Aztecs

In Nahuatl, the native language of the Aztecs, the word “Aztec” literally means “someone from Aztlan,” a mythical place located somewhere in the north.

The Aztecs themselves called themselves “meshina”, or “tenochka” and “atlaltelolca” - depending on the city of origin (Tenochtitlan, Tlatelolco). As for the origin of the word “mexica” (mexica. From which, in fact, the word “Mexico” comes), very different versions of its etymology are expressed: the word “Sun” in the Nahuatl language, the name of the Aztec leader Mexitli (Mexitli, Mexitli), - a type of algae native to Lake Texcoco. The most famous translator of the Nahuatl language, Miguel Leon-Portilla, claims that the word means "middle of the moon." The self-name “tenochki” probably comes from the name of Tenoch, another legendary leader.

Legends and traditions

According to legend, the various groups that would become the Aztecs came from the north "from a place" called Aztlan, and belonged to the last of the seven Nahuatlaca (nahuatlaca, "Nahuatl speakers", from the word "tlaca", meaning "man").

According to legend, the Aztecs were led by the god Huitzilopochtli, which means “hummingbird of the left side.” There is a well-known legend about an eagle sitting on a cactus on an island in the middle of a lake and eating a snake - an image from a prophecy that said that a new house should be founded in such a place. This scene of an eagle eating a snake is depicted on the Mexican flag.

So, in 1256, the Aztecs stopped on a rock washed by a spring and surrounded by thickets of auehuete. This was Chapultepec, then a forest. Lake Texcoco stretched out before them.

By the time the Aztecs arrived, the lands around Lake Texcoco had long been divided between coastal city-states. Recognizing the supreme authority of the ruler of the city of Azcopotzalco, the Aztecs settled on two small islands and built Tlatelolco (Tlaltelolco). Tenochtitlan (city of Tenocha) was founded in 1325. Over time, it became a large artificial island, now this place is the center of Mexico City.

According to legend, when the Aztecs arrived in the Anahuac Valley, the local population considered them the most uncivilized group, but the Aztecs decided to learn; and they took all the knowledge they could from other peoples - mostly from the ancient Toltecs (who may have been confused with the older Teotihucan civilization). For the Aztecs, the Toltecs were the creators of the entire culture, the word "Toltecayotl" was synonymous with culture. Aztec legends identify the Toltecs and the cult of Quetztaltoacl with the mythical city of Tollan (modern Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico), which they also identified with the more ancient Teotihucans.

The Aztecs adopted and combined some traditions with their own; among them is the myth of the creation of the world, which describes four great eras, each of which ended in a universal catastrophe. Our era - Nahui-Ollin "fifth era, fifth sun or fifth creation" - which escaped destruction thanks to the self-sacrifice of the god Nanahuatl, which means "all in wounds", the smallest and most humble god, suffering from pain caused by a serious illness; he turned into the sun. This myth is associated with the ancient city of Teotihucan (the place of the transformation of God), which was already abandoned and abandoned at the time when the Aztecs came to the valley of modern Mexico City.

Another myth describes the Earth as the creation of two twin gods - Tezcatlipoca and Quetztalcoatl. Tezcatlipoca lost a foot during the creation of the world, so he is depicted without a foot and with an exposed bone. In some varieties of the cult, Quetzalcoatl is also called the white Tezcatlipoca.

City-states of Central Mexico. Central Mexico has long been inhabited by many tribes who spoke different languages. They were skilled farmers and artisans. The natives of Mexico created their first states early on. Archaeologists believe that they were similar to the city-states of ancient Mesopotamia. Major urban centers were Teotihuacan, Cholula, and Xochicalco. Their temples and palaces still amaze with the perfection of proportions and elegance of decoration. The Indians reached heights of skill in sculpture, making vessels and other artistic products.

At the turn of the 1st and 2nd millennia AD. changes have taken place in the life of the region. Most city-states ceased to exist under the onslaught of newcomers, often called barbarians. The conquering settlers, advancing mainly from the northern regions of Mexico, became acquainted with the cultural achievements of the local residents, adopting many of them.

Aztecs. By the beginning of the 16th century, when Europeans invaded America, as mentioned above, the Aztecs (lit. “people of Aztlan”) were the main ones in Central Mexico. They were the last to come from the northern regions to the Anahuac Valley (Central Mexico). For more than two centuries, the future rulers of Mexico moved from place to place, from the service of one ruler to another, trying to gain a foothold in these parts. Finally, in 1325, they settled on the barren islands of Lake Texcoco, where they founded their capital, Tenochtitlan.

Initially, the warlike Aztecs were less cultured than neighboring peoples. But, wandering through the central regions of Mexico, they learned a lot from the locals. They began to make “floating gardens” and plant tomatoes, peppers, flowers and other crops on them. The Aztecs experienced a shortage of drinking water. They first delivered it by boat, and then built a water supply system. Even later, beautiful, wide causeway roads connected Tenochtilan with other cities and settlements located on the huge lake. Pyramids and temples, palaces and public buildings were erected in the city, new streets and canals were laid.

Daily life of the Aztecs

Aztec stone cutters and jewelers, mosaic makers and feather jewelry makers, potters and weavers were famous for their highest skill. The city flourished. There was brisk trading in the markets. People came there to buy and sell from all over Mexico and Central America.

Nobles, ordinary warriors, slaves. The top of Aztec society was the nobility: people who became famous in wars, and people who came from ancient families. A commoner who accomplished feats in war also became a noble person. The situation of slaves - prisoners of war and criminals - was pitiful. Many of them ended their days on the sacrificial stone, giving their blood to the cruel Aztec gods.

Education and culture. The Aztecs devoted most of their time to military training. But children and teenagers also studied history and astronomy, religious chants and mathematics. Not only brave warriors, but also poets and orators who won competitions gained fame and honor among the Aztecs. The sages held conversations on philosophical topics. The priests made complex calendar calculations.

