Tezcatlipoca Classical Nahuatl : Tēzcatlipōca [/teːzcat͡ɬiːˈpoːcaʔ/] ) or Tezcatl Ipoca was a central deity in Aztec religion . He is associated with a variety of concepts, including the night sky , hurricanes , obsidian , and conflict. He was considered one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl , the primordial dual deity. His main festival was Toxcatl , which, like most religious festivals of Aztec culture, involved human sacrifice .
67-537: Tezcatlipoca's nagual , his animal counterpart, was the jaguar . In the form of a jaguar he became the deity Tepeyollotl ("Mountainheart"). In one of the two main Aztec calendars (the Tonalpohualli ), Tezcatlipoca ruled the trecena 1 Ocelotl ("1 Jaguar"); he was also patron of the days with the name Acatl ("reed"). A strong connection with the calendar as a whole is suggested by his depiction in texts such as
134-473: A Nagual (from the Nahuatl word nāhualli ) refers to a human being who can access spiritual power through transformation or deep connection with their tonal counterpart. This ability is not merely about shapeshifting but also about guiding spiritual development and fostering personal transformation by bridging the physical and metaphysical realms. Nagualism involves the belief that each person possesses
201-410: A design. Many iconographic elements highlight Tezcatlipoca's role as a warrior, including his shield, his anahuatl breastplate, his arrow nose ring , and his spears, or arrows. Scholar Juan José Batalla Rosado has identified an iconographic element unique to depictions of Tezcatlipoca in codices from central Mexico, which both Rosado and Sahagún call the " ezpitzal ." The term is likely derived from
268-471: A dual aspect: the tonal , representing their everyday awareness and ego, and the nagual , representing their deeper, limitless self. The Nagual serves as a guide, helping individuals access hidden potential and spiritual insight by harmonizing these two aspects. In Mesoamerican folk religion , a nagual (pronounced [na'wal]) or nahual (both from the Nahuatl word nāhualli [naˈwaːlːi] )
335-543: A snake. Although there are striking similarities between possible earlier imagery of Tezcatlipoca, archaeologists and art historians are split in the debate. It is possible that he is the same god that the Olmec and Maya term their "jaguar deity", or alternately that he is an Aztec expansion on foundations set by the Olmec and Maya, as the Aztecs routinely took deliberate inspiration from earlier Mesoamerican cultures. Tezcatlipoca
402-405: A statue of the god for which copal incense was burned four times a day. The Codex Magliabechiano contains a passage relating Tezcatlipoca with the temascal , or sweatbath. The text states, "when any sick person went to the bath house, [they] offered incense, which they call copal , to the idol and covered the body in black in veneration of the idol they call Tezcatepocatl [Tezcatlipoca], who
469-408: A tomato, or like a pebble, as if hewn of wood ... He who was thus, without flaw, who had no [bodily] defects, who had no blemishes, no moles, who had no lacerations or wrinkles on his body, they then looked well that he be taught to blow the flute ... For the duration of Toxcatl's preparation, the teixiptla lived as a god would, wearing expensive jewelry and having eight attendants. The young man also
536-402: A warrior." He would then be wed to four young women, also chosen in advance and isolated for a full year and treated as goddesses. This marriage, occurring after a full year of abstinence, symbolized a period of fertility which followed the drought. The young man would spend his last week singing, feasting and dancing. During the feast where he was worshipped as the deity he personified, he climbed
603-537: Is Mesoamerican in origin. Nagualism is linked with pre-Columbian shamanistic practices through Pre-classic Olmec and Toltec depictions that are interpreted as human beings transforming themselves into animals. The system is linked with the Mesoamerican calendrical system , used for divination rituals. Birth dates often determine if a person can become a nagual. Mesoamerican belief in tonalism , wherein every person has an animal counterpart to which their life force
670-457: Is a human being who has the power to shapeshift into their tonal animal counterpart. Nagualism is tied to the belief one can access power and spiritual insight by connecting with the tonal animal within. The word nagual derives from the Nahuatl word nāhualli [naˈwaːlːi] , an indigenous religious practitioner, identified by the Spanish as a 'magician'. In English, the word
737-399: Is acquired at birth, along with other characteristics associated with a person's birth day. Each day is associated with an animal that has strong and weak aspects. A person born on "Dog Day" would have both strong and weak 'dog' aspects. In Nahuatl the word tonalli is used to refer both to a day and to the animal associated with that day. The nagual is considered different; where the tonal
