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Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico. [1] The Aztecs were Nahuatl -speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures.
- Mexican Mythology in Context. Mexico's mythology, like its population, reflects a blend of Native American and Spanish influences. Most people in modern Mexico trace their ancestry to American Indians, to the Spanish who controlled Mexico for three centuries, or to both, in a mixed-ethnic heritage called mestizo (pronounced mes-TEE-zoh).
- The Black Legend. The term “Black Legend” refers to a centuries-old view of Spain and its people as particularly cruel, prejudiced, and greedy. Some of the literature that promoted the Black Legend came from European Protestants hostile to Catholic Spain.
- Core Deities and Characters. Perhaps the most widely recognized and honored figure of Mexican religious mythology is the Virgin of Guadalupe (pronounced gwah-duh-LOO-pay).
- Major Myths. Myths and tales told in modern Mexico not only amuse and entertain but also preserve old traditions and offer lessons in good or wise behavior.
- Huitzilopochtli – ‘The Hummingbird of the South’ Huitzilopochtli was the father of the Aztecs and the supreme god for the Méxica. His nagual or animal spirit was the eagle.
- Tezcatlipoca – ‘The Smoking Mirror’ Huitzilopochtli’s rival as the most important Aztec god was Tezcatlipoca: god of the nocturnal sky, of ancestral memory, and of time.
- Quetzalcoatl – ‘The Feathered Serpent’ Tezcatlipoca’s brother Quetzalcoatl was the god of winds and rain, intelligence and self-reflection. He plays a key role in other Mesoamerican cultures such as Teotihuacan and the Maya.
- Coatlicue – ‘The Serpent Skirt’ Venerated as the “mother of gods and mortals”, Coatlicue was the feminine god who gave birth to the stars and moon. Her face was made up of two fanged serpents, her skirt of interwoven snakes and she wore a necklace of hands, hearts and a skull.
Oct 24, 2024 · The Universe of the Gods. The first Spanish chroniclers were amazed by the sheer number of Mesoamerican gods that they found – no less than 2,000 according to López de Gómara! It proves extremely difficult to summarize the countless faces that the ancient Mexican gods could display.
5 days ago · The myths recount how the gods provide humans with life, sustenance [food] and cultural benefits, in exchange for prayers, songs, offerings and sacrifices. This central dependence on divine beings translated into expressions of devotion on the part of the indigenous population that left the Spanish friars in utter awe.
Oct 7, 2002 · Its chief focus is on Mexican Highland and Maya areas, as they were, and are, of utmost importance to Mesoamerican history. An extensive and edifying introduction defines the nature of myth, the Mesoamericans as a people, and the cultural worldview that informed Mesoamerican mythology.
The mythology of the Aztec civilization, which dominated central Mexico from the 1300s through the early 1500s ce, described a universe that was both grand and dreadful. Worlds were created and destroyed in the myths, and splendid gods warred among themselves.
