The Aztec gods Form an important nucleus in the set of myths and beliefs of one of the greatest empires in history, which extended from Mexico to Central America between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Aztec mythology emphasized by the importance of the sun, in fact they are considered a town chosen by the sun god. It had Huitzilopochtli, the sun god, as the central reference of a multiple pantheon and full of divinities.
Prehispanic and Aztec mythology is original and adapted. Original because he created his own gods, but also adapted other preexisting deities in the valley of Anahuac.
The Aztec empire was composed of what is known as the Triple Alliance, a confederation of indigenous states of Mexico composed of Texcoco, Tlacopan and Mexico-Tenochtitlan.
The Aztecs had a theocratic political organization headed by the huey-tlatoani, who was chosen by a council of representatives of different social clans. In addition, it had a monarchical figure of Toltec descent, who ruled along with a council of prominent nobles.
However, the power scheme was complex, with elective offices, courts and a judicial system. Its economic activity was divided between the commerce, the mining and the textile industry.
When the Aztec Empire began its reign after defeating the Tepaneca, some gods already formed part of the valley of the Anáhuac. These deities were adapted to their beliefs, while others emerged from their own culture.
A central point of Aztec mythology is the theory of the five Suns, each of which represents a historical stage and its changes are due to a catastrophe. We are currently in the fifth sun.
The 57 principal Aztec gods
1- Quetzalcoatl-God of life, the winds and wisdom
God of life, light, wisdom, fertility and knowledge, pattern of the day and the winds, is the ruler of the west, and is considered as"The Feathered Serpent."
Son of Tonacatecuhtli (man) and Tonacacihuatl (woman), creators of God, was born white, with blond hair and blue eyes, was the second Sun and lasted 676 years.
It is one of the most important deities of the Aztecs, even some legends recognize it as the main God of the pantheon. He is a serpent in his duality of human condition and has feathers because he has spirit.
2- Coatlicue
Known as the mother of all gods, it is"The Snake's Skirt"and is considered the goddess of fertility, patron saint of life and death, guide of rebirth.
3- Tezcatlipoca
One of the most complex deities of Aztec mythology, he was the god of heaven and earth, the lord of tutelage and the protection of man, as well as a source of life.
It is the origin of power and happiness, owner of battles, with a strong and invisible omnipresence, which made him one of the favorites for worship.
To all this the Aztecs paid tribute in a single representation, which was painted with metallic reflections, a black stripe on the face and a mirror on the ceiling.
This mirror of obsidian (a volcanic rock) served to observe all the actions and thoughts of humanity and also dismissed a powerful smoke that served as a defense and killed their enemies. It is considered the first Sun, which lasted 676 years.
4- Yacatecuhtli
He was one of the ancient gods. God of merchants and travelers, so that the Aztecs offered him slaves as a sacrifice to satisfy him and ensure his happiness. It is represented with a prominent nose, which served as a guide for travelers.
5- Cinteotl
Owner of a dual identity, being man and woman, was the god of sustenance (maize, as the main source) for being sheltered under the earth. In addition, he was the patron of drunkenness and drunkenness in rituals.
6- Ometéotl
God of duality, unknown to the people but revered by the upper classes with his poems, was the father of four gods located at each cardinal point. He was considered the lord of the near and the distant.
7- Xochipilli
Precious or noble flower, according to its name, Xochipilli is one of the most revered for representing the pleasures of life.
He was the god of love, pleasure, sacred drunkenness, games, beauty, dance, flowers, corn, arts and songs. In their cult meals were offered in a massive celebration, where each state or individual offered their crops to the rest.
8- Tonatiuh
He was the god of the Sun, leader of the sky and considered the fifth Sun of the Aztec legend. Product of the sacrifice of the gods, Tonatiuh is the eternal Sun, since all died for him.
This explains why the Aztecs performed so many rituals and sacrifices to the Sun to follow its strong and radiant course.
9- Huitzilopochtli
God of war, his name means south hummingbird or left hummingbird and is one of the main deities of the Mayan pantheon. Associated with the Sun, Huitzilopochtli was one of the most revered gods in antiquity and even today.
According to Mexican mythology is son of the goddess of Fertility (Coatlicue) and young sun son of the old Sun (Tonatiuh). When he was born he had to overcome the resistance of his own family. For that he used his weapon, the serpent of fire, and since then he is the regidor of the Sun.
10- Mictlantecuhtli
Husband of the goddess of death, god of death and the Aztec underworld, was considered a deity of the shadows.
It was the Lord of Mictlán, a dark and silent place where the souls of the dead lived in the center of the earth, to which no one wanted to come of their own volition.
11- Tláloc
For the Aztecs Tláloc was"the one who made things spring,"supplier, he was considered the god of rain, fertility, earthquakes and lightning. It was also called the"nectar of the earth".
It is one of the oldest deities of the pantheon and ceremonies were made to honor it in the first month of the year.
