The Aztec empire, which once dominated what is now Central Mexico, fell to the Spanish conquistadors in 1521. Yet, to this day we are constantly reminded of Mexico’s Aztec past in many ways. Among the most visible examples are the replicas of the Aztec Sun Stone (commonly known as the Aztec calendar) and other works of Aztec art to be found in virtually every tourist market throughout the region. Key chains, jewelry, wall-hangings, t-shirts, terra cotta figurines often bear Aztec-inspired decorations, allowing both Mexican nationals and foreigners alike to take part in Mexico’s Pre-Hispanic roots. But what is the significance of the mythological beings that are depicted in the Sun Stone and other Aztec designs?
One of the most important Aztec symbols to appear on the Sun Stone as well as in many other artistic creations is the sun/war god, Huitzilopochtli, who is typically represented either as a hummingbird or as a warrior dressed in hummingbird feathers. According to legend, the Aztecs were once a group of hunters who inhabited a mythical area located in the far north known as Aztlán. But with Huitzilopochtli as their guide, they later migrated southward in search of a place where Huitzilopochtli claimed they would see an eagle perched on a cactus and devouring a serpent. When the Aztecs arrived at the islands of Lake Texcoco, they indeed found such a sign and there they established Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) in 1325, later to become the heart of the Aztec empire. Today, the Mexican flag bears the emblem of the eagle, the cactus and the serpent as a reminder of Huitzilopochtli’s prophecy.
Aztec mythology played a role not only in the establishment of the Aztec empire, but also, ironically, in its downfall. When Hernán Cortés and other Spanish explorers arrived in Tenochtitlan in 1519 with the hope of conquering the empire for the Spanish Crown, they found the Aztecs to be quite a superstitious people, a trait that worked to the Spaniards’ advantage. The Aztec emperor, Moctezuma, for example, mistakenly took Hernán Cortés to be the plumed serpent god Quetzalcóatl and likewise presented the Spaniards with gifts in order to appease them. The Aztecs’ guess was not an illogical one, however. Quetzalcóatl, bearded and of fair complexion, just like Cortés, had previously been exiled from the region and was expected to return around the time of the Spanish arrival. Fortunately enough for the Spaniards, the possibility that Cortés was Quetzalcóatl and his men were gods provoked great fear in the Aztecs and therefore played a role in their destruction in the hands of the conquistadors.
Another important Aztec deity is Tláloc, the god of water. This masked god with google eyes and fanged teeth was popular not only among the Aztecs, but throughout much of Mesoamerica (including the Mayan region), and along with Huitzilopochtli, was one of the Aztecs’ most important mythological figures. Tláloc, due to his powers to bring rain or provoke drought, and to even cause certain diseases, such as leprosy, was a highly feared and respected god who required the most unusual of human sacrifices. In times of drought, some of the most preferred offerings to Tláloc were not experienced warriors, but babies and small children. Although to us such a sacrifice may seem particularly cruel and unjustified, to the Aztecs, it was a rational choice. They believed that the tears from the crying children would please Tláloc and cause him to bring rain. In Mexico City’s Templo Mayor, we can still find the ruins of the sanctuaries dedicated to Tláloc and Huitzilopochtli, both figures of utmost importance in the Aztec pantheon and whose place of honor continues to attract numerous visitors to the present day.
Despite the end of the Aztec empire centuries ago, the role that Aztec mythology has played in Mexican history and culture is hardly a forgotten one. As a reminder, we only need only to visit a local market, pass by a street vendor selling artesanías, stroll through the rooms of the National Museum of Anthropology, check out the ruins of the Templo Mayor, or simply take a moment to observe a Mexican flag such as the one that proudly waves in the heart of Mexico City’s Zócalo.
To learn more about Aztec mythology and to see photography of Prehispanic artifacts depicting various mythological figures, you can visit Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology or the Templo Mayor in person or on the Web.
