[22] Sacred hymns were also chanted at ceremonies to honor the gods. The rivalry between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca is also recounted in the legends of Tollan where Tezcatlipoca deceives Quetzalcoatl who was the ruler of the legendary city and forces him into exile. [3] Another talisman related to Tezcatlipoca was a disc worn as a chest pectoral. In one version of the Aztec creation account the myth of the Five Suns, the first creation, "The Sun of the Earth" was ruled by Tezcatlipoca but destroyed by Quetzalcoatl when he struck down Tezcatlipoca who then transformed into a jaguar. PUNCH! Tezcatlipoca was often described as a rival of another important god of the Aztecs, the culture hero, Quetzalcoatl. [29] The two gods then captured her, and distorted her to make the land from her body. Other representations show Tezcatlipoca with his mirror on his chest. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca both collaborated in the different creations and that both were seen as instrumental in the creation of life. Tezcatlipoca (Tez-ca-tlee-POH-ka), whose name means “Smoking Mirror”, was the Aztec god of night and sorcery, as well as the patron deity of Aztec kings and young warriors. [21] The king would stand "naked, emphasizing his utter unworthiness," speaking as nothing but a vessel for the god's will. After that, they created the people, and people had to offer sacrifices to comfort Cipactli for her sufferings. Everyone, including commoners, high priests, and the king, were involved in some aspect of the Toxcatl ceremonies.[23]. This individual was called the ixiptla or "deity impersonator" and was chosen to ceremonially represent the god to the Aztec people. In it he saw everything; invisible and omnipresent, he knew all the deeds and thoughts of humans. Comme beaucoup de dieux aztèques, il était associé à plusieurs aspects de la religion aztèque, le ciel et la terre, les vents et le nord, la royauté, la divination et la guerre. In Aztec mythology he was the brother of Quetzalcoatl, Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec. Each one can be used individually! "Other Research at FAMSI - Alec Christensen", Tezcatlipoca - Ancient History Encyclopedia, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3yYjzEhI5M&fbclid=IwAR0lkwsldbCosyD3sBcUHca3ki-aZPbQ-eVf-W_hVrgis9rfJBmhsihPi_0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tezcatlipoca&oldid=1001319909, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Classical Nahuatl-language text, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 January 2021, at 05:03. He was involved in the earth’s creation, commanded jaguars, oversaw sacrifices, and presided over the night sky. [11] There are also portrayals of his body also being black in certain places. [9] Although there are striking similarities between possible earlier imagery of Tezcatlipoca, archaeologists are split in the debate. In one version of the Aztec creation account[19] the myth of the Five Suns, the first creation, "The Sun of the Earth" was ruled by Tezcatlipoca but destroyed by Quetzalcoatl when he struck down Tezcatlipoca who then transformed into a jaguar. Tezcatlipoca is the God of the Apocalypse, the most powerful entity in the Accelerated World, created specifically for the purpose of ending the world.1 1 Background 2 Appearance 3 Plot Outline 3.1 White Legion Arc 3.1.1 The Sword Sage of the Blue Flower 3.1.2 The God of Demise 4 Characteristics 5 Abilities 6 Trivia 7 References When the Accelerated World was first … Tezcatlipoca was an omnipresent Aztec deity who, together with Quetzalcoatl, created the world and everything in it. He is also said to have acted as the First Sun but was knocked from the sky by Quetza… Quetzalcoatl became the ruler of the subsequent creation "Sun of Water", and Tezcatlipoca destroyed the third creation "The Su… His name in the Nahuatl language is often translated as "Smoking Mirror"[2] and alludes to his connection to obsidian, the material from which mirrors were made in Mesoamerica and which were used for shamanic rituals and prophecy. Il fait sonner la Tezcatlipoca’s cult was brought to central Mexico by the Toltecs, Nahua-speaking warriors from the north, about the end of the 10th century ad. Each temple had a statue of the god for which copal incense was burned four times a day. The post-Classic (after ad 900) Maya-Quiché