The gods of Mexico

Acompañados (“Lords of the Night”), 364

Ages of Mexican cosmogony, 37 ff.;
sequence of the, 38 ff.

Amalgamation, processes of, in Mexican religion, 21–6, 32

Animal gods, 17

Annals, native Mexican, 7

Annals of Quauhtitlan, or Codex Chimalpopocâ, 7, 53

Arrow sacrifice, 217

Atemoztli festival, 251

Atempan (“Place of Death”), 164

Atlaua, a deity, 263 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 263–4;
nature and status, 264

Atonatiuh (“Water-sun”), a period in Mexican cosmogony, 38

Aztecâ, the, 3

“Battle of Flowers,” 161

Bibliography of Mexican Religion, 374–80

Bird-gods, 18

Camaxtli, a deity, 313 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 313;
myth of, 313–14

Cannibalism, ceremonial, 215

Ce itzcuintli, festival of, 277

Cereal-gods, 12

Chalchihuitl, a precious stone, 26

Chalchihuitlicue, a water-goddess, 52, 256 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 257–9;
myths of, 259–60;
festivals of, 260;
priesthood of, 260;
nature and status, 260–2

Chalchiutotolin, the turkey, 111 (note)

Chantico, a goddess, 180, 280 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 280–1;
myths of, 281–2;
festival of, 282;
temple and priesthood of, 282;
nature and status of, 282–3

Chicaunaztli (“Rain-rattle”), 189

Chichimecs, a Nahua tribe of the steppes, 4, 9

Chicomecoatl, a maize-goddess, 153, 164–5;
aspect and insignia, 170;
myths of, 170–1;
festivals of, 171–2;
priesthood of, 172–3;
temples of, 173;
nature and status of, 173–4

Chicomecoatl iteopan (“Temple of Chicomecoatl”), 173

Chicunaui itzcuintli, the festival of, 282

Cinteotl, a maize-god, 162, 163, 164;
aspect and insignia of, 174;
myths of, 175–6;
festivals of, 176–7;
temples of, 177;
priesthood of, 177–8;
nature and status of, 179

Cipactli, the earth-monster, 13

Ciuacoatl, a goddess. Aspect and insignia, 179–80;
myths of, 180–2;
temples of, 182;
nature and status of, 182–3

Ciuapipiltin. See Ciuateteô

Ciuateteô, deified dead women, 168, 176, 388 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 353–5;
myths of, 355;
nature and status, 355–8

Ciuatlampa, Region of the West, 60

Coatlicue, a goddess, colossal figure of, 14;
as a primitive fetish, 16, 73 ff., 154;
in general, 183 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 183;
statues of, 183–5;
myth of, 185;
festival of, 185–6;
nature and status of, 186–7

Codex Borgia group, place of origin of, 6

Codex Chimalpopocâ. See Annals of Quauhtitlan

Codices, or native paintings, 5–7;
Interpretative, 8;
place of origin, 6;
illustrations in, 65 (note);
bibliography of, 380–3

Cosmogony, 36–64

Coxcox, fallacy of myth concerning, 53–4

Coyolxauhqui, a goddess, 74, 77, 78, [385]79, 185, 324;
aspect and insignia, 324;
myths of, 324;
nature and status, 324

Creation myths, 36–64;
common basis of, 51–2

Creative gods, 12, 36–7, 146 ff.

Cuesteca, Huaxtec priests of goddess Tlazolteotl, 166, 167

Day-gods, 362–3

Deer, the two-headed, 181

Deluge, myths of the, 52 ff.

Earth, gods of the, 153 ff.;
their relations to one another, 154–6

Earth, the, as a monster, 13

Earth-mother, the, 13–14;
equated with the earth-dragon, 14;
Tonacaciuatl as, 151

Ecatonatiuh (“Wind-sun”), a period in Mexican cosmogony, 38

Elements of growth, deification of the, 13

Etzalqualitztli, the festival of, 249–51

Festivals. See Tonalamatl

“Fetish” origin of certain Mexican deities, 16 ff.

Fire-gods, 268 ff.

