HuitzilopochtliHuitzilopochtli was the patron deity of the Aztec religion. He was the god that, in their migration, guided them to the place to find their capital Tenochtitlan. Huitzilopochtli's name means “ Hummingbird of the left.” He was indeed the patron of war and sacrifice. His shrine, which is located on top of the pyramid of the Templo Mayor, was decorated with skulls and is red to signify blood.
TlalocTlaloc is what the Aztecs referred to as the rain deity and one of the most ancient gods in all Mesoamerica. Tlaloc's origins can be traced back to Teotihuacan, the Olmec and the Maya. whom is connoted with fertility and agriculture. Coincidentally, Tlaloc decided that the second shrine on top of the Templo Mayor, would be dedicated to the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. His shrine was decorated with blue bands representing rain and water. The Aztec also believed that the cries and tears of newborn children were sacred to the deity, hence, many of the ceremonies performed for Tlaloc involved the sacrifice of children.
TonatiuhTonatiuh (pronounced Toh-nah-tee-uh) was the sun god. He was a nourishing god who provided warmth and fertility. In order to do so, he needed sacrificial blood. Tonatiuh was also the patron of warriors. For Aztec mythology, Tonatiuh governed the era under which the Aztec believed to live, the era of the Fifth Sun.
Tezcatlipoca
The meaning of this god’s name is ‘smoking mirror’ and is generally represented as an evil power. Additionally Tezcatlipoca was also the patron of the north, night and in various concepts of Aztec Mythology, he was represented as the opposite of the god Quetzalcoatl.
Chalchiuhtlicue
Was the goddess of all aquatic elements hence water. The meaning of Chalchiuhtlicue’s name is non other that ‘she of the jade skirt’. She was also Tlaloc’s sister and/ or wife. Chalchiuhtlicue was also known as the patroness of childbirth.
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Centeotl
He was the god of maize. ‘Centeotl’ means ‘maize cob lord’. He was closely related to Tlaloc and is commonly represented as a ma in his youth with a maize cob on his headdress.
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl was ‘‘the feathered serpent” deity, which is really the most well known Aztec deity and is also present in an abundance of Mesoamerican cultures, for instance Mayan. He was also Tezcatlipoca’s positive counterpart representative. Quetzalcoatl was also referred to as the patron of knowledge, learning and creativeness. This deity is well known as the idea that the last Aztec emperor, Moctezuma, apparently believed that the arrival of Cortes was a sign that the fulfillment of the prophecy about the return of the god. Thus, many scholar now consider this myth as a creation of the Franciscan friars during the post-conquest period.
Xipe TotecThis deitiy’s name means ‘our lord with the flayed skin.’ Xipe Totec was the god of the east, agricultural fertility along with goldsmiths. This deity is generally illustrated wearing a flayed human skin, which is a signifier of the death of the old and the growth of the new vegetation in Aztec mythology.
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