The Legend of the Suns
THE LEGEND OF THE FIFTH SUN
In Aztec mythology they believed, their world was the fifth era of a cycle of creation and destruction. During this era different gods first governed the earth through a dominant element, and then destroyed it. These worlds were referred to as suns. The first, second, third, fourth and fifth suns.
Also according to Aztec mythology the creator of the world was the god 'Ometeotl', whom was both male and female. Furthermore he gave birth to the four Tezcatlipocas of the North, East, South and West. Additionally these gods eventually created the world and all the other deities the Aztecs worshipped. After the world was created, the gods created light and gave it to humans. In order for this to occur, one of the gods had to sacrifice themselves into a fire. The first god to sacrifice themself, was in fact 'Tezcatlipoca'.This First world was inhabited by giants and ended as the giants were devoured by jaguars.
The Second Sun, was governed by Quetzalcoatl. The earth was populated by humans and flourished. This world came to end due to hurricanes and floods. Thus the survivors fled to the top of the trees and were transformed into monkeys.
The Third Sun was dominated by water and its ruling deity was Tlaloc. People who inhabited this world ate aquatic seeds. This world came to an end when the god Quetzalcoatl made it rain fire and ashes. The humans who didn’t die became birds and the others were replaced by other animals.
The Fourth Sun was governed by the goddess Chalchiuthlicue, who was the sister and wife of Tlaloc. A great flood signified the end of this world along with the people being transformed into fish. A further version of the myth is informative of how, that at the end of this epoch the gods indeed gathered at Teotihuacan in order to decide whom was going to sacrifice themself, and therefore a new world commence. The god Huehuetéotl, [the old fire god] began a sacrificial bonfire. However none of the most important gods opted to jump into the flames. Only the old god Nanahuatzin possessed the courage to jump into the flames and sacrifice himself. Nanahuatzin became the new sun.
The Fifth Sun was the world in which the Aztecs dwelled. Tonatiuh, the sun god was the deity whom governed this sun. The Aztecs considered themselves “the People of the Sun.” Hence their duty was to nourish and worship the Sun god through blood offerings and sacrifices [this is discussed in the ritual section]. If the Aztecs didn't fulfil their believed purpose, they would have caused the end of their world along with the disappearing of the sun from the sky. This world is characterised by the sign Ollin, which signifies movement. Additionally the Aztecs believed that this indicated that this world would come to an end through earthquakes.
~Note; a version of this myth is actually recorded on the famous 'Aztec Calendar Stone', which is a colossal stone sculpture whose images referred to one version of this creation tale linked to Aztec history.~
In Aztec mythology they believed, their world was the fifth era of a cycle of creation and destruction. During this era different gods first governed the earth through a dominant element, and then destroyed it. These worlds were referred to as suns. The first, second, third, fourth and fifth suns.
Also according to Aztec mythology the creator of the world was the god 'Ometeotl', whom was both male and female. Furthermore he gave birth to the four Tezcatlipocas of the North, East, South and West. Additionally these gods eventually created the world and all the other deities the Aztecs worshipped. After the world was created, the gods created light and gave it to humans. In order for this to occur, one of the gods had to sacrifice themselves into a fire. The first god to sacrifice themself, was in fact 'Tezcatlipoca'.This First world was inhabited by giants and ended as the giants were devoured by jaguars.
The Second Sun, was governed by Quetzalcoatl. The earth was populated by humans and flourished. This world came to end due to hurricanes and floods. Thus the survivors fled to the top of the trees and were transformed into monkeys.
The Third Sun was dominated by water and its ruling deity was Tlaloc. People who inhabited this world ate aquatic seeds. This world came to an end when the god Quetzalcoatl made it rain fire and ashes. The humans who didn’t die became birds and the others were replaced by other animals.
The Fourth Sun was governed by the goddess Chalchiuthlicue, who was the sister and wife of Tlaloc. A great flood signified the end of this world along with the people being transformed into fish. A further version of the myth is informative of how, that at the end of this epoch the gods indeed gathered at Teotihuacan in order to decide whom was going to sacrifice themself, and therefore a new world commence. The god Huehuetéotl, [the old fire god] began a sacrificial bonfire. However none of the most important gods opted to jump into the flames. Only the old god Nanahuatzin possessed the courage to jump into the flames and sacrifice himself. Nanahuatzin became the new sun.
The Fifth Sun was the world in which the Aztecs dwelled. Tonatiuh, the sun god was the deity whom governed this sun. The Aztecs considered themselves “the People of the Sun.” Hence their duty was to nourish and worship the Sun god through blood offerings and sacrifices [this is discussed in the ritual section]. If the Aztecs didn't fulfil their believed purpose, they would have caused the end of their world along with the disappearing of the sun from the sky. This world is characterised by the sign Ollin, which signifies movement. Additionally the Aztecs believed that this indicated that this world would come to an end through earthquakes.
~Note; a version of this myth is actually recorded on the famous 'Aztec Calendar Stone', which is a colossal stone sculpture whose images referred to one version of this creation tale linked to Aztec history.~