Mictlantecuhtli god

After all, mictlantecuhtli god, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death who ruled over Mictlanthe land of the dead.

Mictlantecuhtli is the god of death in ancient Aztec religion and was also one of the rulers of the Aztec underworld, Mictlan. The interaction between life and death in Aztec religion is circular. Death is a necessity since it prepares you for a new life. As the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli also played a key role in the creation of life. Aztec god of death Mictlantecuhtli is a fascinating god in an already fascinating set of underworld gods.

Mictlantecuhtli god

He is one of the principal gods of the Aztecs and is the most prominent of several gods and goddesses of death and the underworld. The worship of Mictlantecuhtli sometimes involved ritual cannibalism , with human flesh being consumed in and around the temple. Two life-size clay statues of Mictlantecuhtli were found marking the entrances to the House of Eagles to the north of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. Mictlantecuhtli was considered 6 feet 1. He was not the only Aztec god to be depicted in this fashion, as numerous other deities had skulls for heads or else wore clothing or decorations that incorporated bones and skulls. In the Aztec world, skeletal imagery was a symbol of fertility, health and abundance, alluding to the close symbolic links between life and death. His wife was Mictecacihuatl , [5] and together they were said to dwell in a windowless house in Mictlan. Mictlantecuhtli was associated with spiders , [7] owls , [7] bats , [7] the 11th hour, and the northern compass direction, known as Mictlampa, the region of death. Mictlantecuhtli and his wife were the opposites and complements of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl , the givers of life. Mictlantecuhtli was the god of the day sign Itzcuintli dog , [5] one of the 20 such signs recognised in the Aztec calendar , and was regarded as supplying the souls of those who were born on that day. He was seen as the source of souls for those born on the sixth day of the day week and was the fifth of the nine Night Gods of the Aztecs.

The aim was to help prepare people for the long, four-year journey they had to make throughout the domain of mictlantecuhtli god Aztec god Mictlantecuhtli. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial.

Mictlantecuhtli was 6 feet tall, and was depicted as a blood-spattered skeleton or a person wearing a toothy skull. Although his head was typically a skull, his eye sockets did contain eyeballs. His headdress was shown decorated with owl feathers and paper banners, and he wore a necklace of human eyeballs, while his earspools were made from human bones. He was one of the principal gods of the Aztecs and was the most prominent of several gods and goddesses of death and the underworld. The worship of Mictlantecuhtli sometimes involved ritual cannibalism, with human flesh being consumed in and around the temple. His wife was Mictecacihuatl, and together they were said to dwell in a windowless house in Mictlan.

Aztec religion was a polytheistic set of beliefs where many gods were worshipped. These different gods had unique powers dealing with different aspects of nature and life and death. Aztecs has a unique concept of death where the destination of dead people in the afterlife depended on their social status and achievements in this life. Various rituals revolved around death and the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli, who was considered one of the most powerful and important gods in the Aztec pantheon. Although there were also several other gods and goddesses of death in the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli was the most powerful and most prominent among them all and thus religious ceremonies and rituals were reserved for him. Mictlantecuhtli is depicted on a variety of Aztec codices from different times. In these codices, Mictlantecuhtli is often depicted with his skeletal jaw open in which the stars, according to Aztec belief, descended during the daytime.

Mictlantecuhtli god

Not only did Mictlantecuhtli hold dominion over the 10th day of the Aztec calendar, Itzcuintli Dog , but he also served as the 5th Lord of the Night and either the 6th or 11th Lord of the Day. Comparable to Yum Cimil of the Maya, Kedo of the Zapotec, and Tihuime of the Tarascan people, this god was intricately associated with the southern cardinal direction, as well as creatures like owls, spiders, and bats. The spirits of those who met their demise in ways barring entry into various paradises—such as those who perished in war, sacrifice, childbirth, drowning, lightning strikes, and certain illnesses—undertook a perilous four-year journey through the nine levels of Mictlan.

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According to Mesoamerican mythology, the couple was created by the four Tezcatlipocas. Their initial actions included creating the sun, a man and woman, maize, the calendar, and finally, the lord and lady of the land of the dead. Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology. Niwot, CO: U Pr. Quetzalcoatl combined the two to create a new civilization. The flesh of the impersonator was eaten, emphasizing the close relation of Mictlantecuhtli with ritual cannibalism. Eventually, however, the two gods were able to strike up a deal. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. One of the most prominent representations of Mictlantecuhtli was found at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan modern-day Mexico City. His wife was Mictecacihuatl, and together they were said to dwell in a windowless house in Mictlan. Mictecacihuatl Mictlantecutli's wife is usually depicted with an open mouth so that she may receive the setting stars. His residence consisted of nine layers. Read Edit View history. Klein, Cecelia F.

Mythology Origin, Worship, and Connection to the Underworld. Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of death and the principle god of the underworld. Throughout Mesoamerican culture, they practiced human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism to placate this god.

In some other depictions, he is not necessarily a skeleton but a person wearing a toothy skull. Aubin Codex Aubin Manuscript no. The gods in the Aztec pantheon are perhaps closer to designers of societies than judges of individuals. How Was Mictlantecuhtli Created? Ruler of the Underworld God of the dead. The god of the underworld sought to block Quetzalcoatl's escape with the bones and, although he failed, he forced Quetzalcoatl to drop the bones, which were scattered and broken by the fall. With minimum equipment, Quetzalcoatl decided to travel to Mictlan. Explore Wikis Community Central. Wharton; Jan Marie Olson Colorado: U Presso of Colorado. Klein, Cecelia F. What Does Mictlantecuhtli Mean? It is rare for a mortal to travel to my humble abode without first dying.