The four Tezcatlipocas were the sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, lady and lord of the duality, and were the creators of all the other gods, as well as the world and all humanity. The rivalry between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca is also recounted in the legends of Tollan where Tezcatlipoca deceives Quetzalcoatl who was the ruler of the legendary city and forces him into exile.
Who were the four Tezcatlipocas?
The four Tezcatlipocas were the sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, lady and lord of the duality, and were the creators of all the other gods, as well as the world and all humanity.
What are some other names for Tezcatlipoca?
Alternative Titles: Hurakan, Telpochtli, Yaotl, Yoalli Ehécatl. Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon.
What are the aspects of Tezcatlipoca?
Yet Tezcatlipoca has the most overwhelming power and protean personality of any Aztec deity. Among his aspects were Itztli, a calendar god; Tepeyolotl, an ancient jaguar-earth god; Ixquimilli-Itztla-coaliuhqui, a god of punishment; and Omacatl, the spirit of revelry.
What did Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl have in common?
He was associated with the color black, while Quetzalcoatl was the White Tezcatlipoca. In one version of the creation story, the two worked together to create the world. Before they created the land, all that existed was the sea.
What were the 4 main Aztec gods?
The four main Aztec gods are considered to be Huitzilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Xipe Totec. These gods were the children of Ometecuhtli. These are the four most important Aztec gods, but there are many more to explore, and plenty more Aztec god names to discover!
Who is the Red Tezcatlipoca?
The Red Tezcatlipoca is one of the four Tezcatlipoca created when Tlaloc broke the Tezcatlipoca Mirror 19 years prior to the events of Little Bunny Foo Foo. The Red Tezcatlipoca represents the virtue of judgement.
What is the black Tezcatlipoca?
A creator god, Tezcatlipoca ruled over Ocelotonatiuh (“Jaguar-Sun”), the first of the four worlds that were created and destroyed before the present universe. Tezcatlipoca was generally represented with a stripe of black paint across his face and an obsidian mirror in place of one of his feet.
What is the Fifth Sun Aztec?
The Fifth Sun (called "4-Movement") is ruled by Tonatiuh, the sun god. This fifth sun is characterized by the daysign Ollin, which means movement. According to Aztec beliefs, this indicated that this world would come to an end through earthquakes, and all the people will be eaten by sky monsters.
Who is the Blue Tezcatlipoca?
The mirror may signify that the god is all-seeing or that he rules over all of the earth, sometimes referred to as a smoking mirror. He is also known as Blue Tezcatlipoca, the 'Hummingbird Sorcerer', god of Tenochtitlán, where he was associated with the sun and the war god Huitzilopochtli.
What are Tezcatlipoca powers?
Tezcatlipoca (DC Comics)Tezcatlipoca IAlter egoTezcatlipocaTeam affiliationsAztec godsAbilitiesVarious godlike powers, including magical mirrors revealing inner fears and desires, superhuman strength and enhanced senses, jaguar form, power to hurl lightning, and power to possess a human host.6 more rows
Why is Tezcatlipoca a jaguar?
Tezcatlipoca is sometimes illustrated as the jaguar deity Tepeyollotl ("Heart of the Mountain"). Jaguars are the patron of sorcerers and closely associated with the moon, Jupiter, and Ursa Major. In some images, a smoking mirror replaces Tezcatlipoca's lower leg or foot.
Which leg did Tezcatlipoca lose?
Tezcatlipoca's actions were costly, however; he lost his left foot in the process.
Who is Tezcatlipoca wife?
Wife of the water god, Tlaloc, and consort to the creator deity, Tezcatlipoca, Xochiquetzal lived in the Aztec paradise of Tamoanchan. She was widely worshipped and many great rituals were made in her honour; from incredible acts of sacrifice to sombre confessions.
What does Quinto Sol mean?
Fifth SunThe name "Quinto Sol" is Spanish for "Fifth Sun" and it refers to the Aztec myth of creation and destruction. Since the beginning of the Chicano movement in the 1960s, this concept has become a pathway to cultural expression.
How many Aztec sun gods are there?
Aztec Sun God Summary According to this myth, the creation of the Earth and its inhabitants have happened five times in five eras of five different Sun Gods. Each of the first four eras had ended in disaster and destruction of the Earth. Each subsequent era had a new Sun God.
What is Tzoalli?
tzoalli. cakes; dough (see Sahagún)
What Can We Learn From The 4 Tezcatlipocas?
Often mistaken as a God or several deities, Tezcatlipoca and all it’s complex aspects represent principles in nature, not unlike that which the people of Ancient Egypt (Kemet) call ‘neters’ or the neteru.
What is the first thing we learn about Tezcatlipoca?
The first awesome thing we learn about this mysterious Black Tezcatlipoca is how it’s energy is available to us. When we enter our dream state through its energy we can harness these natural forces to overcome ourselves – but not without a challenge! After all, if it was easy it probably wouldn’t be worth it. These sort of challenges are what the great mystic and occultist, George Ivanovich Gurdjieff referred to as “The Great Work”.
