The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, originated in ancient Mesoamerican cultures and the festivities that honored the Aztec god Mictlantecuthli. These festivities took place during the whole ninth month of the Aztec calendar. However, Dia de los Muertos or something very similar was already celebrated by many Indigenous people that were …
Huitzilopochtli was a significant deity in Aztec mythology and religion. He was one of their principal gods and held a central role in their religious beliefs and practices. Worshiped as the god of war, Huitzilopochtli was associated with conquest and military prowess, and the Aztecs believed that through his favor, they would succeed in battles …
Xolotl is an ancient Aztec god associated with several aspects related to death, transformation, and the evening star. Xolotl was often depicted as a canine figure, such as a dog or a wolf, with distinctive physical features like a skeletal appearance, reversed feet, and an elongated nose. In Aztec religion, Xolotl guided the sun through …
The Aztec god Tezcatlipoca is often talked about in relation to his three brothers. Together, they form the very basis of Aztec mythology and, therefore, the worldview of the Aztecs. This god, often considered to be the supreme deity, is seen as evil by some, while others think he was one of the kindest gods …
Mictlantecuhtli is the god of death in ancient Aztec religion and was also one of the rulers of the Aztec underworld, Mictlan. But this deity also wasn’t so fond of such straightforward reasoning. The interaction between life and death in Aztec religion is circular. Death is a necessity since it prepares you for a new …
An often-used phrase in Mesoamerican (environmental) politics is la agua es vida: water is life. Even the Aztecs had a strong emphasis on water, and any deity that is related to this realm was per definition of great importance. The Aztec god Tlaloc was no different. Some of the most important Aztec temples have been …