people of Guatemala revered him as a lightning god under the name Hurakan (“One Foot”). Because of this, Tezcatlipoca is depicted with a missing foot. Before their act there was only the sea and the crocodilian earthmonster called Cipactli. A protean wizard, Tezcatlipoca caused the death of many Toltecs by his black magic and induced the virtuous Quetzalcóatl to sin, drunkenness, and carnal love, thus putting an end to the Toltec golden age. Omissions? Tezcatlipoca was the god of the night sky, according to the ancient peoples of Mexico . Tezcatlipoca is a three minute short animation inspired by the music from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Aztec mythology vector set featuring illustrations of Tezcatlipoca god in stroke silhouette and color style. Tezcatlipoca (Tez-ca-tlee-POH-ka), dont le nom signifie «miroir fumant», était le dieu aztèque de la nuit et de la sorcellerie, ainsi que la divinité patronne des rois aztèques et des jeunes guerriers. He is the old arch-rival of Top God Quetzalcoatl and spent most of his time during the Creation of the Universe bashing, crashing and smashing his enemy’s work instead of doing anything constructive.. Tezcatlipoca overthrew Quetzalcoatl who overthrew him in return. He is said to have cooperated with Quetzalcoatl to create the world from the body of the monster Cipactli, losing his foot in the process. Quetzalcoatl became the ruler of the subsequent creation "Sun of Water", and Tezcatlipoca destroyed the third creation "The Sun of Wind" by striking down Quetzalcoatl. The jaguar was Tezcatlipoca’s nagual , or animal disguise. As with many Aztec gods, he was associated with several aspects of Aztec religion, the sky, and the earth, winds and the north, … It was gods like Tezcatlipoca that solidified this notion, representing both the silent wind, and thunderous war. [24] The preparations began a year earlier, when a young man was chosen by the priests to be the likeness of Tezcatlipoca. Originally adopted from the Toltecs, Tezcatlipoca is with the horned owl and the jaguar, the latter of which he is known to shapeshift into its form at will. In Aztec tradition Tezcatlipoca was considered to be an opposite and rival to Quetzalcoatl. Karl Taube and Mary Miller, specialists in Mesoamerican Studies, write that, "More than anything Tezcatlipoca appears to be the embodiment of change through conflict. On the appointed feast day, he climbed the steps of a small temple while breaking flutes that he had played. [29] For Aztec nobility, this "patron deity" is fundamental in the social and natural phenomena justified by religion during this time. Tezcatlipoca’s cult was brought to central Mexico by the Toltecs, Nahua-speaking warriors from the … This talisman was carved out of abalone shell and depicted on the chest of both Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca in codex illustrations. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The priests of Tezcatlipoca often wore the ornaments of the god and wore specific garments for different rituals. The name Tezcatlipoca means “smoking mirror,” in reference to the obsidian mirror that he uses to foretell the future and spy on others. Perhaps thou mistaketh me for another; perhaps thou seekest another in my stead[21], For kings, lords, priests, and citizens alike, the cyclical nature they observed every day and every year was portrayed not through science or philosophical debate, but utter reverence and respect for the spiritual beings they believed were the cause of these events. The god Tezcatlipoca was a major Aztec deity who was worshiped in east-west facing temples in many Mesoamerican city-states under the influence of the Aztecs, particularly Texcoco. As with many Aztec gods, he was associated with several aspects of Aztec religion, the sky, and the earth, winds and the north, kingship, divination, and war. Tezcatlipoca was often described as a rival of another important god of the Aztecs, the culture hero, Quetzalcoatl. [29] Chalchihuitlicue the Water Goddess then became the sun. Honoring Tezcatlipoca was fundamental to both the priesthood and the nobility. Similarities exist with the patron deity of the K'iche' Maya as described in the Popol Vuh. She cried for many years and the world was destroyed by the resulting floods. Common ornaments were white turkey feather headdresses, a paper loincloth, and