Flaying of victims after sacrifice, 162

Glossary of Mexican words, 382–3

Gods of Mexico, classified, 12;
fall of the, 55–7;
regional, 59;
method of treatment of, in this work, 65;
of rain and moisture, 234 ff.;
of fire, 268 ff.;
of octli or pulque, 285 ff.;
as represented by the heavenly bodies, 300 ff.;
of death, 327 ff.;
of the days, 362–3;
of the weeks, 363;
of creation, 146 ff.;
the greater gods, 65 ff.;
of the earth and growth, 153 ff.;
variants of the, 336 ff.;
the minor, 344 ff.

Grain, deification of the, 14–15

Gucumatz, Quiche name of Quetzalcoatl, q.v.

Heavens, supporters of the, 60;
the Aztec, 61

Historia de los Mexicanos por sus Pinturas, 48–51

Homeyoca, abode of the creators, 62

Hurakan, Quiche name of Tezcatlipocâ, 138–9

Ilamatecutli, a goddess, 229;
aspect and insignia, 229–30;
myths of, 230;
festivals of, 230–2;
nature and status of, 232–3

Interpretative Codices, 8

Itzlacoliuhqui-ixquimilli, a deity, 337

Itzpapalotl, a goddess, 223;
aspect and insignia, 223–5;
myths of, 225–6;
nature and status of, 277–8

Itztli, 336–7

Ixcuiname, a group of goddesses, 159–60

Ixnextli, a goddess, 190

Ixtlilton, a deity, 349 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 350–1;
nature and status, 351–2

Izcalli, the festival of, 275

Iztac Mixcoatl, a deity, 312 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 312–13

Kukulkan, Maya name of Quetzalcoatl, 133 ff.

Lords of the Night, 364

Macuiltochtli, an octli-god, 297;
aspect and insignia, 298;
nature and status of, 298

Macuilxochitl-Xochipilli, a deity, 178, 196;
aspect and insignia, 196–7, 198–9;
statues of, 197–8, 199–200;
myth of, 200–1;
festival of, 201–2;
nature and status of, 202–3

Matlalcuêyê, a goddess, 191, 265;
aspect and insignia, 265–6;
nature and status, 266

Mayauel, a goddess, 175, 294 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 295–6;
myths of, 296–7;
nature and status of, 297

Medicine, Patecatl, the god of, 292 ff.

Metztli, the Moon-god, 308 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 308–9;
myths of, 309;
nature and status of,309–10

Mexican races, history of, 2–4;
subject to the Aztecâ, 3–4

Mexican religion, type of, 1–2;
[386]
antiquity of, 4–5;
literature of, 5–8;
origins of, 8–10;
opposing forces in, 9, 10;
at the period of the Conquest, 9–10;
evidences of primitive influences in, 10 ff.;
animism in, 16;
cultural elements in, 122

Mictecaciuatl, 331 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 331–2;
nature and status, 332

Mictlampa, Region of the Dead, 60, 63–4

Mictlantecutli, god of the dead, 63, 64, 327 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 327–30; myths of, 330–1;
nature and status of, 331

Minor deities, 344 ff.

Mixcoatl, 181, 310 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 310–11;
statuary and paintings, 311–12;
festivals of, 315–16;
temples, 316–17;
nature and status of, 317–19

Monachism in Mexico, 9, 10

Moon, creation of, 40 ff.

Moon-god, 308 ff.

Motecuhzoma II, wears Xipe’s dress, 207

Mother-sheaf, the, 174

Nagualism, 18

Nahuatl language, 2

Nahua, the, 2–3;
of Anahuac separated from those of the south-west, 6

Nanahuatzin, a deity, 43

Napatecutli, a deity, 264;
nature and status, 264–5

Nauollin, the festival of, 303

Nemontemi, the, or unlucky days, 369–70

Obsidian, the cult of, 27 ff. See also Tezcatlipocâ

Ochpaniztli, the festival of, 161–5, 172

Octli, or pulque (drink), the gods of, 286 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 285;
general allusions to, 286;
festivals of, 287;
nature and status of, 287–8

Omacatl, 352–3

Opochtli, a deity, 266;
aspect and insignia of, 266;
nature and status of, 266–7

Original gods of Mexico, the, 12

Panquetzalitztli, the festival of, 70–3

Patecatl, the god of medicine, 292 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 292–3;
myths of, 293;
nature and status, 294

Paynal, a deity, 339–40

Pedro de Rios, interpreter of Mexican codices, 8

“Pied Piper,” Xipe as, 209, 210

Piltzintecutli, the Sun-god, 190

Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Quiches, 135 ff.