Information concerning the life of Aztec society was recorded in chronicles using pictographic (picture) writing. The Aztecs made very long and wide “pages” from leather, paper and fabric. Recordings were made on them and folded like an accordion.

Religion. The Aztecs had many gods. Having captured a city or people, they annexed its gods to their own. The conquerors introduced the conquered to their gods. Therefore, the Aztecs had several sun deities, several water deities, several earth deities. Many gods, according to Aztec legends, lived in the underground kingdom. The Aztecs did the same with myths. Stories about the gods worshiped by their neighbors and predecessors are closely intertwined with Aztec legends.

The ancient gods, who were revered by the predecessors of the Aztecs, personified the elements. The God “Making Growth” was considered the lord of rain, thunder and lightning, as well as all edible plants. The goddess - “Eater of Dirt” was revered as the deity of the earth, fertility, and the patroness of sinners. The goddess, “Wearing a skirt of snakes” - Coatlicue - was called by the Aztecs the Great Mother of all gods. The Indians addressed prayers to the god of young corn, to the “Mother of young maize,” to the goddess of salt or to the god of spring vegetation, love and flowers, to the divine patrons of plants and animals, crafts and agricultural works. The Aztecs offered prayers to the gods, personifying the Sun and Moon, stars and planets. The stern god of war was especially revered.

To appease the gods, the Aztecs brought them gifts (sacrifices): flowers, branches, jewelry, beautiful items made of clay and fabric. And - a lot of people. The Aztecs believed that the favor of the gods depended on how much blood was donated to them. If the gods are not fed with blood, then they will die, and all living things will disappear with them.

The first couple of gods - “the lord and mistress of our flesh” - Shochiketsal - lived for a long time in the thirteenth heaven, the origin of which no one ever managed to find out. They had four sons; the oldest was Red Tezcatlipoca, who was named so because he was completely red when he was born. The second son was Black Tezcatlipoca - of all the sons, he was the largest and most evil, for he had the greatest strength, he knew everything and was capable of much, unlike the other three sons, since he was at the center of all things; He was completely black when he was born. The third son was Quetzalcoatl, who was also called Night or Wind, and the youngest, fourth son was Huitzilopochtli, who was also called the Two-Headed Snake and whom the Mexicans revered as the most
your main god.

Huitzilopochtli, when he was born, was a completely naked skeleton, there was no meat on him, and he remained that way for six hundred years. During this time the gods did nothing
committed.

After six hundred years, the four gods gathered in council and considered it necessary to bring order and laws to the world. Quetzalcoatl and Huitzilopochtli were tasked with establishing order in affairs. These two gods, on behalf of the other two and in agreement with them, first of all created fire, and then one half of the solar disk, but the Sun, since it was not yet full, shone weakly.

* * *

The goddess of the earth was lowered from the sky by two gods - Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. Water already existed before, and no one knows who created it. At first the goddess only floated on the surface of this water, and when the gods saw this, they said to each other:

The time has come to create the earth.

Then the two gods turned into huge snakes, one of them grabbed the goddess by the right hand, the second by the left leg and, tearing it apart in this way, they created the earth from the half of it that begins at the shoulder blades, and returned the other half to the sky. The rest of the gods were angry for this and, in order to appease the Earth Goddess, they decided that all the food that a person would need to preserve his life would come from her.

Then the gods created trees, flowers and herbs from the hair of the Earth Goddess, and from her downy skin - all small plants and small flowers, from her two eyes - springs, streams and small caves, from her mouth - rivers and large caves, from her nsa - valleys, from its shoulders - mountains.

Sometimes the Earth Goddess screamed in the night and yearned for human hearts. She could not rest until she was given what she asked for, and she did not want to bear the harvest until she had drunk blood.

* * *

One day, early in the morning, the Sun God shot an arrow from the sky and this arrow fell in the place of Tetskalno, where the city is now located. There was a hole where the arrow hit the ground, and out of that hole came a man and a woman. The man was named Kobchik, and the woman was named Long Hair.

* * *

The gods once said to each other:

People will always be sad if we do not give them something with which they can console their hearts, fill their lives on earth with joy, and also glorify us by singing and dancing.

When Quetzalcoatl, the god of Night and Wind, heard this, he began to stubbornly rack his brains about where to find a drink that he could give to people to bring them joy. He remembered about one divine girl named Mayauel, who lived far, far away under the protection of her grandmother, the goddess Tsitsimime.

Without hesitation, he went to them. He found both of them sleeping. He woke up the divine maiden and told her:

I came for you, to take you into the world.

The girl happily agreed. Quetzalcoatl put her on his shoulders, and together they descended from heaven to earth. When they arrived on earth, they turned into a tree that had two branches: one branch was a willow branch, which represented the god himself - Quetzalcoatl, and the other was a branch of a flowering tree, this was the divine maiden Mayahuel.

Meanwhile, Tsitsimime woke up and, not finding her granddaughter next to her, screamed and gathered several goddesses, who were also called Tsitsimime, and they all descended to earth to find the god of Night and Wind, who forced Mayauel to flee. The moment they reached the ground, the tree split in two, and the willow branch was separated from the flowering branch.

The old goddess immediately recognized her granddaughter in the flowering branch, broke the branch into several small pieces and gave it to the goddesses to eat. They did not break the willow branch, but left it lying on the ground, and as soon as the goddesses went back to heaven, Quetzalcoatl again assumed his divine form and collected the bones of Mayahuel, which had been scattered on the ground by Tsitsimime and other goddesses.

Quetzalcoatl buried these bones in the ground, and from them grew an agave, from the juice of which the Indians prepare an intoxicating drink.

Then Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, god of the West, became the Sun, and the second era began. The earth was repopulated by people. And there was peace on Earth for some time.