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#1732772105003804-531: Is also recounted in the legends of Tollan , wherein Tezcatlipoca deceives Quetzalcoatl, ruler of the legendary city, and forces him into exile. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca both collaborated in the different creations and that both were seen as instrumental in the creation of life. Karl Taube and Mary Miller, specialists in Mesoamerican studies, write that, "More than anything Tezcatlipoca appears to be
871-465: Is also shown with two unaltered feet, but does possess the white sandals, armbands, and adorned ears and head of Tezcatlipoca. He also carries arrows and a spear, the typical weapons of the war god. Finally, perhaps coincidentally, the figure is bounded on the left side by the symbols for acatl (reed) and tecpatl (flint knife), both of which are associated with Tezcatlipoca. Depicting either Tezcatlipoca and Xiuhtecutli surrounded by calendrical symbols
938-426: Is an overall consensus that it is a general holy place to worship the gods, specifically mentioned as "his [Tezcatlipoca's] viewing place". The priests of Tezcatlipoca often wore the ornaments of the god and wore specific garments for different rituals. Most frequently worn were white turkey feather headdresses, a paper loincloth, and a tzanatl stick with similar feathers and paper decorations. Another common practice
1005-667: Is certain for some groups and communities, but for others, such as the Mixes, Chinantecos, Triquis, or Tacuates, those who can control their nahual or alterego are protectors of the people, natural resources and culture of the community, highly revered, but also feared. The nagual was popularized in shamanism books by author Carlos Castaneda . The practice of Nagualism was often accompanied by use of hallucinogens , including peyote , ololiuqui , and psylocibin mushrooms known as teonanácatl . Use of these medicinal herbs were said to unlock powers of perception and insight in those performing
1072-593: Is deeply tied to the energetic realms beyond the material world, known as the Tonal and Nagual. While the Tonal encompasses the rational, known aspects of reality, the Nagual represents the unknown and limitless potential of pure energy. The Nagual is not only a universal force but also a person who has achieved mastery over this force, guiding others through personal and spiritual evolution. The Nagual in its universal form
1139-550: Is equally logical in both cases, as Tezcatlipoca is represented in other codices in association with the calendar, and Xiuhtecutli was a god of the sun and passage of time. The page also features the ollin symbol, a trecena that additionally represented eras of time, including the five suns . These mythological eras were begun by Tezcatlipoca, but Aztec festivals which celebrated the completion of eras involved worship of Xiuhtecutli. The codex features additional, more standardized depictions of both deities in its later pages. Many of
1206-719: Is linked, is drawn upon by nagualism. However, modern scholars have struggled to grasp the ever-evolving and contentious meanings associated with Mesoamerican Nahua terms like nahualli and tonalli. This includes their derivatives, such as nahualismo and tonalismo. Hence, it's recommended to use clearer, descriptive language. For instance, instead of discussing nahualism, we can talk about the belief that certain individuals, often in influential social roles, possess specific spiritual abilities. These abilities allow them to transform into animals or even natural phenomena like lightning, wind, clouds, or fireballs, enabling them to perform remarkable feats while in these "disguises." The nagual trait
1273-565: Is not pre-Columbian , arguing that it was wholly imported from Europe, where he compared it to the medieval belief in werewolves . However, shapeshifting folklore is not limited to Europe, nor to the Middle Ages; for example, some of Earth's oldest literature, the Bronze Age Eastern Semitic Epic of Gilgamesh , and East Asia's Huli Jing (origin of this folklore is of unknown date, but eighteenth century at
1340-429: Is often translated as "transforming witch," but translations without negative connotations include "transforming trickster ," " shape shifter ," "pure spirit ," or "pure being ." In the context of Toltec teachings, a Nagual (from the Nahuatl word "nāhualli") refers to both the unmanifested energy field of the universe and an individual with the ability to channel that energy for spiritual transformation. The concept
1407-573: Is often translated from the Nahuatl as "smoking mirror." It alludes to his connection to obsidian , the material from which mirrors were made in Mesoamerica . They were used for shamanic rituals and prophecy, and as such Tezcatlipoca is additionally associated with divination. Tezcatlipoca had many epithets which alluded to different aspects of his deity and also point to his centrality in Aztec worship. Bernardino de Sahagún , in Book VI of