Pueblo Indians, religion of the, 11

Pulque-gods. See Octli-gods

Quail, the, Xipe as, 220

Quaitl eloa, the festival of, 246

Quaxolotl, a goddess, 283 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 283–4;
nature and status of, 284

Quecholli, the festival of, 193

Quetzalcoatl, a deity. His religion, 10, 24 ff.;
amalgamation of his cult with the solar cult, 21–2;
his aspect and insignia, 117–21;
wall-paintings of, 122;
statuary of, 121–2;
myths of, 123–36;
festivals of, 136;
priesthood of, 136–7;
temples of, 137;
nature and status of, 137–44;
etymology of name, 144–5;
his costumes sent to Cortéz, 119;
as the planet Venus, 122, 129;
Central American myths regarding him, 133 ff.;
as the trade wind, 138 ff.;
Toltec and Huaxtec connections of, 139–40;
criticism of the later elements of his myth, 141 ff.;
connection with the fountain of youth myth, 141;
development of his conception, 142 ff.

Rain-cult of Mexico, 11–15, 18, 23

Rain, different varieties of, 15

Rain, gods of, 234 ff.

Religion. See Mexican religion

Religious idea, homogeneous nature of, in Mexico, 33–4

Sacrifice, human, 19–20, 193

Sahagun, Bernardino, his Historia General, 7;
his method, 8

Seler, Professor Eduard, on place of origin of Mexican codices, 6 [387]

Skins, wearing of human. See Xipe, passim

Sky-father, Tonacatecutli as, 151

Spanish writers on Mexican religion, 7–8

Spinden, Dr. J. H., on place of origin of Mexican codices, 6

Stellar and planetary gods, 300 ff.

Sun and moon, creation myths of, 42 ff.

Sun, the, not at first regarded as an agency of growth, 13

Sun-god, 300 ff.

Suns as world ages. See Cosmogony

Tamoanchan, the paradise of the west, 175

Tecciztecatl, a moon-god, 43

Tecuilhuitontli, the festival of, 262

Temalacatl, or stone of combat, 214

Teotleco, the festival of, 102–3

Teoyaomiqui, a goddess, 184

Tepeyollotl, an earth-god, 332 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 332–3;
myths of, 333–4;
nature and status of, 334–5

Tepoxtecatl, an octli-god, 291 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 291;
temple, 291;
nature and status, 291–2

Teteo innan, a goddess, 153

Tezcatlipocâ, a deity. As obsidian, 29–31; 110 ff.;
as a turkey, 111 (note);
aspect and insignia, 91–7;
festivals of, 97–103;
myths of, 103–10;
nature and status, 110–11;
red and black forms of, 96 ff.;
as Xipe, 205

Tezcatzoncatl, a deity, 289 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 289–90;
myth of, 290;
nature and status, 290

Tititl, festivals of, 230

Tlacacozcaquauhtli, the vulture god, 188

Tlacaxipeuliztli, the festival of, 212–17

Tlachitonatiuh (“Earth-sun”), a period in Mexican cosmogony

Tlachtli, the Mexican game of, 176

Tlaloc, the Rain-god. Prayer to, 12;
his pluvial character, 15;
elements of his cult, 23–4;
mention of, 189, 191;
aspect and insignia of, 236–41;
statuary and vases, 241–2;
myths of, 242–6;
festivals of, 246;
temples of, 252–3;
priesthood, 254;
prayers to, 254;
nature and status, 254–6

Tlalocan, the paradise of Tlaloc, 15, 61–2

Tlaloquê, the servants of Tlaloc, 15, 242–6

Tlalxicco, interior of the earth, 59

Tlamacasque, a priest, 187, 188

Tlapcopa, Region of the East, 5–9

Tlatauhqui Cinteotl (“Temple of Red Maize”), 177

Tlauizcalpantecutli, 319 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 319–22;
nature and status, 322–4

Tlaxochimaco, the festival of, 69–70

Tlazolteotl, a goddess, 156 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 156–9;
myths of, 159;
sacrifice to, by shooting with arrows, 159–60;
hymn to, 160–1;
festivals of, 161–5;
ritual of, 165–6;
temple of, 166;
priesthood of, 166;
nature and status of, 166–9