12- Metztli
Her name means"that of the serpent in the face"and she is the goddess of the Moon. One of the deities most respected by the Aztecs, because Metzi dominated the water with snakes.
With this power it provoked storms or floods, but it could also be a source of happiness and blessings, and represented maternal love with a skirt full of bones.
Also its importance is that the Aztec calendar was ruled by the lunar phases.
13- Xipe Tótec
Located where the sun is hidden, in the west, this deity represents the masculine part of the universe, youth and aurora.
Xipe Tótec had as a weapon a chicahuaztli (percussion instrument, which was represented by a snake) from which the rays that sent rains to the corn came.
That is why it is considered the god of abundance, tender corn, love and wealth. Moreover, it is a representation of the renewal, the detachment of the useless, the soil and the spiritual nature.
14- Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli
Its name represents the star of the dawn, the light of the dawn, is a colorful god for the Aztecs that ruled the sun of the noon.
15- Mixcoatl
Its name represents the snake of smoke. God of storms, war and hunting. He was represented with red bands and his 400 children are stars of the Milky Way, a space that belonged to the Aztecs.
16- Ehecatl
God of the wind, he was represented in the breath of living beings. It brings life because it announces and clears the rain. In addition, it is considered that it was who put in motion the fifth Sun and its moon.
17- Xiuhtecuhtli
He was extremely respected for being the god of fire and heat. Its representation was always with red and yellow colors, which symbolize its power.
Ancient, owner of time and patron of kings and warriors, it is one of the oldest cults in Aztec mythology.
18- Atlacoya
Goddess of drought, her name means sad water, represents austerity and hopelessness. It is feared for being the fertile devourer.
19- Chalchiuhtlicue
Goddess of the lakes, the seas, the oceans, the rivers and the streams of water, the first sun shone on a sky of water that fell in the form of a flood. Patron of the births, her cult is performed on the first day of the beginning of the year.
Chantico
Her name means"the one in the home,"she is the goddess of personal treasures and fires, those who are in the heart, in the home, in the volcanoes, the heavenly and the stove.
21- Chicomecóatl
Represented with a hollow, she is the goddess of subsistence and is believed to be the first woman to cook peas and other delicacies.
Patron of the vegetation and the fertility, its cult was realized with a long fast in which also the houses with the crops are surrounded.
22- Cihuacóatl
She was the first woman to give birth and is therefore considered the goddess of birth. The legend of the Llorona (that many people conserve today) is inspired in part of its myth.
In addition, she is considered the patron of doctors, bleeding, midwives, surgeons and those who gave abortion remedies. It was also venerated in Aztec mythology as a collecting guide for souls.
23- Huehuecóyotl
His name means"old coyote"and is one of the gods of vices. It is actually a cheating deity that governs the arts, joy, narration and songs.
He was revered by the Aztecs as the lord of music and ceremonial dance, a guide to adulthood and adolescence.
His cult also made him the patron of unbridled sexuality, a symbol of cunning, wisdom and pragmatism. He was married to the goddess Temazcalteci but had homosexual advocations with lovers of both genders, according to the Aztec legend.
24- Xiuhtecuhtli
His name means"lord of the night"and was, precisely, the god of the night, that protected the children's dream. He was venerated with different dances before nightfall.
25- Amimitl
Its name means the representation of a"water dart", image that makes it to be the god of the lakes and the fishermen, could calm storms to guarantee its protection and its good fortune.
The fishermen surrendered all their prayers before embarking in search of a good work and sang their hymn as a sign of worship.
26- Macuilmalinalli
God of men killed in battle, is also regarded as the lord of the grass. He is considered the patron of cut or smoked grass, two salient customs of Aztec mythology.
27- Ixtlilton
A healing and vicious god, Ixlilton is in Aztec mythology considered the god of medicine, dances, festivals and games.
Patron of children and their sick, his worship was based on that he could heal and make children talk.
To do this, the sick were taken to their temples, where they had to dance and drink a black water (its name means black water) that cured all evils.
28- Macuilxochitl
Goddess of well-being, music, dance, games and good luck, she was considered Ixtlilton's sister.
According to the Aztec legends they invoked her to ask for her protection and fortune with incandescents and meals served before the games of patolli, a typical game that was disputed on a board in the form of a blade drawn on a carpet.
29- Tlacotzontli
Its name means"rod of hair"and is the protector god of the night roads, where travelers and enemies passed. Its representation is wearing a protective cloak that is used to rest and rest.
30- Iztli
Aztec goddess of stone and sacrifices, was represented as a black gemstone in the form of a sacrificial knife. His name was associated with a sharp weapon in other cultures.
31- Citlalicue
The goddess of the stars, along with her husband Citlalatonac. He also created the Milky Way, the earth, death and darkness.
32- Cinteteo
Name with which the Aztecs called the four corn gods. They were children of the goddess Centeotl and the god Cinteotl.
Their names were Iztac-Cinteotl (white maize), Tlatlauhca-Cinteotl (red maize), Cozauhca-Cinteotl (yellow maize) and Yayauhca-Cinteotl (black maize).