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#17327721050031474-464: Is one of their major gods." Despite these references, Mary Miller states that the deity actually depicted in codex illustrations and the one more likely to be associated with the temascal is Tlazoteotl . Tezcatlipoca's main feast was Toxcatl, which occurred during the eponymous fifth month of the Aztec calendar . The preparations began a year in advance, when a young man was chosen by priests to become
1541-406: Is the day spirit itself, the nagual is the familiar spirit of the day. It is probable that the tonal represents the daytime aspect and the nagual the nighttime aspect of the tonalli, 'the things of the day'. Practitioners of powerful magic were normally born on days related to animals with a strong or harmful aspect. They would have specific tonals such as the jaguar or puma . In Aztec mythology
1608-423: Is the energy field from which all creation arises. It is unbounded by time, space, or form, and exists as pure potentiality. Toltec spiritual seekers aim to access this vast, unknown realm to transcend the limits of the Tonal, expanding their awareness and spiritual capacities. In Toltec terms, this corresponds to a state of total freedom and unity with the universe. An individual Nagual is a person who can traverse
1675-553: The Florentine Codex , refers to Tezcatlipoca with 360 different forms. These include: Few representations of Tezcatlipoca survive into the present day, due in large part to a significant portion of codices being destroyed by Catholic priests. Simultaneously, some Aztec texts note that the darkness and omnipresence of Tezcatlipoca make him something akin to "invisible", thus direct representations of him are considered inadequate or even impossible. Still, multiple depictions of
1742-521: The Codex Borgia and Codex Fejéváry-Mayer , where Tezcatlipoca is surrounded by day signs, implying a sort of mastery over them. A talisman related to Tezcatlipoca was a disc worn as a chest pectoral, called the anahuatl . This talisman was carved out of abalone shell and depicted on the chest of both Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca in codex illustrations. The origins of Tezcatlipoca can be traced to earlier Mesoamerican deities worshipped by
1809-592: The Codex Fejéváry-Mayer , one of the more well-known images from Aztec codices, features a god circumscribed in the 20 trecena , or day symbols, of the Tōnalpōhualli . The exact identity of this god is unclear, but is most likely either Tezcatlipoca or Xiuhtecutli . The figure has yellow and black face paint, as is characteristic of Tezcatlipoca. But as Olivier points out, "gods like Xiuhtecutli or Huitzilopoctli have similar facial painting." The figure
1876-476: The Florentine Codex how the teixiptla must possess certain physical qualities in order to be worthy of becoming Tezcatlipoca: For he who was chosen was of fair countenance, of good understanding and quick, clean body— slender like a reed; long and thin like a stout cane; well-built; not of overfed body, not corpulent, and neither very small nor exceedingly tall. [He was] like something smoothed, like
1943-466: The Nagual and the Tonal is one of balance. While the Tonal represents all that is known—our identity, the world, the self—the Nagual is everything that remains beyond understanding, including the energy field from which the Tonal arises. Achieving personal mastery means integrating these two forces, realizing the limits of the Tonal, and embracing the vastness of the Nagual. In modern spirituality,
2010-570: The Nagual can be found across global traditions. In Buddhism , it can be likened to the concept of Shunyata (emptiness), or in Hinduism , to Brahman , the ultimate, unchanging reality. Both describe states of being or energy that transcend the known and manifest world, much like the Toltec Nagual does. The Nagual is central to personal transformation in Toltec teachings. By accessing
2077-585: The Nagual has parallels to concepts like the Higher Self or Universal Consciousness. Although rooted in Mesoamerican spirituality, it speaks to a universal human experience of accessing deeper layers of awareness. Through practices such as meditation, energy work, and heightened states of consciousness, individuals aim to tap into the Nagual as a source of transformation, much like other traditions that seek unity with universal energy. While unique to Toltec and Mesoamerican spirituality, similar archetypes to
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2144-591: The Olmec and Maya . Similarities exist between Tezcatlipoca and the patron deity of the K'iche' Maya , Tohil , as described in the Popol Vuh . The name Tohil refers to obsidian and he was associated with sacrifice. The Classic Maya god of rulership and thunder, K'awiil (known to modern Mayanists as "God K", or the "Manikin Scepter"), was depicted with a smoking obsidian knife in his forehead and one leg replaced with