Tlillan calmecac, temple of Ciuacoatl, 182

Tloque nahuaque, the creative spirit, 148

Toci, a goddess, 152

Toctitlan (“Place of our Grandmother”), temple of Tlazolteotl, 165, 166

Tollan, city of, 10

Toltec civilization, the, 10

Tomiauhtecutli, a deity, 299;
aspect and insignia, 299;
nature and status, 299

Tonacaciuatl, a creative goddess, 147 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 147–8;
myth of, 148–50;
nature and status, 150–2

Tonacatecutli, a creative deity, 146 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 146–7;
myths, 148–50;
nature and status, 150–2

Tonalamatl, the, a book of fate and fortune. See Appendix, 359 ff.;
nature of, 359–60;
day-signs of, 360–1;
in tabular form, 361–2;
day-gods of, 362–3;
gods of the “weeks,” 363;
“Lords of the Night,” or Acompañados, in, 364;
lords of the day-hours in, 365;
festivals included in the, 366;
recapitulation of information regarding the, 366;
solar calendar and the, 367;
names of the years, 368;
the calendar-round, 368–9;
the nemontemi, 369–70;
Venus period and the, 370;
bibliography of the, 373

Tonatiuh, the Sun-god, 300 ff.;
aspect and insignia of, 300–2;
wall-paintings [388]of, 302;
myths of, 302–3;
festivals of, 303;
nature and status, 303–5

Totec tlamacasque, the high-priest of Uitzilopochtli, 81

Totemism, 17–18

Totochtin, an octli-god, 298;
aspect and insignia, 298–9;
nature and status, 299

Totoltecatl, an octli-god, 297;
aspect and insignia, 297

Toxcatl festival, 97 ff.

Tozozontli festival, 248–9

Trade wind, Quetzalcoatl as the, 138 ff.

Tree of the East, 58;
of the North, 58;
of the South, 59;
of the West, 58

Tzitzimimê, demons of the air, 324 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 325;
myths of, 325;
nature and status, 325–6

Uei tecuilhuitl, festival of, 221

Uei Tozoztli, festival of, 171

Uitzilopochtli, a deity, 16, 17, 66 ff.;
aspect and insignia of, 66–9;
festivals of, 69–73, 73–80;
hymns to, 80–81;
priesthood of, 81;
temple of, 81–3;
nature and status of, 83–91;
etymology of the name, 83–5

Uitzlampa, region of the earth, 60

Uixtociuatl, 262 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 262;
festivals, 262–3;
nature and status, 263

Universe, Mexican conception of the, 57 ff.

Variants of the great gods, 336 ff.

Venus period, the, 370

Votan, the Central American name of Quetzalcoatl, 133 ff.

“Week” gods, 363

Witches, Mexican, 168–9, 355–8

World, regions of the, 57 ff.

Xalaquia, a sacrificed virgin, 13–14

Xilonen, a grain-deity, 221;
aspect and insignia, 221;
festival, 221;
priesthood, 222;
nature and status, 222–3

Xipe Totec, a deity, 203;
aspect and insignia, 204–8;
masks, vases, etc., of, 206;
statues, 206–7;
elements of his insignia, 207–8;
myths, 208–12;
song of, 211;
festival of, 212–7;
temples of, 217–8;
priesthood of, 218;
nature and status of, 218–20

Xiuhtecutli, a fire-god, 268 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 268–70;
myths of, 271–3;
festivals of, 273–8;
temple of, 278;
priesthood of, 278;
nature and status of, 278

Xochicalco, pyramid of, 194

Xochilhuitl, festival of, 201–2

Xochipilli, a deity, 176, 177, 178, see Macuilxochitl-Xochipilli

Xochiquetzal, a goddess, 187 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 187–9;
pottery figures of, 189;
myths of, 189–92;
festivals of, 192–4;
temples of, 194;
nature and status, 194

Xochtecatl, mountain of, 194–195

Xocohuetzi, festival of, 273

Xolotl, a deity, 344 ff.;
aspect and insignia, 344–6;
wall-paintings of, 346;
pottery figures of, 346–7;
myths of, 347–8;
nature and status of, 348–9

Yacatecutli, a deity, 340 ff.

Yappan, a hermit, myth of, 191–2

Yzpuzteque, a god of the Underworld, 63