Quetzalcoatl: Toltec and Aztec God
The Plumed Serpent's Role As the Creator Sky-God
Quetzalcoatl was a god to the Aztecs, Toltecs and other Meso-Americans. He was instrumental in the repeated creation and destruction of the world.
Behold the Creator of the World
Quetzalcoatl was a god of much responsibility and wore many hats. He was known for being the god of creation and giver of life who was responsible for the small matter of creating the cosmos. He was also the giver of maize. Quetzalcoatl means "quetzal bird snake" or "serpent with feathers of the Quetzal" in the Nahuatl language.
The Olmecs, Mixtecs, Toltecs, Aztecs and the Maya all worshipped Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl is often associated with his contemporary rival Tezcatlipoca, the god of darkness, discord, temptation, war and a host of other unpleasantries. This is not to say that Tezcatlipoca was associated only with negative categories, since he was also in charge of the category of beauty.
Quetalcoatl was also known as White Tezcatlipoca, to contrast him with Tezcatlipoca, who was referred to as Black Tezcatlipoca.
Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca were rivals; Tezcatlipoca ultimately deceived Quetzalcoatl and forced him into exile. Before that, they also, however, cooperated in the creation and renewal of the world at various intervals known as cycles
Bone, Bones, Bones: Just Find Some and You Can Create Life Anew
According to legend, Quetzalcoatl created the Earth during the fifth cycle by going to the underworld of Mictlan, which was ruled over by a lord and lady. As in other cycles, he was to restore mankind to life using the bones of people who had lived in former epochs.
Bones were like seeds. When something died, it would go into the earth and renew itself through a rebirth. By dipping the bones with his own blood, Quetzalcoatl was able to give new life to the bones in Mictlan, thus creating the human population of the Earth.
Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortés Is Mistaken for Quetzalcoatl and Thus Brings About the Ruin of the Aztec Empire
When Hernan Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors landed in Mexico in 1519, Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II at first believed he was Quetzalcoatl. It had been foretold for centuries that Quetzalcoatl would return. By the time the Aztecs realised Cortés was anything but Quetzalcoatl, it was too late. The conquest of the Aztecs was already underway.
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Quatzequatl: Winged God -- Feather Serpent