2211-530: The Templo Mayor . According to Diego Durán , it was "lofty and magnificently built. Eighty steps led to a landing twelve or fourteen feet wide. Beyond it stood a wide, long chamber the size of a great hall ...". There were several smaller temples dedicated to Tezcatlipoca in the city, among them the ones called "Tlacochcalco" and "Huitznahuatl". Tezcatlipoca was also worshipped in many other Nahua cities such as Texcoco , Tlaxcala and Chalco . Each temple had
2278-453: The 15th month. For Aztec nobility, this "patron deity" is fundamental in the social and natural phenomena justified by religion during this time. Extreme reverence and respect, characterized by ceremonial proceedings in which priests were "to pay homage" to Tezcatlipoca, or where "citizens waited expectantly" for ceremonial proceedings to start under the low hum of "shell trumpets," were commonplace, especially for this deity. Utter respect from
2345-636: The Aztecs: the culture hero , Quetzalcoatl . 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. 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. In later myths,
2412-533: The Nagual, individuals can break free from limiting beliefs and patterns of the Tonal. This energetic process allows for deep spiritual growth, healing, and a greater alignment with the higher purpose. The ultimate aim of Toltec spiritual practice is to create a balance between the Tonal and Nagual, leading to a state of "totality" where one is fully connected with both the material and energetic aspects of existence. Naguals use their powers for good or evil according to their personality. The general concept of nagualism
2479-462: The Nahuatl words for "blood" ( eztli ) and "to become enflamed with anger" or "to rise with anger" ( pitza ). Alternate translations for pitza make reference to blowing or playing instruments like the flute, which appear during the Tozcatl fest and may then have some relation with Tezcatlipoca himself. The term ezpitzal has since been translated as "flow of blood", but Rosado additionally points out
2546-606: The bloody steps of the pyramid with dignity and pride." "The sacrifice itself marked the end of the drought." Immediately after he died a new victim for the next year's ceremony was chosen. Tezcatlipoca was also honoured during the ceremony of the ninth month, when the Miccailhuitontli "Little Feast of the Dead" was celebrated to honour the dead, as well as during the Panquetzaliztli "Raising of Banners" ceremony in
2613-403: 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. It was gods like Tezcatlipoca that solidified this notion, representing both the silent wind, and thunderous war. Nagual In Mesoamerican and Toltec spiritual traditions,
2680-402: The deity exist, and common trends and symbols can be identified. One of the most recognizable iconographic details of Tezcatlipoca is his face paint, called mixchictlapanticac. Most commonly, he is shown with horizontal bands of black and yellow, though codices may vary in which two colors are depicted. Mary Miller has posited that the combination of yellow and black might be a connection to
2747-444: The earth monster Cipactli . The obsidian mirror may also appear on his chest, as a breastplate, and often is shown emanating smoke — a literal representation of his name and role. In the majority of representations, Tezcatlipoca bears the mirror in one hand, where it is surrounded by feathers of various colors. Tezcatlipoca often wears a headdress of feathers , flowers, and/or flint knives. His head could be additionally ornamented with
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2814-672: The embodiment of change through conflict." A large and detailed depiction of Tezcatlipoca appears in the Codex Borgia carrying the 20 day signs of the calendar ; in the Codex Cospi he is shown as a spirit of darkness, as well as in the Codex Laud and the Dresden Codex . His cult was associated with royalty, and was the subject of the most lengthy and reverent prayers in the rites of kingship, as well as being mentioned frequently in coronation speeches. The temple of Tezcatlipoca
2881-647: The four gods who created the world, Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli and Xipe Totec were referred to respectively as the Black, the White, the Blue and the Red Tezcatlipoca. The four Tezcatlipocas were the sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, lady and lord of the duality, and were the creators of all the other gods, as well as the world and all humanity. The rivalry between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca
2948-435: The full length of his arms, the majority of his legs, or any combination thereof can be depicted. Later scholarship has identified the black material with which the god was supposedly painted as tezcatlipoctli. He is often depicted with various symbolic objects in place of his right foot, such as an obsidian mirror , bone, or a serpent. This is an allusion to the creation myth, in which Tezcatlipoca loses his foot battling with
