Also known as Omitéotl / Maquizcóatl

Born: with bones, but no flesh

Is associated with the Sun

Co-creator of (together with Quetzalcóatl) : fire, a half sun, Oxomoco and Cipactónal (first man and woman), days and months, the god and goddess of the underworld (Mictlanteucutli and Mictcacíhuitl), water and a fish, called Cipactli

Source: Manuscript of "Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas" in "Mythos e historias de los antiguos Nahuas"

There also a story about Huitzilopochtli being the sun of Coatlique, who had already given birth to 400 children of Mixcoatl (lord of the underworld). These 400 children were suspicious that the baby that she was carrying, wasn't of their father and they decided it was best to kill Coatlique whom they accussed of infidelity. At that moment, the baby jumped out of his mother's womb and slaughterd almost all his (half) brothers and sisters. Seeing the grief of his mother about the death of just one of his sisters, Coyolxauhqui, he cut of her head and send it into the sky, where it became the moon. This way his mother could see and remember her beloved daughter every night.
It was through this story that the Mexicas from Aztlan believed Huitzilopochtli to be the strongest God and they asked him to be their leader on a journey to the south. Here follows the great journey in search of the island where the heart of Copil, sun of Malinalxochi had landed after he had thrown it away (in Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas, the heart of Copil is buried in Tenochtitlan). Said heart would have grown into a cactus and the Mexicas would build their capital there where they would find this cactus, with a eagle on top of it, eating a white snake.

Source: Goden van de Maya's, Azteken en Inca's, a translation of Gods of the Maya, Aztecs and Incas by Timothy R. Roberts

This God of the Sun and of War was the major deity of the Aztecs, who build a temple to him in every city that they conquered and one on top of the twin temple in Tenochtitlan. It is said that many thousands of people have been sacrificed to this God.

As we can see above there seems to be a difference in the Creator God and the God of the Mexicas of Tenochtitlan (Aztecs). I wonder if we can see this type of differences with other gods as well.

Quetzalcóatl - God of Knowledge

Meaning: Feathered Serpent

Second son of Tonacateuctli and Tonacacíhuatl (Xochiquétzal)

Also known as Eécatl: Air (although some believe that this is another name of Tezcatlipoca)

Is associated with the morningstar Venus

Co-creator of (together with Huitzilopochtli) : fire, a half sun, Oxomoco and Cipactónal (first man and woman), days and months, the god and goddess of the underworld (Mictlanteuctli and Mictcacíhuitl), water and a fish, called Cipactli

Source: Manuscript of "Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas" in "Mythos e historias de los antiguos Nahuas"

He is believed to have created the second world after the flood together with Tezcatlipoca. After this he went to Mictlan to ask Miclanteotl for some bones and ashes from the first humans. Miclanteotl did agree, but changed his mind at the time Quezalcóatl wanted to leave. In a quarrel or in the fled the bones fell to the ground and broke. This is the reason why present day humans are way shorter then the Giants who inhabited the first world.

 

Miclanteotl - God of the Underworld

Meaning: God of Miclan

Also known as: Miclanteuctli

Often depicted as a skeleton

Associated with: spiders, owls and bats

Chicomecóatl - Goddess of Maize and Fertility

Meaning: Seven Serpent?

She appeared as a tripartite goddess:

young girl carrying flowers
woman who brings death with her embraces.
mother who uses the sun as a shield

Coyolxauhqui - Goddess of the Moon and Earth

Meaning Golden Bells

Is believed to have magical powers

Was the favorite daughter of Coatlicue, see under Huitzilopochtli

Tlaloc - God of Rain

Meaning: He who is filled with Earth

Associated with: rain, fertility, fire and the south

Also known as: Tlaloteuctli

Is believed to live in Tlalocan, a place where there's four huge water barrels are standing in all four directions. He's has appointed four tlaloques to pour out the water if he so desires.

Ixtlilton - God of Healing, Feasts and Games

Meaning unknown. Ixtli = face, personality

 

ChanChan Tupac 2003

 

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