Then Tezcatlipoca turned into a tiger and threw the Sun to the ground with one blow. And again the earth was left without the Sun.

Trouble came to the Anahuac Valley when their beloved, caring ruler died, and his son, the extremely warlike Meltemoc, took power. He decided to go into war.

When one of the neighboring leaders refused to just marry his beautiful daughter to him, Meltemok instantly gathered an army, led it, attacked the neighbors at night and killed everyone.

So the until then peaceful inhabitants of Anahuac became warlike. The name Meltemoc caused fear everywhere. He constantly fought: he robbed his neighbors and took away their harvests.

Huitzilihuitl wanted to marry Princess Miahuachihuitl, daughter of the ruler of Cuahunahuac (whose name was Osomatzinteuctli), in a dignified manner. As the old people say, Osomatzinteuctli's domain was inhabited by natives of Cuahunahuac, and they supplied him with large quantities of cotton, as well as many different fruits that grew there. None of these fruits reached Tenochtitlan, nor did the Mexica receive cotton, which is why they were in great poverty, only very few Mexicas dressed in cotton fabrics, while others wore only a loincloth made of Amoxitli reeds that grew in the water.

The gods gathered again, concerned about the fate of humanity. They asked each other who would live on earth now. And finally they made a decision. It was necessary to bring the bones of dead people from Mictlan - the World of the Dead, and from these bones to create new people. This task was very dangerous, so the gods decided that only Quetzalcoatl could cope with it.

The cunning prankster Coyote stood by the hill as if he was propping it up. He moaned pitifully to a passing Possum that for many hours in a row he had been forced to hold the hill so that it would not fall and kill one of the animals.

The trusting Possum responded with joy to the request to help him.

According to legend, the Aztecs once lived in a place (on an island) called Aztlan (“Place of Herons”, “Place where herons live”) - hence the name “Aztecs” (literally “people of Aztlan”). Further, leaving the island of Aztlan, the tenochki (as they were also called) reached Chicomostoc (“Seven Caves”), the mythical starting point of the wanderings of many wandering tribes into the Valley of Mexico, including the Tlaxcalans, Tepanecs, and others. The wanderings of the Aztecs took more than 200 years before than they settled in Tenochtitlan.

Once, in a dream, one leader dreamed that a prophetic bird was whispering to him to quickly leave with his tribe from their inhabited place. Otherwise there will be trouble!

Waking up, the leader told the whole tribe about this. And it was decided to go on long journeys.

Having collected all their modest belongings, extinguished the fires, lifted their idols onto their shoulders, the Indian tribe set off on their journey together with children, old people, and the remains of their ancestors. But they were unlucky. Wherever they went, they were greeted unkindly and sometimes even belligerently.

The god of the night sky, Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, was the first to become the Sun. Thus began the first era. Other gods created giant people who did not work or cultivate the land, but only ate fruits.

Karl Taube::: Myths of the Aztecs and Mayans

CHAPTER 2

In 1524, just three years after the conquest of Mexico, a group of Aztec scholars interviewed the first Franciscan missionaries to arrive in the newly founded new capital of Mexico City. Here are some of the arguments the Aztecs used to defend their faith:

You say that we do not know the true Ruler of the world around us, to whom heaven and earth belong. We are surprised to hear these words from you; they disturb us and frighten us. Our ancestors, who lived on this land long before us, said the same thing. From them we inherited our customs and our gods.

This remarkable dialogue, recorded by Bernardino de Sahagún, marks the first clash between two religious systems that, over several thousand years, developed completely independently of each other.

For the Aztecs, the act of creation is the result of the interaction and conflict of complementary opposites. Like any dialogue between two people, the interaction and clash of opposites is a creative act. The idea of ​​interdependent opposites is embodied in the great god Ometeotl, creator of the universe and lord of duality, who resides in the thirteenth heaven, Omeyokan, or Palace of Duality. Endowed with both masculine and feminine creative principles, Ometeotl was also identified with the married couple Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacasihuatl, “the lord of our being” and “the mistress of our life.” Ometeotl was considered the root cause of all things, but specific acts of creation were carried out by his numerous descendants - lower in rank, but also powerful gods. Since humans were the result or descendants of these young gods, Ometeotl was perceived as the grandfather of humanity. Perhaps it is for this reason that Ometeotl was often depicted as an old man with a drooping lower jaw. However, ancient age was by no means synonymous with decrepitude: among the Aztecs and other peoples of Mesoamerica there was a belief that in old age a person’s vitality increases.

Ometeotl's two sons, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, occupy a special place in the Aztec creation myths. These two gods, sometimes as allies and sometimes as enemies, created heaven and earth. Quetzalcoatl, or the Feathered Serpent, was associated with water, fertility, and, in a broader sense, with life itself. One of the incarnations of Quetzalcoatl is the wind god Eecatl, who is present in the breath of living beings, as well as in the wind that brings life-giving rain clouds. Quetzalcoatl was often depicted as a noble hero associated with balance, harmony and life, while Tezcatlipoca served as the personification of conflict and change. Among the epithets the Aztecs bestowed on this fearsome deity were “enemy” and “he of whom we are slaves.” The name Tezcatlipoca translates as “smoking mirror,” and this god was usually depicted with two smoking obsidian mirrors, one behind his head and the other replacing his foot. The smoking mirror may have been related to the black obsidian glass, but it also pointed to the secrets hidden in the cloud-like smoke.