What does the black tezcatlipoca teach us?
The Black Tezcatlipoca teaches us to unbiased look at our true self. To be truthful to yourself is the key, without this you won’t get very far. Of course, this truth may be unpleasant or even scary for many of us. But the message of the black Tezcatlipoca is clear: Nothing will get better, until you tell yourself the truth.
What is the message of the black tezcatlipoca?
But the message of the black Tezcatlipoca is clear: Nothing will get better, until you tell yourself the truth. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said: “Never by reflection, but only by doing is self-knowledge possible to one.”.
How many sons did Ometeotl have?
According to the Toltec legend, the original creator Ometeotl raised four sons, attributed to the four cardinal points of the cosmos – each named Tezcatlipoca, literally meaning a smoking mirror, a concept that could be likened to the veil of illusion, called Maya by the Hindu Vedas.
Xipe Totec: Transformation
Our source of strength that allows us to transform and renew. We must have the strength to shed the old, which may hinder us, while embracing and accepting our new consciousness in order to transform the world.
Huitzilopochtil: The Will to Act
As we grow in consciousness, we must be willing to act with a revolutionary spirit that is positive, progressive, and creative.
Quetzalcoatl: Precious and Beautiful Knowledge
Gaining perspective on events and experiences that our ancestors endured allows us to become more fully realized human beings. We must listen to each other and our elders with humility and love in order to hear the indigenous wisdom within our hearts.
What animal is Tezcatlipocas Nagual?
Tezcatlipocas Nagual, his animal counterpart, was the jaguar and his Jaguar aspect was the deity Tepeyollotl "Mountainheart". The Tezcatlipoca figure goes back to earlier Mesoamerican deities worshipped by the Olmec and Maya. Similarities exist with the patron deity of the K'iche' Maya as described in the Popol Vuh.
Who are the four gods of the world?
In later myths, the four gods who created the world, Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli and Xipe Totec were referred to respectively as the Black, the White, the Blue and the Red Tezcatlipoca.
Who was the god of the Aztecs?
Tezcatlipoca was often described as a rival of another important god of the Aztecs, the culture hero, Quetzalcoatl. In one version of the Aztec creation account the myth of the Five Suns, The first creation, "The sun of the Earth" was ruled by Tezcatlipoca but destroyed by Quetzalcoatl when he struck down Tezcatlipoca who then transformed ...
Who were the four Tezcatlipocas?
Tezcatlipoca was at once one being and four: the Four Tezcatlipocas, lords of the directions, governed the creation and destruction of the Earth and Sun. In the east was the red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec; in the south the blue Huitzilopochtli; white Quetzalcoatl in the west; in the north the Black Tezcatlipoca or Tezcatlipoca proper. He and Quetzalcoatl were paired in a cosmic conflict. Tezcatlipoca humiliated Quetzalcoatl and destroyed the mythic city Tollan (Tula). Placing these events in their historic past, the fatalistic Aztecs saw their own age as controlled by capricious Tezcatlipoca; rulers owed to him their tenuous hold on authority.
What is the meaning of Tezcadipoca?
Like many tricksters, Tezcadipoca was a symbol of disorder and mischief He often tried to interfere with the actions of the other gods , such as when he shamed Quetzalcoatl. One of the main themes running throughout the Aztec creation myths is the conflict between Tezcadipoca and Quetzalcoatl, and how this leads to the creation of each of the different worlds.
What is the name of the deity in the Aztec religion?
Tezcatlipoca, Aztec deity of rulership, destruction, the night, and the magic arts. The most important deity in Aztec religion, Tezcatlipoca is a complex composite of shifting identities who, like his North American cousin Trickster, defies definition by being himself a principle of disorder. He incited immoral behavior and then punished or pardoned the wrongdoer. He was a shaman, a nahualli or shape-changer whose hidden self was the jaguar, though he had many disguises. As the Big Dipper he ruled the night sky, but lost his left foot to the crocodilian Earth monster when the constellation's end star dropped below the horizon. The serpent-footed God K (Tahil) of the Classic Maya is Tezcatlipoca 's analogue.
Who was the Aztec king who drew powers from the obsidian mirror?
According to the sacred historical traditions of the Aztec, which trace back to the paradigmatic kingdom of Tollan (900 – 1100 ce), Tezcatlipoca , a great sorcerer, drew uncanny powers from his obsidian mirror in a struggle against the Toltec priest-king Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl ("our young prince the feathered serpent"). Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl was tricked into drunkenness and sexual incontinence, which led to the utter collapse of his well-ordered city-state. Several primary sources suggest that the conflict between the great king and his magical antagonist was centered on Tezcatlipoca 's desire to replace animal and insect sacrifice with human sacrifice.
Who translated the Florentine Codex?
Sahag ú n, Bernardino de. Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain, vol. 2, The Ceremonies. Translated by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble. Santa Fe, N. Mex., 1951. This remarkable translation is one of the richest sources for the study of Aztec religion, in that it contains a detailed description, provided by Aztec elders shortly after the Conquest, of the great ceremony of Toxcatl, which was dedicated to Tezcatlipoca. It provides the reader with a vivid example of the complex and contradictory forces symbolized by Tezcatlipoca.