33- Ahuiateteo
Group of gods of excess and pleasure, also represented the risks and dangers that accompany the former. They were related to the Tzitzimimeh, a group of supernatural beings who personified death, drought and war.
34- Centzonhuitznahua
Group of gods of the stars of the south. They were the evil sons of Coatlicue and brothers of Coyolxauhqui.
Together, these brothers attempted to murder their mother while she waited for Huitzilopochtli. His plan was thwarted when the elder god was born adult and ready for battle, in which he murdered them all.
35- Centsontotochtin
Aztec gods of wine and pulque were represented by a group of rabbits who met in alcoholic celebrations. Among others were Tepotztecatl, Texcatzonatl and Colhuatzincatl.
36- Cipactonal
Aztec god of astrology and calendars.
37- Cihuateteo
Female group of Aztec spirits who died during childbirth. The Aztecs believed that this group of spirits accompanied the sun while hiding each evening.
38- Chalchiutotolin
She was considered a goddess of disease and plagues. It was a symbol of powerful sorcery. His nahual, or animal representation, was a turkey that terrorized villages bringing disease and death.
39- Chimalma
She was considered the mother of the god Quetzalcoatl. Its name means"hand coat"in Nahuatl.
40- Coyolxauhqui
Daughter of Coatlicue and Mixcoatl, she was an Aztec goddess who directed her four hundred brothers in an attack against her mother, when she learned that she was pregnant with Huitzilopochtli.
However, at the birth of her fully grown brother and ready for battle, she was murdered and dismembered. An album found in the Templo Mayor in Mexico City represents it.
41- Huehueteotl
He was the god of fire and was also a common element among several Mesoamerican cultures. Generally it was represented to him like an old and decrepit figure, in bearded occasions.
42- Itzpapalotitotec
This is the Aztec goddess of sacrifice. It ran the superworld known as Tamoanchan, the paradise of dead children and the place where humans were created. She was the mother of Mixcoatl.
43- Ixtilton
Aztec god of medicine and healing. He was a benevolent god emanating from an obsidian mask that brought darkness and peaceful sleep to the children before bedtime at night.
44- Mayahuel
Aztec goddess associated with maguey, a species of agave plant that was popular in many Mesoamerican cultures. It was related to aspects such as fertility and nutrition. Mayahuel was also represented in many aspects related to pulque, the alcoholic beverage extracted from the maguey.
45- Temazcalteci
She was the Aztec goddess of steam baths, so she was also considered the deity of medicine and was worshiped by the Aztec doctors. In their name were created the temazcales, or ritual steam baths.
46 - Tlazolteotl
It is the Aztec goddess of sin, vice and sexual perversion. She was also considered a deity who could cure diseases caused by sexual misconduct. She was mother of the god Centeotl.
47- Tlaltecuhtli
Together with Coatlicue, Cihuacoatl and Tlazolteotl, Tlaltecuhtli was an Aztec god who participated in the creation of the earth. It was characterized as a sea monster that went to live to the sea after the Great Flood.
During a battle with Quetzalcoatl and Texcatlipoca, this god was split in two. One half of his body was thrown upward and formed the sky. The other half became the land.
48- Tlalcihuatl
It was the female representation of the god Tlaltecuhtli. Some researchers think that it could be the same figure, because in some representations appears in the habitual pose in which the Aztecs illustrated women giving birth.
49- Tepeyollotl
God of mountains and echoes. He was also considered the god of earthquakes and jaguars. He was represented graphically like a jaguar that jumped towards the sun.
50- Xochipilli
He was the Aztec god of art, games, beauty, dance, flowers and music. Its name comes from the náhuatl words"xochitl", that means flower and"pilli", that means prince or child. Literally, Prince of Flowers. His wife was Mayahuel and his twin sister was Xochiquetzal. This god was also the deity of homosexuals and prostitutes.
51- Xochiquetzal
She was the Aztec goddess of fertility, beauty, and female sexual power. She was the protector of young mothers and pregnancy, childbirth and the arts practiced by women during this stage, such as sewing and embroidery.
52- Xolotl
God Aztec sunset, lightning and death. He was in charge of protecting the sun while traveling to the underworld every night. The dogs were associated with this divinity and it was believed that these animals accompanied the souls of the dead on their journey to the underworld. He was usually depicted graphically as a ferocious dog.
53- Zacatzontli
He is the Aztec god of the road. He carried in his left hand a cane and on the right a bag full of quetzals. He was the protector of merchants. He helped travelers on their journeys.
54- Tzitzimime
Aztec deity related to the stars. She was depicted as a female skeleton wearing skirts with designs of bones and skulls. He was considered a demon.
55- Xanthy
Aztec goddess of bonfires and stoves in Aztec houses.
56- Toci
Goddess grandmother, it represented healing and healing.
57- Malinalxochitl
Goddess and sorceress of the serpents, the scorpions and the insects of the desert. She was Huitzilopochtli's sister.