a tzanatl stick with similar feathers and paper decorations. [26] "For one year he lived a life of honor," the handsome young man "worshipped literally as the embodiment of the deity". This marriage, occurring after a full year of abstinence, symbolized a period of fertility which followed the drought. He presided over the telpochcalli (“young men’s houses”), district schools in which the sons of the common people received an elementary education and military training. The temple of Tezcatlipoca was in the Great Precinct of Tenochtitlan. Outside of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, Tezcatlipoca was especially revered at Texcoco and in the Mixteca-Puebla region between Oaxaca and Tlaxcala. In the Aztec ritual calendar the Tonalpohualli Tezcatlipoca ruled the trecena 1 Ocelotl ("1 Jaguar")—he was also patron of the days with the name Acatl ("reed").[8]. Although the exact definition of the momoztli is unknown, with definitions varying from "mound", "stone seat" and "temple", there is an overall consensus that it is a general holy place to worship the gods, specifically mentioned as "his [Tezcatlipoca's] viewing place".[15]. As with many Aztec gods, he was associated with several aspects of Aztec religion, the sky, and the earth, winds and the north, kingship, divination, and war. Also the Classic Maya god of rulership and thunder known to modern Mayanists as "God K", or the "Manikin Scepter" and to the classic Maya as K'awil was depicted with a smoking obsidian knife in his forehead and one leg replaced with a snake. Tezcatlipoca is a character in Onyx Equinox.Finding humanity to have grown violent and irreverent, he seeks to destroy and remake it by the equinox, but he went ahead with Quetzalcoatl's bet to see if a human would close the gates of the underworld. [14] There are also several references to momoztli. Sometimes the mirror was shown on his chest, and sometimes smoke would emanate from the mirror. [20] There were several smaller temples dedicated to Tezcatlipoca in the city, among them the ones called "Tlacochcalco" and "Huitznahuatl". Real Name: Tezcatlipoca. In the complex Mesoamerican creation myths Tezcatlipoca ruled the first world of the Sun but was then overthrown by Quetzalcóatl. [18] When the ritual called for it, priests would also dress up as Tezcatlipoca himself and accompany other similarly outfitted gods or goddesses. Every year at that time the priest selected a young and handsome war prisoner. Tezcatlipoca was one of the most important gods in the Aztec pantheon. Due to the lack of surviving images, some have chosen to describe Tezcatlipoca as the 'invisible god'. For a discussion of the many interpretations of the meaning of the name Tezcatlipoca see Olivier (2003) pp. For I am blind, I am deaf, I am an imbecile, and in excrement, in filth hath my lifetime been... There are few surviving representations of Tezcatlipoca into the present day. [27] During the last 20 days before being sacrificed, the ixiptla had their appearance transformed back to that of a warrior. In Aztec mythology he was the brother of Tezcatlipoca , Huizilopochtli and Xipe Totec . He is often shown with his right foot replaced with an obsidian mirror, bone, or a snake—an allusion to the creation myth in which he loses his foot battling with the Earth Monster. Tezcatlipoca's main feast was during Toxcatl, the fifth month of the Aztec calendar. Group Membership: Aztec gods, Council of Godheads. Numerous myths relate how Tezcatlipoca expelled the priest-king Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent, from the latter’s centre at Tula. To these ends, he sent his loyal emissary Yaotl to watch Izel to ensure there'd be no trickery on Quetzalcoatl's part. "[28] He would then be wed to four young women, also chosen in advance and isolated for a full year and treated as goddesses. Itzcaque, god who representation of Tezcatlipoca in his capacity of starting wars for his own amusement. "On his installation," the new king fasted and meditated, "which included prayers in honor of Tezcatlipoca, the patron deity of the royal house". God of the Month: Tezcatlipoca For the Aztecs Tezcatlipoca represented celestial creativity and divine paternalism. Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon. Tezcatlipoca is the Smoking Mirror. His name is translated as ‘smoking mirror’ in the Nahuatl language of the Aztec and he is often associated with several different concepts, including: the night sky, night winds, hurricanes, the north, jaguars, obsidian, and war. In what manner shall I act for thy city? According to Fray Diego Durán it was "lofty and magnificently built. De nombreuses divinités créatrices n'étaient en réalité qu'un aspect de ce dieu tout puissant. Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon. [13], Many of the temples now associated with Tezcatlipoca are built facing East-West, as Olivier quotes Felipe Solis: "the sacred building of the war god [Tezcatlipoca] was in direct relation with the movement of the sun, in the same manner of the Great Temple was, their façades being towards the West". Depending on the site half of his leg, the full length of his arms, the majority of his legs, or any combination thereof can be depicted. He was represented by the Ursa Major (Great Bear) constellation , which the Aztec saw as a jaguar . He is the 9th of the 13 Lords of the Day and is often associated with the rain god Tláloc. Among other things, he was also the god of the night sky and the direction north. Tezcatlipoca (Tez-ca-tlee-POH-ka), whose name means “Smoking Mirror”, was the Aztec god of night and sorcery, as well as the patron deity of Aztec kings and young warriors. The color black is strongly associated with Tezcatlipoca and he is often portrayed as having horizontal bands across his face especially in black and yellow, but the many different codices vary on which two colors from site to site. [7], When depicted he was usually drawn with a black and a yellow stripe painted across his face. Most were sung to praise the highest deities, including Tezcatlipoca, who was often addressed as the "Giver of Life." As discussed above, Aztec folklore is rife with parallels, much of the time depicted in deities such as Tezcatlipoca. He feuded with his brother Quetzalcoatl and emerged victorious after tricking his younger sibling into shaming himself. Tezcatlipoca played many contradictory roles in Aztec … TEZCATLIPOCA. Il avait pour épouse la belle Xochiquetzal. He was considered the patron god of warriors. 14-15. He was the protector of slaves and severely punished masters who ill-treated “Tezcatlipoca’s beloved children.” He rewarded virtue by bestowing riches and fame, and he chastised wrongdoers by sending them sickness (e.g., leprosy) or by reducing them to poverty and slavery. Beyond it stood a wide, long chamber the size of a great hall...". The god was particularly associated with the sacred site of Cholula, an important place of pilgrimage from 1200 CE and all round Aztec buildings were dedicated to the deity. Il était le frère de Quetzalcoatl et surtout son principal adversaire. Called Yoalli Ehécatl (“Night Wind”), Yaotl (“Warrior”), and Telpochtli (“Young Man”), he was said to appear at crossroads at night to challenge warriors. Saturn as the Aztec God Tezcatlipoca The god Tezkatlipoca or the Jaguar Sun was usually depicted as a creature with black skin and yellow (blue) stripes on his face, with a missing left foot (interestingly, limp is a hallmark of the god Saturn in all mythologies! Women were sometimes sacrificed as ixiptla to honor female deities. Most commonly he is shown with horizontal face bands, wearing a heron feather headdress, a loincloth, and knotted sandals with an armband, and tinker bells either around his neck or ankles. [10] However, the fact that many images are difficult to identify as one god or another does not mean that no generalizations can be made about Tezcatlipoca's appearance. The Main temple of Tezcatlipoca in Tenochtitlan was located south of the Great Temple. This explains his association with the first day of the thirteen-day Aztec calendar which is represented by a jaguar. [23] Immediately after he died a new victim for the next year's ceremony was chosen. However, ixiptla were usually selected from among captive warriors, and the chosen individual was bathed and ceremoniously cleansed for the role that he was to undertake. [27] The young man also was dressed in the likeness of the god and people on the streets would worship him as such when encountered. Drawn with a stripe of tezcatlipoca aztec god paint across his face and an mirror. Ixiptla or `` deity impersonator '' and was also the god Tohil whose means. 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