The Aztec pantheon consisted of a huge number of deities, among which were gods and goddesses of agriculture and rain, fire, love and pleasure, death, war and celestial bodies. Many of them were worshiped in the late Postclassic period, and they appear not only in Aztec manuscripts and sculptures, but also in the five pre-Hispanic manuscript books known as the Borgia codices. Almost everywhere there are references to the god of rain and lightning, Tlaloc, whose worship in central Mexico can be traced back to the 1st century BC. e. In the Late Postclassic period, he was usually depicted with bulging eyes and a protruding upper lip, revealing long, jaguar-like fangs. His wife Chalchihuitlicue, “a goddess in a dress covered with jewels,” was considered the goddess of waters, mistress of rivers and lakes. The young corn god Sinteotl was often depicted with a zigzag line across his face and wearing a headdress with ears shaped like corn on the cob. One of the most unusual fertility gods is Xipe Totec, the god of spring renewal and patron of blacksmiths. He is easily recognized by his characteristic mask and clothes made of human skin. During the 20-day month, Tlacaxipehualiztli, personifying Xipe Totec, wore clothing made from the skin of sacrificed people. The meaning of this ritual is unclear, although some scholars interpret the skin as a metaphor for the fresh vegetation that covers the ground in the spring.

Several deities were associated with fire, and the most ancient of them was Huehueteotl, the "old god", whose image appears on incense burners found in Puebla and dating back to 500 BC. e. Another revered god of fire is Xiuhtecuhtli, or "god of turquoise", who was also considered the god of time and the patron of chiefs.

Other gods of Central Mexico represented pleasure and lust. Thus, Xochipilli - "lord of flowers", - largely identified with the god of corn, was revered as the god of pleasures and art. Xochipilli was also closely associated with a god named Macuilxochitl, or "five flowers", who was considered the patron of games, including gambling. The beautiful goddess Xochiquetzal, or "flower feather", was often depicted with a wreath on her head, decorated with two horn-like emerald feathers of the quetzal bird. She was worshiped as the goddess of the arts, carnal pleasures and love. Tlazolteotl - the goddess of dirt - was associated with the consequences of lust and debauchery. Her other name, Tlaelcuani, or “excrement eater,” suggests a connection with repentance and purification; the black circle around the goddess's mouth indicates this dirty but necessary duty. The supreme god of death among the Aztecs was considered Mictlantecuhtli, the ruler of Mictlan, the dark and gloomy underworld. Very often he was depicted as a skeleton wearing a folded conical hat and clothes made of paper, and also accompanied by his wife Mictlancihuatl.

Many of the gods of Central Mexico were incarnations of the Sun, Venus, stars, the Milky Way and other celestial bodies. Their movement across the sky was associated with cosmic battles, and therefore many of these gods were associated with war. One of the most ferocious was considered Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, “lord of the house of dawn,” who personified the planet Venus as the morning star. In ancient Mesoamerica, the first appearance of the morning star caused sacred horror - it was believed that its light could cause great harm. Several codices from the Borgia group contain complex astronomical tables to calculate the cyclic movement of Venus over a period of 104 years. In the drawings, the deadly rays of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli were depicted in the form of darts. Another star god is Mixcoatl. His body was usually painted with red and white stripes, associated with captive warriors destined for sacrifice. Among the heavenly deities, Tonatiuh, or the Sun, occupied an important place. This god first appears in the art of the early Postclassic Toltec period, and was usually depicted as an armed warrior within a solar disk. Tonatiuh was a central figure in the cult of war - a system of beliefs about the need to capture prisoners and sacrifice their hearts to the Sun - but not the only Aztec sun god.

CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

Like the Mayans and other peoples of Mesoamerica, the Aztecs believed in the existence of other worlds that preceded ours. According to the Aztecs, there were four worlds, or Suns, before us, each of which was named by a specific date on the 260-day calendar and was associated with a specific deity and race of people. Each Sun was associated with one of the elements - Earth, Wind, Fire or Water. For example, the Sun of the Earth, or Nahui Ocelotl (4 Jaguars), was destroyed by jaguars, creatures that were associated with the earth and the underworld. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl play important roles in all four Suns, as if the repeated creation and destruction of the world were the result of cosmic battles between two great adversaries. In the texts of the colonial period there are more than ten versions of this myth, which is reflected in ancient Aztec sculpture. The order of the alternation of the Suns does not coincide in all documents, but in the two oldest and most valuable sources, “History of the Mexicans according to their drawings” and “Legend of the Suns”, the eras follow each other in the same order as on the Ancient Aztec monuments. The version presented below is based on these two sources.

The divine couple living in the thirteenth heaven gave birth to four sons. The firstborn was Red Tezcatlipoca, but the second son, Black Tezcatlipoca, plays a central role in Aztec mythology. The third son was Quetzalcoatl, and the fourth was Huitzilopochtli, the patron saint of the Aztecs. Together, the four brothers created fire, sky, earth, sea, the underworld, the first people and the calendar. Black Tezcatlipoca ruled the first world, or the Sun of the Earth, inhabited by a race of giants. These giants were so strong that they tore down trees with their bare hands. Tezcatlipoca hit Quetzalcoatl with a large club and threw him into the sea. Rising from the sea waters, Quetzalcoatl turned into a huge jaguar - today it is present in the sky in the form of the constellation Ursa Major - and after his return to earth, all the giants were eaten by ferocious jaguars. One of the ancient texts suggests that the Aztecs considered the fossil remains of extinct mammoths and other giant animals found in the Teotihuacan region to be the bones of people of this ancient race.

Quetzalcoatl ruled the next world, or the Sun of Wind. This world was destroyed by Tezcatlipoca, who defeated Quetzalcoatl, knocking him to the ground. As a result, Quetzalcoatl and the race of his people were carried away by fierce winds. The descendants of this ancient race are considered to be monkeys that swing from branches and jump across treetops in the jungle. The Legend of the Suns describes the death of this world as follows:

This Sun was called 4 Wind.

Those who lived second in this second Sun,

were carried away by the wind along with the Sun 4 Wind and died.

They were carried away by the wind and turned into monkeys.

Their houses, trees - everything was blown away by the wind.

And this Sun was also blown away by the wind.