3015-438: The god Tezcatlipoca was the protector of nagualism, because his tonal was the jaguar and he governed the distribution of wealth. In modern rural Mexico, nagual is sometimes synonymous with brujo ("wizard"); one who is able to shapeshift into an animal at night (normally into a dog , owl , bat , wolf or turkey ), drink blood from human victims, steal property, cause disease, and the like. In some indigenous communities
3082-487: The gods. Most were sung to praise the highest deities, including Tezcatlipoca, who was often addressed as the "Giver of Life". In one hymn, he is mentioned as being both the creator and destroyer of the world, and both as a poet and a scribe. Everyone, including commoners, high priests, and the king, were involved in some aspect of the Toxcatl ceremonies. Tezcatlipoca was often described as a rival of another important god of
3149-441: The highest position of Aztec nobility, the king, shown through the figurative and literal nakedness of his presence in front of Tezcatlipoca. The king would stand "naked, emphasizing his utter unworthiness", speaking as nothing but a vessel for the god's will. The new king would claim his spiritual nakedness symbolically through words and physical vulnerability, praising Tezcatlipoca with lines such as: O master, O our lord, O lord of
3216-417: The jaguar, with which Tezcatlipoca is associated. Black is the foremost color associated with Tezcatlipoca, not only because of his role as a god of nighttime and darkness, but to differentiate him from the other three so-called Tezcatlipocas (Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopoctli, and Xipe-Totec) and their respective colors (white, blue, and red). Which parts of his body are painted black varies by site; half of his leg,
3283-431: The land from her body. After that, they created the people, and people had to offer sacrifices to comfort Cipactli for her sufferings. Because of this, Tezcatlipoca is depicted with a missing foot. Following this, Tezcatlipoca turned himself into the sun. As a result of his transformation, this and all subsequent ages of humanity were referred to as the five suns . Quetzalcoatl was furious, so he knocked Tezcatlipoca out of
3350-480: The latest), contain shapeshifters. The werewolf ( lycanthropy ) is neither the only nor the earliest form of folklorical therianthropy (shapeshifting from human to animal, or vice versa). Kaplan concludes that, in Oaxaca, the belief in naguals as evil, shape shifting witches is common in both indigenous and Mestizo populations. According to Kaplan, the belief in animal spirit companions is exclusively indigenous. This
3417-424: The likeness of Tezcatlipoca. This individual was called the teixiptla or "deity impersonator" and was chosen to ceremonially represent the god to the Aztec people. The teixiptla was usually selected from among captive warriors, and the chosen individual was bathed and ceremoniously cleansed for the role that he was to undertake. Sometimes, slaves were purchased for the ceremony. Benardino de Sahagún describes in
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#17327721050033484-623: The nagual is integrated into the religious hierarchy. The community knows who is a nagual, tolerating, fearing and respecting them. Nagualli are hired to remove curses cast by other nagualli. In other communities the accusation of nagualism may result in violent attacks on the accused by the community. The Western study of nagualism was initiated by archaeologist, linguist, and ethnologist Daniel Garrison Brinton who published Nagualism: A Study in Native-American Folklore and History , which chronicled historical interpretations of
3551-404: The near, of the night, O night, O wind ... Poor am I. In what manner shall I act for thy city? In what manner shall I act for the governed, for the vassals (macehualtin)? For I am blind, I am deaf, I am an imbecile, and in excrement, in filth hath my lifetime been ... Perhaps thou mistaketh me for another; perhaps thou seekest another in my stead For kings, lords, priests, and citizens alike,
3618-405: The new king fasted and meditated, "which included prayers in honor of Tezcatlipoca, the patron deity of the royal house". Tezcatlipoca's priests were offered into his service by their parents as children, often because they were sick. These children would then have their skin painted black and be adorned with quail feathers in the image of the god. Sacred hymns were also chanted at ceremonies to honor
3685-458: The realms of both the Tonal and Nagual. These spiritual guides play a crucial role in the Toltec path, helping others reach higher states of awareness. They have mastered the energetic forces of the Nagual, using their understanding to influence change, heal, and bring forth transformation. In this role, they connect people to their own spiritual potential, guiding them on the journey toward greater consciousness and freedom. The relationship between