Was Tezcatlipoca a demonic?
Spanish friars saw Tezcatlipoca as particularly demonic, and even identified him as Lucifer; therefore, he may appear more malevolent in colonial sources than he had been before contact.
What did Tezcatlipoca do to the Toltecs?
A protean wizard, Tezcatlipoca caused the death of many Toltecs by his black magic and induc ed the virtuous Quetzalcóatl to sin, drunkenness, and carnal love, thus putting an end to the Toltec golden age. Under his influence the practice of human sacrifice was introduced into central Mexico.
What was the main rite of Tezcatlipoca's cult?
The main rite of Tezcatlipoca’s cult took place during Toxcatl, the fifth ritual month.
Where was Tezcatlipoca sacrificed?
Outside of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, Tezcatlipoca was especially revered at Texcoco and in the Mixteca-Puebla region between Oaxaca and Tlaxcala.
What is the Toltec tribe?
Toltec. Toltec, Nahuatl-speaking tribe who held sway over what is now central Mexico from the 10th to the 12th century ce. The name has many meanings: an “urbanite,” a “cultured” person, and, literally, the “reed person,” derived from their urban centre, Tollan (“Place of the Reeds”), near the modern town of….
How to tell if Tezcatlipoca is a human?
In his human form, Tezcatlipoca is easily recognizable in codex images by the black stripes painted on his face, depending on the aspect of the god that was represented, and by an obsidian mirror on his chest, through which he could see all human thoughts and actions.
Where did Tezcatlipoca travel?
For the next year, the young man personified Tezcatlipoca, traveling through the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan attended by servants, fed with delicious food, wearing the finest clothing, and being trained in music and religion.
What was the name of the animal that shamans, priests, and kings sacrificed to the?
Jaguars were the epitome of hunting, warfare, and sacrifice to the Aztec people, and Tezcatlipoca was the familiar feline spirit of Aztec shamans, priests, and kings.
Why is Quetzalcoatl called the White Tezcatlipoca?
For this reason, Quetzalcoatl is sometimes known as the White Tezcatlipoca to distinguish him from his brother, the Black Tezcatlipoca. Many Aztec legends hold that Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl were the gods who originated the world, told in the myth of the Legend of the Fifth Sun.
What is the meaning of the name Tezcatlipoca?
According to Aztec mythology, Tezcatlipoca was a vengeful god, who could see and punish any evil behavior or action happening on earth.
Why were Aztec kings considered Tezcatlipoca's representatives?
For these qualities, Aztec kings were considered Tezcatlipoca’s representatives on earth; at their election, they had to stand in front of the god’s image and perform several ceremonies in order to legitimize their right to rule.
How many cycles did the Aztecs have?
According to Aztec mythology, prior to the current times, the world had passed through a series of four cycles, or “suns”, each one represented by a specific deity, and each one ending in a turbulent way. The Aztecs believed they lived in the fifth and last epoch.
What is the Tezcatlipoca culture?
Historians believe that Tezcatlipoca was influenced by the gods of other Mesoamerican cultures . The Olmec were the direct ancestors of the Aztec, while the ancient Maya culture survived in southern Mexico and Central America. There is no agreement, however, in how Tezcatlipoca came to resemble Mayan deities.
What is the significance of Tezcatlipoca?
Published on November 30, 2020. In the Aztec religion, Tezcatlipoca was an important god. He was involved in the earth’s creation, commanded jaguars, oversaw sacrifices, and presided over the night sky. Sometimes he was shown as a partner in creation, but more often he was shown as a god of judgment and destruction.
Why was Tezcatlipoca's image so varied in Aztec art?
His image was varied in Aztec art because Mayan elements were not consistently added in different times and places of the Aztec Empire.
Why did Tezcatlipoca make himself the sun?
When the world was created, Tezcatlipoca made himself the sun. Because he was missing a leg, however, he could only be half a sun, so Quetzalcoatl knocked him out of the sky with a stone club. Tezcatlipoca turned himself into a jaguar and ripped the world apart.
What did Tezcatlipoca do?
Tezcatlipoca would use earthquakes to destroy the world while the Tzitzimimeh, the jealous stars, killed their brother Huitzilopochtli. Like many Aztec gods, Tezcatlipoca was associated with a wide variant of domains. He was a god of night, hurricanes, leadership, sacrifices, jaguars, conflict, beauty, and the earth.
Why are there different myths about Tezcatlipoca?
One reason there are different myths regarding Tezcatlipoca and different ways of showing him is that the Aztecs were not a single unified culture. READ NEXT: Mixcoatl: The Aztec God of the Night Sky. The Aztecs of the classical era were a confederation of several Mesoamerican groups.
What is the Aztec god?
In Aztec mythology, the god Tezcatlipoca represented many domains. These included night, leadership, conflict, and beauty. Tezcatlipoca was often believed to have been one of the creators of the world, but he was most often associated with destruction.
