The gods of Mexico

About this eBook

Author

Spence, Lewis, 1874-1955

Original Publication

New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1923.

Credits

Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Language

English

LoC Class

F1201: North America local history: Mexico

Subject

Aztec mythology

Category

Text

Project Gutenberg

eBook-No. 71503

Release Date

August 27, 2023

Copyright

Public domain in the USA.

Contents

1. 1.THE GODS OF MEXICO
2. 2.PREFACE
3. 3.CONTENTS
4. 4.ILLUSTRATIONS
5. 5.NOTE ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF MEXICAN
6. 6.INTRODUCTORY — THE TYPE AND EVOLUTION OF MEXICAN RELIGION — THE ANTIQUITY OF MEXICAN RELIGION — THE LITERATURE OF MEXICAN RELIGION — THE ORIGINS OF MEXICAN RELIGION — EVIDENCES OF EARLY RELIGION IN MEXICO — DEIFICATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF GROWTH — EVIDENCE OF PRIMITIVE INFLUENCES — “FETISH” ORIGIN OF GODS — ANIMAL GODS — GROWTH OF THE RAIN-CULT — THE NECESSITY FOR HUMAN SACRIFICE — THE LATER ELEMENTS OF MEXICAN RELIGION — CULTURAL ELEMENTS OF MEXICAN RELIGION — THE QUETZALCOATL CULT — THE CULT OF OBSIDIAN — UNITY OF RELIGIOUS CONCEPTION THROUGHOUT MEXICO
7. 7.COSMOGONY — THE “AGES” OF MEXICAN COSMOGONY — THE MAKING OF THE EARTH — THE PEOPLING OF THE EARTH — CREATION OF THE SUN AND MOON — THE HISTORIA DE LOS MEXICANOS — DELUGE MYTHS — THE “COXCOX” FALLACY — THE FALL OF THE GODS — MEXICAN CONCEPTIONS OF THE UNIVERSE — THE FIVE REGIONS OF THE WORLD — THE SUPPORTERS OF THE HEAVENS — THE AZTEC HEAVENS — MICTLAMPA AS HADES
8. 8.THE GREAT GODS — METHOD OF TREATMENT — UITZILOPOCHTLI = “HUMMING-BIRD WIZARD” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVALS — MYTHS — HYMNS — THE SONG OF UITZILOPOCHTLI — I — II — III — IV — V — VI — SONG OF THE SHIELD — I — II — PRIESTHOOD — TEMPLE — NATURE AND STATUS — TEZCATLIPOCÂ = “FIERY MIRROR” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVALS — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — QUETZALCOATL = “FEATHERED SERPENT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — STATUARY — WALL-PAINTINGS — MYTHS — CENTRAL AMERICAN MYTHS RELATING TO QUETZALCOATL — FESTIVALS — PRIESTHOOD — TEMPLES — NATURE AND STATUS — CRITICISM OF THE LATER ELEMENTS OF QUETZALCOATL’S MYTH — DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPTION OF QUETZALCOATL — ETYMOLOGY
9. 9.THE CREATIVE DEITIES — TONACATECUTLI—TONACACIUATL (TONACATECUTLI = “LORD OF OUR SUBSISTENCE”) — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — TONACACIUATL = “LADY OF OUR SUBSISTENCE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — CONCLUSIONS
10. 10.DEITIES OF THE EARTH AND GROWTH PROPER — INTRODUCTORY — TLAZOLTEOTL = “GODDESS OF DIRT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — SACRIFICE BY SHOOTING WITH ARROWS — HYMN — FESTIVALS — RITUAL — TEMPLE — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — CHICOMECOATL = “SEVEN SNAKE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVALS — PRIESTHOOD — TEMPLES — NATURE AND STATUS — CINTEOTL = “MAIZE-GOD” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVALS — TEMPLES — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — CIUACOATL = “SERPENT WOMAN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — TEMPLES — NATURE AND STATUS — COATLICUE = “SERPENT-SKIRT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — STATUES — MYTH — FESTIVAL — NATURE AND STATUS — XOCHIQUETZAL = “FLOWER FEATHER” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVALS — TEMPLES — NATURE AND STATUS — MACUILXOCHITL = “FIVE FLOWER,” OR XOCHIPILLI = “FLOWER PRINCE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA ( as Macuilxochitl ) — STATUES — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA ( as Xochipilli ) — STATUES — MYTH — Song of the God of Music and Games — FESTIVALS — NATURE AND STATUS — XIPE TOTEC = “OUR LORD THE FLAYED” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MASKS, VASES, ETC. — STATUES — ELEMENTS OF XIPE’S INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVAL — TEMPLES — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — XILONEN = “YOUNG MAIZE MOTHER” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVAL — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — ITZPAPALOTL = “OBSIDIAN KNIFE BUTTERFLY” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — ZAPOTLANTENAN = “MOTHER OF ZAPOTLAN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — ILAMATECUTLI = “THE OLD PRINCESS” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVAL — NATURE AND STATUS
11. 11.THE GODS OF RAIN AND MOISTURE — INTRODUCTORY — TLALOC = “HE WHO MAKES THINGS SPROUT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — STATUARY AND VASES — MYTHS — I — II — III — IV — V — VI — VII — VIII — IX — FESTIVALS — TEMPLES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP — PRIESTHOOD — PRAYERS — NATURE AND STATUS — CHALCHIHUITLICUE = “SHE OF THE JEWELLED ROBE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVALS — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — UIXTOCIUATL = “SALT WOMAN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVALS — NATURE AND STATUS — ATLAUA = “LORD OF THE LAKE BEACHES” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — NAPATECUTLI = “FOUR TIMES LORD” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — MATLALCUÊYÊ = “SHE OF THE BLUE ROBE” — APPEARANCE — NATURE AND STATUS — OPOCHTLI = “THE SOUTHERN,” “LEFT-HANDED,” OR “THE WIZARD” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS
12. 12.THE FIRE-GODS — XIUHTECUTLI = “LORD OF THE YEAR” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — Song of the Yellow-faced — ( The Fire-gods ) — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — FESTIVALS — TEMPLE — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — CHANTICO = “IN THE HOUSE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — FESTIVAL — TEMPLE AND PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — QUAXOLOTL = “SPLIT AT THE TOP” (FLAME) — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS
13. 13.THE OCTLI OR PULQUE (DRINK) GODS — GENERAL — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — ALLUSIONS TO THE OCTLI- GODS IN GENERAL — FESTIVAL — NATURE AND STATUS IN GENERAL — TEZCATZONCATL = “MIRROR COVERED WITH STRAW” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTH — FESTIVALS — PRIESTHOOD — NATURE AND STATUS — TEPOXTECATL = “HE OF THE AXE” — APPEARANCE AND INSIGNIA — TEMPLE — NATURE AND STATUS — PATECATL = “HE FROM THE LAND OF THE MEDICINES” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — MAYAUEL = “SHE OF THE MAGUEY -PLANT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — TOTOLTECATL = “HE OF TOLLAN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MACUILTOCHTLI = “FIVE RABBIT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — TOTOCHTIN — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — TOMIAUHTECUTLI = “LORD OF THE MAIZE-FLOWER” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS
14. 14.STELLAR AND PLANETARY DEITIES — TONATIUH = “THE SUN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — WALL-PAINTINGS — MYTHS — FESTIVALS — NATURE AND STATUS — METZTLI = “THE MOON,” OR TECCIZTECATL = “HE FROM THE SEA-SNAIL” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — MIXCOATL, IZTAC MIXCOATL, OR CAMAXTLI AS MIXCOATL = “CLOUD SERPENT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — WALL-PAINTINGS — STATUARY AND PAINTINGS — AS IZTAC MIXCOATL = “WHITE CLOUD SERPENT” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — AS CAMAXTLI — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — Song of the Cloud-serpents — I — II — III — IV — FESTIVAL — TEMPLES — NATURE AND STATUS — TLAUIZCALPANTECUTLI = “LORD OF THE HOUSE OF THE DAWN” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — COYOLXAUHQUI = “PAINTED WITH BELLS” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — TZITZIMIMÊ = “MONSTERS DESCENDING FROM ABOVE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS
15. 15.GODS OF DEATH, EARTH, AND THE UNDERWORLD — MICTLANTECUTLI = “LORD OF MICTLAMPA” (REGION OF THE DEAD) — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — MICTECACIUATL = “LADY OF THE PLACE OF THE DEAD” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — TEPEYOLLOTL = “HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS
16. 16.VARIANTS OF THE GREAT GODS — ITZTLI = “STONE KNIFE” (OBSIDIAN) — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — ITZTLACOLIUHQUI-IXQUIMILLI = “THE CURVED OBSIDIAN KNIFE,” “THE BLIND ONE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — PAYNAL = “THE HASTY” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVAL — NATURE AND STATUS — YACATECUTLI = “LORD WHO GUIDES,” OR “GUIDANCE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — FESTIVAL — NATURE AND STATUS
17. 17.MINOR DEITIES — XOLOTL = “DOUBLE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — WALL-PAINTINGS — POTTERY FIGURES — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS — IXTLILTON = “THE LITTLE BLACK FACE” — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — NATURE AND STATUS — OMACATL = “TWO REEDS” — NATURE AND STATUS — CIUATETEÔ = GODDESSES CIUAPIPILTIN = PRINCESSES — ASPECT AND INSIGNIA — MYTHS — NATURE AND STATUS
18. 18.THE TONALAMATL AND THE SOLAR CALENDAR — THE TONALAMATL — DAY-SIGNS — THE DAY-GODS — GODS OF THE “WEEKS” — “LORDS OF THE NIGHT” — THE LORDS OF THE DAY-HOURS — TONALAMATL FESTIVALS — RECAPITULATION — THE TONALAMATL AND THE SOLAR CALENDAR — NAMES OF THE YEARS — THE CALENDAR ROUND — THE NEMONTEMI — THE VENUS PERIOD
19. 19.SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS RELATING TO THE TONALAMATL
20. 20.A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MEXICAN RELIGION — PART I — (Works written by the earlier Spanish authors) — PART II — (Works written from 1800–1920)
21. 21.BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE CODICES RELATING TO MEXICAN MYTHOLOGY
22. 22.GLOSSARY
23. 23.INDEX — A — B — C — D — E — F — G — H — I — K — L — M — N — O — P — Q — R — S — T — U — V — W — X — Y — Z
24. 24.Colophon — Availability — Metadata — Revision History — Corrections

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