3752-457: The sense of rage and violence the ezpitzal is meant to signify—an element which points to Tezcatlipoca's nature and his role as a god of conflict. The ezpitzal is one or more streams of blood shown emanating from Tezcatlipoca's head, sometimes accompanied by the symbol for a flint knife or a heart. In some cases, the idea of the ezpitzal was artistically transformed into a headband or garland, adorned with flowers or stones. The frontispiece of
3819-404: The service of Tezcatlipoca, one of them likely being the one Sahagún calls " huitznahuac teohua omacatl ". Others were the calmeca teteuctin who were allowed to eat the ritual food offered to Tezcatlipoca, still more accompanied the impersonator of Tezcatlipoca in the year prior to his execution. Honoring Tezcatlipoca was fundamental to both the priesthood and the nobility. "On his installation",
3886-402: The sky with a stone club. Angered, Tezcatlipoca turned into a jaguar and destroyed the world. Quetzalcoatl, then, replaced him as the sun and started the second age of the world, and it became populated again. Tezcatlipoca overthrew Quetzalcoatl, forcing him to send a great wind that devastated the world, and the people who survived were turned into monkeys. Tlaloc , the god of rain, then became
3953-400: The stairs to the top of the temple on his own where the priests seized him, a time in which he proceeded to symbolically crush "one by one the clay flutes on which he had played in his brief moment of glory", and then was sacrificed, his body being eaten later. The young man would approach this sacrifice willingly, as being sacrificed in this manner was a great honor. "Sacrificial victims mounted
4020-469: The sun. But he had his wife stolen away by Tezcatlipoca. Angered in turn, he would not make it rain for several years until, in a fit of rage, he made it rain fire. The few people who survived the assault turned into the birds. Chalchiuhtlicue the Water Goddess then became the sun. However, she was crushed by Tezcatlipoca's accusation that she only pretended to be kind. She cried for many years and
4087-474: The symbol for smoke. Heron feathers or balls of eagle down, like that from which Huitzilopochtli was born, often adorned his head, clothing, and shield. He variably wore earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry, all rendered in precious materials like gold and jade . A motif of skulls and crossbones is recorded appearing in some pictures, but likely would have followed the European popularization of such
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#17327721050034154-582: The temples 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". There are also several references to momoztli . Although the exact definition of the momoztli is unknown, with definitions varying from "mound", "stone seat" and "temple", there
4221-970: The word and those who practiced nagualism in Mexico in 1894. He identified various beliefs associated with nagualism in modern Mexican communities such as the Mixe , the Nahua , the Zapotec and the Mixtec . Subsequently, many studies have described nagualism in different Mesoamerican cultures such as the Zoques and the Jakaltek , K'iche' , Q'eqchi' , and Tzeltal Maya . Among the Jacaltek, naguals reinforce indigenism by punishing those who collaborate with non-indigenous Ladinos . In 1955, Gustavo Correa suggested nagualism
4288-475: The world was destroyed by the resulting floods. Those who survived the deluge were turned into fish. According to Aztec belief, Tezcatlipoca had a great many associations: the night sky , night winds, hurricanes , the north, the earth, obsidian , hostility, discord, rulership, divination , temptation, jaguars , sorcery, beauty, war , and conflict. His main temple in Tenochtitlan was located south of
4355-418: Was dressed in the likeness of the god and people on the streets would worship him as such when encountered. "For one year he lived a life of honor," the handsome young man "worshipped literally as the embodiment of the deity". During the last 20 days before being sacrificed, the teixiptla had their appearance transformed back to that of a warrior. "He had been a warrior who was captured, and he ended his life as
4422-473: Was in the Great Precinct of Tenochtitlan . In one of the Aztec accounts of creation, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca joined forces to create the world. Before their act there was only the sea and the primordial, crocodilian earth monster called Cipactli . To attract her, Tezcatlipoca used his foot as bait for Cipactli, and she, in turn, ate it. The two gods then captured her, and distorted her to make
4489-465: Was to cover themselves in black soot or ground charcoal while they were involved in priestly activities at the temple or during rituals. They would also cover the sick and newly appointed king in a similar manner with a black ointment to encourage an association with the god. When the ritual called for it, priests would also dress up as Tezcatlipoca himself and accompany other similarly outfitted gods or goddesses. Several types of priests were dedicated to
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