Coatlicue was ritually scrubbing Coatepec mountain one day. A ball of white feathers floated down to her while she worked, so she grabbed it and stored it under the folds of her skirt by her breast. The ball of feathers had vanished by the time Coatlicue returned to investigate it later, but she discovered she was pregnant.
Coatlicue had a daughter named Coyolxauhqui and 400 sons named the Centzonhuitznahua, who were furious when they learned of their mother's pregnancy. Coyolxauhqui conspired with the others to assassinate Coatlicue in retaliation for the embarrassment their mother had caused them.
Coatlicue was heartbroken when she learned of their plot, but her unborn child, Huitzilopochtli, talked to her and assured her that he knew what he had to do. Meanwhile, Coyolxauhqui and the Centzonhuitznahua twisted their hair and armed themselves in preparation for battle.
The brothers and sister marched towards Coatepec and the pregnant Coatlicue on the day of the fight. Quauhitlcac, one of them, covertly traveled to Coatlicue and assisted the unborn Huitzilopochtli in spotting the Centzonhuitznahua approaching.
Huitzilopochtli sprang from Coatlicue's womb and killed his sister who was at the head of the group, hurling her head into the Coatepec mountain and ripping her body apart with the fire from a serpent in his palm, called a xiuhcoatl. He then slaughtered nearly all of his 400 brothers.
HUITZILOPOCHTLI FACT FILE
Ever wanted to have a temple built in your name or turn into the animal of your choice? Read more about the god who had it all...
Calendar sign of Huitzilopochtli: Ce Tecpatl (1 sacrifice knife/Flint). The 260-day ritual calendar is made up of twenty thirteen-day intervals, the eleventh of which is today. Men born under this sign were said to be valiant, honorable, and wealthy, while women born under this sign were said to have many talents, be manly, good chefs, well-spoken, and discreet. During this 13-day period, all of the following signs were said to be prosperous.
Panquetzaliztli, or the 'raising of flags,' is a festive month. From the 2nd to the 21st of December, this festive month was observed (the Aztec solar calendar had 18 periods of 20 days plus 5 unlucky days at the end of the year). This event re-enacted Huitzilopochtli's epic journey and the Aztec migration from Aztlán, in the north, to Tenochtitlan, in the south.
Other Huitzilopochtli-related festivals include Atamalqualiztli, which took place every eight years in November/December, and Toxcatl, which was centered on the god Tezcatlipoca. Picture 6 shows Tenochtitlan's main temple, which was dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc (left) and Huitzilopochtli (right)
Interests: Sacrifice, fighting, and, most importantly, looking after his people, the Mexicas, and maintaining their loyalty to him.
Huitzilopochtli was muscular, strong, warlike, and a great slayer of villages and men, according to Sahagn. He was like "living fire" in wars, and his opponents feared him. His symbol was a "“dragon’s head that spewed fire from its mouth” (xiuhcoatl). He could also change into a variety of birds and monsters.
Huitzilopochtli embodied the sun in his duty as a warrior. His heavenly circle is thought to be the paradigm that all life-cycles, including men's, periods, and eras, follow. Huitzilopochtli was the sun eagle who consumed a snake's tail, the symbol of darkness, as a land dweller. He could be a hummingbird, the soul of a fallen warrior, or a serpent, symbolizing a people settling in their promised land. Huitzilopochtli manifested as a Tzitzimitl, a terrifying skeleton apparition, as a nighttime entity.
Huitzilpochtli had deep ties to the sun, which was why he needed a "continuous supply of sacrificial victims" ("The Aztecs," Smith). Those who had perished in battle, as captives of their foes, or during delivery were allowed to travel with the sun across the sky. These deceased people, according to Sahagn's informants, would wait on a plain until the sun rose. It was blindingly bright, and only those with a lot of arrow holes in their shields could stare through them at the sun without getting wounded. Only the bravest warriors would be able to gain a good perspective in this manner. After four years, the dead people's souls reincarnated as hummingbirds and butterflies and returned to earth.
Experts estimate that only a few archaeological representations of Huitzilopochtli remain. The zacatapayolli box (Picture 10) was used to collect hearts from sacrificed people's chests. It depicts the deity executing a self-sacrifice act. Huitzilopochtli was a relatively new deity in Mesoamerican religion, hence he wasn't commonly portrayed in pre-Hispanic calendars. Only in parts about the search for Tenochtitlan has he been identified in colonial codices. He can take the form of a guy wearing a hummingbird headgear or a sacred 'burden' in these. Huitzilopochtli is shown as patron of the Panquetzaliztli festivals in this artwork from the Tudela Codex.
Huitzilopochtli 'in the flesh': In colonial chronicles, important accounts of the god may be found. A figure of Huitzilopochtli was created from amaranth dough during the Toxcatl ceremonies (16th May - 4th June, dedicated to the god Tezcatlipoca). It was then painted, clothed, and embellished before being placed in a position to accept contributions. Huitzilopochtli was portrayed by a 'living image,' a man, who was afterwards sacrificed in his honor. Both of these 'pictures' featured a sacrificial stone pointed outwards, half-covered in blood, adorning their heads. You can find more Aztec Mythology's items here!
The works of Sahagn include: Huitzilopochtli leaps from Coatlicue's womb, according to a text from the Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva Espaa: And when the Centzonhuitznahua arrived, Huitzilopochtli was born holding a teueuelli shield with a blue spear and spearhead, his face was painted, he wore a headdress made of connected feathers, his left leg was thin and feathered, his thighs were blue, and his arms were blue...
Aztec Huitzilopochtli Maya Aztec Calendar Customized 3D All Over Printed Hoodie
The Aztec Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in all of Mesoamerica. The empire began with the founding of Tenochtitlan, which is now modern-day Mexico City, by their first emperor. Huitzilopochtli was a warrior god who led many important battles for the Aztecs in order to keep control over what they believed to be rightfully theirs. He played an integral part in shaping Mexican culture, religion, language and art through his accomplishments on the battlefields. This blog post will explore this deity‘s history as well as give you some ideas when it comes to designing your own shirt! Ready? Let’s get started!
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