The rain god Tlaloc ruled the third world, or the Sun of Rain. This world was destroyed by Quetzalcoatl with the help of a rain of fire. In all likelihood, this refers to volcanic ash, which often fell in the central regions of Mexico. The rain of fire turned the race of people living on earth into turkeys. The fourth world, or the Sun of Water, was ruled by Tlaloc's wife Chalchihuitlicue, "the goddess in a dress covered with jewels," the goddess of water, mistress of rivers and lakes. This world was destroyed by a great flood, and people turned into fish. The flood was so strong that it washed away the mountains and the heavens fell to the ground.

The Legend of the Suns mentions the man Tata and his wife Nena, who were taken care of by Tezcatlipoca. Like the biblical Noah and his wife, they escaped the flood by hiding in a hollowed out tree. On Tezcatlipoca's advice, they slowly gnawed corn kernels and watched the water gradually recede. When Tata and Nena were able to emerge from the tree, they saw a fish - one of their unlucky fellow tribesmen, who turned into sea inhabitants during the flood. Tempted by the sight of food, they created a fire using friction and fried the fish. However, the star gods Citlalicue and Citlalatonak noticed the smoke and exclaimed: “Who started the fire? Who fills the sky with smoke? Tlaloc immediately descended from heaven to earth and asked in anger: “What have you done, Tata? What did you all do? With a lightning-quick movement, he cut off the heads of the man and woman and attached them to their buttocks - this is how the first dogs appeared.

REVIVAL OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl, who played an active role in the destruction of the four previous worlds, also participated in the reconstruction of heaven and earth, not as opponents, but as allies. The “History of the Mexicans According to Their Drawings” describes one version of the myth, according to which the four sons of the first divine couple, with the help of four other gods, created four roads leading to the center of the world. Having thus divided the earth into four parts, the eight gods raised the heavens into place. In order to hold the sky in place, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl turned into two giant trees. Tezcatlipoca's tree was decorated with sparkling mirrors, and Quetzalcoatl's tree was decorated with emerald feathers of the quetzal bird. As a reward, Tonacatecuhtli made them lords of the sky and stars, and the Milky Way became the road along which they crossed the heavens.

In another Aztec myth, the creations of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca create heaven and earth by dismembering the body of a huge earth monster, Tlaltecuhtli. The name of this monster translates as “lord of the earth,” but in fact it was a bisexual creature, and it was often depicted in a female form. Sometimes Tlaltecuhtli is identified with another earthly monster - the giant caiman, the scaly ridges on whose back form the mountain ranges of our world. The myth of Tlaltecuhtli was widespread among the peoples of Mesoamerica, and one of its variants is found among the Yucatan Mayans.

In one of the Aztec versions of the myth, set out in the History of Mexico, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca descend from the heavens to look at Tlaltecuhtli riding the sea. The monster was so voracious that it not only had a huge toothy mouth - greedy mouths were also located on the elbows, knees and other joints. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca agreed that the work of creating the world could not be considered completed while such a terrible beast was at its center. Therefore, in order to create the earth, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca turned into two giant snakes. One snake coiled itself around Tlaltecuhtli's left arm and right leg, and the other coiled around his right arm and left leg. Pulling in different directions, the snakes tore the monster into two parts. The upper half became the earth, and the lower half was thrown up by Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, and it turned into the sky.

The brutal murder of Tlaltecuhtli and the dismemberment of the monster's body aroused the wrath of the other gods. In order to somehow support the mutilated earth, they decided that all the plants necessary for human life should grow from the body of the killed monster. The monster's hair turned into trees and flowers, and grass and small flowers formed from its skin. The eyes became springs, streams and small caves, the mouth gave rise to great rivers and caves, and the nose gave rise to mountain ranges and valleys. Sometimes at night you can hear the cries of the god of the earth, thirsting for blood and the hearts of people. Only human sacrifices can pacify and calm Tlaltecuhtli, force him to produce the fruits necessary for people's lives.

HUMAN ORIGINS

Having restored the destroyed world, the gods decided that the earth should be inhabited by people. The origins of man are described in various texts from the colonial period; the version below is based on the Legend of the Suns and the History of Mexico. The gods came to the conclusion that the wind god Quetzalcoatl must descend to the underworld to retrieve the bones of the last race of people who turned into fish. The dangerous underworld, or Mictlan, was ruled by the god Mictlantecuhtli, “Lord of Mictlan,” who was often depicted as a skeleton. Descending underground, Quetzalcoatl asked Mictlantecuhtli and his wife Mictlancihuatl to give him the bones of human ancestors:

After Quetzalcoatl came to Mictlan, he approached Mictlantecuhtli and Mictlancihuatl and immediately said to them:

- I came to look for the valuable bones that you keep, I came for them.

Then Mictlantecuhtli asked:

- What will you do with them, Quetzalcoatl? And Quetzalcoatl said again:

- The gods are concerned about someone living on Earth.

The cunning god of death agreed to give the bones if Quetzalcoatl completed a seemingly simple task. It was necessary to go around the underworld four times, playing an instrument made from a sea shell. However, Mictlantecuhtli handed Quetzalcoatl an ordinary shell that had no holes. Quetzalcoatl did not allow himself to be fooled and called for help from worms, who gnawed holes in the shell, making it sound. (Quetzalcoatlus is often depicted with a sea shell on his chest - a symbol of power over the wind and life.)

Hearing the sound of the conch shell, Mictlantecuhtli initially allowed Quetzalcoatl to take the bones of the last human beings, but soon changed his mind. However, Quetzalcoatl again outwitted Mictlantecuhtli and his underground servants, escaping with the bones.

Enraged, Mictlantecuhtli ordered his servants to dig a deep hole. When Quetzalcoatl ran up to the pit, quails flew out from under his feet, frightening him. He tripped and fell into a hole.

Then they did so and Quetzalcoatl fell into the pit. He stumbled, the quails scared him. He fell dead, and the precious bones scattered, and the quails pecked at them.

