Huitzilopochtli
In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtlius, also spelled Uitzilopochtlius,[1] was a god of war, a sun god, and the patron of the city of Tenochtitlan. He was given human hearts and blood of their enemies and slaves as a sacrifice.
Legend
The legend of Huitzilopochtli is recorded in the Mexicayotl Chronicle. His sister, Coyolxauhqui, tried to kill their mother. Her offspring, Huitzilopochtli, learned of this plan while still in the womb, and before it was put into action, sprang from his mother's womb fully grown and fully armed and killed his sister Coyolxauhqui, together with many of his 400 brothers and sisters. He then tossed his sister's head into the sky, where it became the moon, so that his mother would be comforted in seeing her daughter in the sky every night. He also threw his other brothers and sisters into the sky, where they became the stars.[2]
Huitzilopochtli Media
- Blue and Red Tezcatlipocas.jpg
Blue and Red Tezcatlipocas in the Codex Fejérváry-Mayer.
- Huitzilopochtli, the Principal Aztec God WDL6725.png
Huitzilopochtli, as depicted in the Codex Tovar
- Human sacrifice (Codex Laud, f.8).png
Human sacrifice depicted in the Codex Laud
- COM V2 D273 Prisoners for sacrifice were decorated.png
Prisoners for sacrifice were decorated.
- TeocalliGuerra Sagrada.jpg
The founding of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan; An eagle representing Huitzilopochtli, which exhales the atl-tlachinolli (war symbol), is perched on a nopal cactus. Teocalli of the Sacred War, sculpted in 1325.
- Huitztlampa.jpg
Xiuhtecuhtli in the Codex Borgia.
- Codex Magliabechiano (141 cropped).jpg
Human sacrifice as shown in the Codex Magliabechiano
- Kodeks tudela 21.jpg
Codex Tudela
Related pages
Notes
- ↑ IPA: [witsiloˈpotʃtɬi] ("Hummingbird of the South", "He of the South", "Hummingbird on the Left (South)", or "Left-Handed Humming Bird") – huitzilin is the Nahuatl word for hummingbird
- ↑ Huitzilopochtli
References
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