Aztec Religion
Aztec Religion
Aztec religion is complex in its organization and mythology. The complexity is due to the mixture of its own tribal perceptions of the supernatural, as well as the blending of other cultures the Aztecs came in contact. Because of this, there are many religious rites which must be performed in order to appease the many gods. Religious ceremonies were performed every twenty days and required dances, feasts, prayers, as well as torture and sacrifice. In addition to complicated ceremonies, they had a complicated doctrine of how the world came to be, as each god has their own personality and their actions affect the world.
The Aztecs believed that the earth was created and destroyed four times. The first was called Four Ocelot, or Jaguar sun. It was ruled by the god Tezcatlipoca, and he ruled over the giants who lived during this time. After Quetzalcoatl knocked him from the sky, Tezcatlipoca sent jaguars to destroy the giants. The second was called Four Wind and it was ruled by Quetzalcoatl, the sovereign plumed serpent or death god. After the humans became corrupt, Quetzalcoatl turned them into monkeys and sent hurricanes to blow the monkeys away. The Four Rain was ruled by Tlaloc god of rain. This age was destroyed when Tlaloc became so distraught that his wife had left him for Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc made it rain fire in a fit of rage. The final age was known as Four Sun and was ruled by Tlaloc’s sister, Chalchihuitlicue, known as woman with a tortoise skirt. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl became jealous of her so they struck her down. When she fell the sky opened causing the earth to flood.
The present age we now live in is ruled by Nanahuatzin. In order to decide which god would rule this age, a great fire was built and Nanahuatzin jumped in first. Not willing to be out done, Tezcatlipoca jumped after him and two suns began to rise in the east. Since it was so bright, the gods threw a rabbit into the face of Tezcatlipoca to dim
Aztec religion is complex in its organization and mythology. The complexity is due to the mixture of its own tribal perceptions of the supernatural, as well as the blending of other cultures the Aztecs came in contact. Because of this, there are many religious rites which must be performed in order to appease the many gods. Religious ceremonies were performed every twenty days and required dances, feasts, prayers, as well as torture and sacrifice. In addition to complicated ceremonies, they had a complicated doctrine of how the world came to be, as each god has their own personality and their actions affect the world.
The Aztecs believed that the earth was created and destroyed four times. The first was called Four Ocelot, or Jaguar sun. It was ruled by the god Tezcatlipoca, and he ruled over the giants who lived during this time. After Quetzalcoatl knocked him from the sky, Tezcatlipoca sent jaguars to destroy the giants. The second was called Four Wind and it was ruled by Quetzalcoatl, the sovereign plumed serpent or death god. After the humans became corrupt, Quetzalcoatl turned them into monkeys and sent hurricanes to blow the monkeys away. The Four Rain was ruled by Tlaloc god of rain. This age was destroyed when Tlaloc became so distraught that his wife had left him for Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc made it rain fire in a fit of rage. The final age was known as Four Sun and was ruled by Tlaloc’s sister, Chalchihuitlicue, known as woman with a tortoise skirt. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl became jealous of her so they struck her down. When she fell the sky opened causing the earth to flood.
The present age we now live in is ruled by Nanahuatzin. In order to decide which god would rule this age, a great fire was built and Nanahuatzin jumped in first. Not willing to be out done, Tezcatlipoca jumped after him and two suns began to rise in the east. Since it was so bright, the gods threw a rabbit into the face of Tezcatlipoca to dim