In the end, Quetzalcoatl was resurrected and collected the bones, but they turned out to be split into pieces, and therefore modern people turned out to be of different heights. Having escaped from the underworld, Quetzalcoatl brought his precious burden to the mysterious place of Tamoanchan. There, the old goddess Cihuacoatl - the “snake woman” - ground the bones and put them in a special clay vessel. The gods gathered around the vessel sprinkled the ground bones with drops of their blood, and from the bones of the fish people, mixed with the atoning blood of the gods, the modern race of people was born.

ORIGIN OF CORN

People appeared on earth again, but they needed food. The origin of corn and other cultivated plants is described in various myths, but the most complete version can be considered the version set forth in the “Legend of the Suns.” Numerous versions of this myth have survived to this day in different areas of Mexico and Guatemala.

After people were created in Tamoanchan, the gods began searching for food for them. Quetzalcoatl noticed a red ant carrying a grain of corn and asked him where he found such a wonderful food. The ant refused to answer, but then succumbed to Quetzalcoatl's persuasion and discovered the food source. This was Mount Tonacatepetl, or “mountain of food.” Turning into a black ant, Quetzalcoatl squeezed through a narrow hole and followed the red ant deep into a stone mountain into a cave filled to the top with grain. Taking a few grains of corn, Quetzalcoatl returned to Tamoanchan. The gods chewed the corn kernels and put the resulting pulp into the mouths of newborn people to give them strength.

The gods then asked, “What should we do with Tonacatepetl?” Quetzalcoatl wrapped a rope around the mountain and tried to pull it closer, but the mountain was too heavy. Then the old couple of soothsayers, Oshomoko and Zipactonal, cast lots to find out how to extract the seeds from the Tonacatepetl cave. The prediction said that the weak and sickly god Nanauatzin should break the mountain. With the help of the four gods of rain and lightning, the blue, white, yellow and red Tlalocs, Nanahuatzin split Mount Tonacatepetl in two, and corn grains fell in all directions. The Tlalocs quickly collected seeds of white, black, yellow and red corn, as well as beans and other edible plants. Therefore, the Tlalocs, who took possession of the seeds from Tonacatepetl, are considered the patrons of not only rain, but also the harvest.

ORIGIN OF PULQUE

The alcoholic drink, which was made from fermented agave juice and was called pulque, played an important role in Aztec ceremonies, serving as both a ritual drink and an object of sacrifice. Pulque was often drunk during various holidays, although appearing drunk was strictly condemned, especially among the nobility. The mythical origins of pulque are mentioned in only one source, the History of Mexico, which also contains rare information about the terrible tzitzimim (singular tzitzimitl), celestial demons of darkness that constantly threaten to destroy the world . These night demons, often depicted in female form, were identified with the stars, which each time at sunset and sunrise they entered into battle with the daylight.

The man was given seeds that provided him with food, but there was little pleasure or joy in his life. Therefore, the gods decided that it was necessary to find a means to make people sing and dance. Quetzalcoatl thought that an intoxicating drink would brighten up a person’s life, and remembered Mayahuel, the young and beautiful goddess of the agave, who lived in heaven with her terrible grandmother Tzitzimitl. Having awakened the sleeping Mayahuel, Quetzalcoatl persuaded the girl to go down to earth with him. Below they united in the form of a large forked tree - Quetzalcoatl became one of its branches, and Mayahuel the other.

Waking up to find Mayahuel missing, her grandmother became enraged and turned to the other star demons of darkness to help find her lost granddaughter. The enraged Tzitzimime rushed from the sky towards the tree in which Quetzalcoatl and Mayahuel were hiding. As they approached, the tree split in two and its branches fell to the ground. Grandmother Tzitzimitl recognized the branch that Mayahuel had turned into, tore it into pieces in a rage and threw it to the rest of the demons, who greedily devoured the pieces of her granddaughter. The branch into which Quetzalcoatl turned remained safe and sound, and after the tsitzimimes returned to the sky, Quetzalcoatl took on its previous appearance. Heartbroken, he collected the gnawed bones of Mayahuel and buried them in the ground, and from this grave grew the first agave, a wonderful source of pulque.

THE CREATION OF THE FIFTH SUN

The creation of the fifth Sun, or Naui Ollin, is the final part of the creation myths. The Aztecs were convinced that this event took place in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, located 40 km northeast of Mexico City, and it was from this event that they began counting time. The myth below is based on two sources, the Florentine Codex and the Legend of the Suns.

After the earth, the human race, and water and drink for people were created, the gods gathered in the darkness of Teotihuacan to decide which of them would become the new Sun and illuminate the world:

It is said that at a time when the earth was shrouded in darkness, and there was no Sun to illuminate the world, and no dawn, the gods met in council at Teotihuacan. They asked each other: “Hey, gods! Who will take on this responsibility? Who will volunteer to become the Sun to bring light?”

An arrogant god named Tecusiztecatl volunteered to be the Sun, but the other gods chose the humble and sickly Nanahuatzin (who split Mount Tonacatepetl to get corn seeds) as the second contender. Like a true warrior, he stoically accepted their choice, considering it his duty and duty to the other gods. Two hills were built for Tecusiztecatl and Nanahuatzin, on which they had to fast and repent, and where a sacrificial fire was lit. These hills have survived to this day in the form of the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. During his fast and repentance, Tecusiztecatl brought luxurious gifts. Instead of spruce branches, he had the feathers of a quetzal bird, and instead of balls of woven grass, he had golden balls. Instead of agave thorns sprinkled with his blood, he offered jade needles strewn with coral. The incense burned by Tecusistecatl was also rare and valuable. Nanauatzin's gifts turned out to be very modest. He brought bundles of reeds instead of spruce branches and balls of grass, as well as real agave thorns with drops of his blood. Scabs from his own body served as incense for him.

At midnight, after four days of repentance, the gods dressed the applicants - Tecusistecatle was wearing a luxurious outfit, and Nanahuatzin was wearing modest clothes made of paper - and approached the sacrificial fire, the flame of which, which had been burning for four days, was very hot. Positioned on both sides of the fire, the gods invited Tecusistecatl to jump into the fire. Tecusistecatl ran, but the heat and roar of the flames frightened him, and he stopped. He retreated and approached again, but again he lacked the courage. Four times he tried to jump into the fire, and four times he failed. In the end, the gods called Nanauatzin, who, without hesitation, ran and jumped into the fire:

And Nanauatzin immediately made up his mind - he became embittered and closed his eyes tightly. There was no fear in him; he did not stop or freeze in horror; he didn't turn back. He decisively rushed forward and jumped into the fire. So it burned; his body cracked and hissed.

Seeing the heroic death of Nanahuatzin, Tecusistecatl was ashamed, jumped into the fire after him and also burned. The eagle and jaguar followed his example, and the flames scorched them. Since then, eagles have black feathers at the ends of their wings, and all jaguars have spotted skins. Because of their bravery, the eagle and jaguar became the highest insignia of Aztec warriors.

After Nanahuatzin and Tecusistecatl died in the flames of the fire, the gods began to wait for where they would appear again. Gradually the whole sky began to turn red. The gods strained their eyes and turned their heads, trying to see where the brave Nanauatzin would appear. Some guessed that the Sun would rise in the east and pointed in that direction; they were the ones who met him first. Nanahuatzin was no longer humble and weak - he shone like Tonatiuh, the sun god, casting rays in all directions:

And when the Sun rose, it seemed very red and swayed from side to side, and no one could look at it, because it blinded the eyes, sparkled and generously emitted light, spreading in all directions.

Soon after this, Tecusiztecatl appeared in the east, as bright as Tonatiuh. They were so similar that the other gods were worried that it would be too light on earth. Then one of the gods caught a rabbit running past and threw it at Tecusiztecatl. Therefore, the damaged surface of the Moon is dimmer than the Sun, and during the full moon, spots can be seen on the surface of the night star, the outlines of which resemble a rabbit.

However, the Moon and Sun that appeared in the sky did not move along their usual path, but froze in one place. The Sun God Tonatiuh demanded from the other gods an oath of allegiance and sacrifices in the form of blood so that the luminaries would move. Angered by his arrogance, the god of the morning star Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, “lord of the house of dawn,” shot an arrow at the Sun. However, the arrow missed its target, and the Sun fired a response arrow, which pierced the head of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli. At this point, the god of the morning star Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli turned into the god of stone and cold, Itzlacoliuqui, and for this reason it is always cold at sunrise. In the end, the gods agreed to sacrifice themselves so that the Sun would move. Quetzalcoatl methodically cut out the hearts of the other gods with a sacrificial knife. The capes and decorations of the dead gods were folded into sacred bundles, which then became objects of worship for people. Thus, by killing the gods in Teotihuacan, the Sun of Movement, or Nahui Ollin, was created. The gods sacrificed themselves, and therefore people must also sacrifice their hearts and their blood so that the fifth Sun does not stop.

MYTHOLOGY OF THE AZTEC STATE

Aztec myths about the Five Suns and the creation of the modern world, man, maize and pulque were known throughout Central Mexico during the Postclassic period. Most of these myths are very ancient and most likely formed from legends of the classical era. For example, a late postclassic version of the myth about the creation of people from the remains of a previous race is represented in a bas-relief from the city of El Tajin, Veracruz, dating back to the late classical period. On

In this image, Tlaloc releases blood from his reproductive organ onto a dead fish man - an allusion to the race of people who turned into fish during the flood.

The creation myths of the late postclassic period of Central Mexico have much in common with the ancient and contemporary myths of all Mesoamerica, but there is another, unique creation myth, which essentially serves as a state myth about the formation of the Aztec empire. It tells the origins of Huitzilopochtli, or "hummingbird sorcerer," the chief god of the Aztecs. Like all related mythology, Huitzilopochtli was apparently an Aztec innovation. Possessing the attributes of Tezcatlipoca, the star god Mixcoatl and the fire god Xiuhtecuhtli, Huitzilopochtli is a solar deity whose symbolic kingdom practically coincides with the domain of Tonatiuh. Huitzilopochtli was the main god of the Aztecs, but it is unlikely that his cult became widespread outside the Valley of Mexico. Indeed, his depiction is extremely rare in works of art of ancient Mesoamerica.

THE BIRTH OF HUIZILOPOCHTLI

There are many different written sources from the colonial period that describe the origins of Huitzilopochtli, but most versions give his birthplace as Coatepec, or Snake Mountain, a hill near the ancient city of Tula. From the book “The History of the Mexicans by Their Drawings” it is known that the Aztecs came to Mount Coatepec every year to hold celebrations in honor of Huitzilopochtli. All the main characters of this myth belong to the Aztec pantheon and are not found in the mythology of the late postclassic period of other peoples of Central Mexico. Huitzilopochtli's mother Coatlicue - "snake dress" - is easily recognized by her skirt of intertwined snakes. Huitzilopochtli's half-sister Coyolxauqui is partially identified with Chantico, the fire goddess of the peoples of Central Mexico. The name Coyolxauqui translates to “who is depicted with bells,” and this goddess is usually depicted with two metal bells on her cheeks. She is accompanied by numerous brothers known as Senzon Huiznahua, or “400 Southern Stars” - according to Aztec beliefs, the 400 gods of pulque. Most of the detailed accounts of Huitzilopochtli's birth on Coatepec are contained in the works of Sahagún. The presented version is based on the third book of the Florentine Codex.

One day, Coatlicue was cleaning her home on Mount Coatepec when she found a package of hummingbird feathers. Wanting to keep the precious feathers, she hid them on her belt. Then Coatlicue noticed that the package had disappeared somewhere. The goddess did not know that the feathers had fertilized her, and she carried Huitzilopochtli under her heart. Coatlicue's belly began to grow, and her sons Senzon Huiznahua noticed that she was pregnant.

Angry and offended, they threateningly demanded to know the name of the child's father. Their older sister Coyolxauqui decided that they needed to kill their mother:

And the elder sister Coyolxauqui said to them:

“My brothers, she has disgraced us. All we have to do is kill our mother, this vicious woman who became pregnant. Who caused the fetus growing in her womb?”

The news of the children's intentions frightened the pregnant goddess, but the child in her belly reassured the mother, saying that he would be on the alert. Dressed in armor, the Senzon Huiznahua followed their sister to Mount Coatepec. When the angry children reached the top, Coatlicue gave birth to Huitzilopochtli - already in full armor. Raising his fiery weapon, known as Xiucoatl, or "turquoise serpent", he killed Coyolxauqui; her body, cut into pieces, rolled down to the foot of Mount Coatepec.

He then pierced Coyolxauqui and with a swift movement cut off her head. The head remained lying on the top of Coatepec. And her body fell down and broke into pieces; arms, legs and torso fell in different places.

Having dealt with Coyolxauqui, Huitzilopochtli began to pursue Senzon Huiznahua and killed many of his half-brothers. Only a few managed to escape to the south.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Eduard Seler suggested that the birth of Huitzilopochtli on Mount Coatepec symbolizes the rising of the Sun, defeating the gods of darkness. Huitzilopochtli, together with his fiery serpent Xiucoatl, is the personification of the Sun emerging from the horizon and its hot rays, and Senzon Huiznahua is the stars disappearing at dawn. However, the exact cosmological identification of Coyolxauqui is still unknown. Seler suggested that this goddess serves as a personification of the Moon, but she does not have any lunar attributes; According to Carmen Aguillera, Coyolxauqui may symbolize another astronomical object in the night sky, the Milky Way.

The birth of Huitzilopochtli not only had cosmological significance, but also symbolized the superiority of the Aztecs over other peoples of Central Mexico. Huitzilopochtli was a supernatural embodiment of both the Aztecs themselves and their empire. The birth of this god served as the mythical basis for the political expansion of the Aztecs and their right to rule over defeated enemies. Appearing in the Valley of Mexico relatively recently, the Aztecs conquered and destroyed the inhabitants of this region - just as Huitzilopochtli destroyed his half-sister and half-brothers.

The grandiose Great Temple, towering over the Aztec capital, reminded its inhabitants of Huitzilopochtli and his wonderful origins. The northern part of this double temple was dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc, while the southern part served as the main sanctuary of Huitzilopochtli. According to native and Spanish sources, captured warriors were often sacrificed here. The hearts of the unfortunates stretched out on the sacrificial stone were cut out, and their lifeless bodies were thrown to the foot of the steps of the temple. There is also evidence in 16th-century documents that the southern half of the Great Temple symbolized the legendary Mount Coatepec, the birthplace of Huitzilopochtli.

Material evidence of this was discovered on February 21, 1978, when workers at an electric company, while laying a cable, accidentally stumbled upon a huge stone with the image of Coyolxauqui - in the place where the center of ancient Tenochtitlan was located. The humiliation and defeat of the goddess is conveyed with amazing skill; Coyolxauqui's body is naked and mercilessly cut into pieces. The goddess's arms and legs are separated from her bleeding torso, but her pose is unusually dynamic - as if she is rolling towards the foot of the mountain. Subsequent excavations revealed that a stone depicting Coyolxauqui was installed at the base of the stairs in the southern part of the Great Temple. In other words, every human victim thrown from the temple steps during Aztec rituals repeated the fate of Coyolxauqui on Mount Coatepec.

During excavations in the Great Temple, another stone image of Coyolxauqui was found. Only fragments of it have survived, but they clearly show the fiery serpent Xiucoatl, piercing the chest of the goddess. Perhaps this is an illustration of the mythical origin of the Aztec custom of sacrificing human hearts to the gods. Just as the fiery serpent Xiucoatl pierces Coyolxauqui, the sacrificial knife cuts the heart from the chest of the sacrificed captive.

In addition to telling the story of the birth and catastrophic death of various eras, the myth of the Five Suns affirms sacrifice as an important means of preserving humanity and maintaining cosmic balance. Through the atoning sacrifice of their blood, the gods create the current human race. An even greater sacrifice is made at Teotihuacan, where the gods allow themselves to be killed so that the Sun can continue on its way. Bloody human sacrifices are just following the traditions laid down in the era of the creation of the world. The myth of the Five Suns legitimized some of the most important rites of the Postclassic period of central Mexico, but this was not enough for the Aztecs, who sought not only to explain their origins and their role in the universe, but also to confirm their unique status as the chosen people. For this reason, they invented a separate mythology for their patron god Huitzilopochtli, whose origin was based on war. The defeat and destruction of Coyolxauqui and Senzon Huiznahua is a symbolic description of the Aztec victories over their enemies and the mythical justification for the mass human sacrifices with the cutting out of hearts that were carried out in the Great Temple.

Like the Teotihuacan episode in the myth of the Five Suns, the story of the destruction of Coyolxauqui and her brothers points to the origin of the Sun and the custom of human sacrifice. However, the magnificent Aztec myth is not associated with Tonatiuh, but with the Aztec Sun God Huitzilopochtli. Perhaps the myths about the creation of the fifth Sun and the birth of Huitzilopochtli competed with each other. It is likely that if not for the arrival of the Spaniards, the myth of Huitzilopochtli would have supplanted the myth of Teotihuacan as the Aztecs expanded their possessions in Mesoamerica.