The Mexica believed that the gods had created the present humanity in the days after the destruction of the fourth sun. According to the myth recorded in the Florentine Codex, the god Quetzalcoatl descended to the underworld, Mictlan, to recover the bones of the previous humans, who had been destroyed in the great flood. The lord of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, agreed to give Quetzalcoatl the bones on the condition that he could keep some of them. Quetzalcoatl agreed, and he took the bones and brought them to the surface of the earth. The gods then performed a ceremony to give the bones new life, and they transformed them into the first humans of the present age.
Quetzalcoatl’s Descent to Mictlan
According to the myth, Quetzalcoatl was chosen by the other gods to descend to the underworld to recover the bones of the previous humans. Quetzalcoatl traveled to Mictlan, the place of the dead, where he found the lord of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, and his wife, Mictecacihuatl. Mictlantecuhtli agreed to give Quetzalcoatl the bones, but on the condition that Quetzalcoatl could carry them away without performing the proper rituals. Quetzalcoatl agreed, but he was careful to perform the rituals anyway, and he was able to escape with the bones.
The descent of Quetzalcoatl to Mictlan was a dangerous journey, and he had to overcome a number of trials and obstacles. He had to pass through the various levels of the underworld, and he had to deal with the various gods and the various dangers that were present there. The descent was a central part of Mexica mythology, and it was reenacted in the major religious rituals, particularly the rituals of the month of Toxcatl.
The Ceremony of the Bones
After Quetzalcoatl had brought the bones to the surface of the earth, the gods performed a ceremony to give the bones new life. The ceremony was performed by the gods at a place called Teotihuacan, the ancient city of the gods. The bones were placed on a large dish, and the gods performed a series of rituals to transform them into the first humans of the present age. The rituals included the offering of blood by the gods, who cut their ears and their tongues to provide the blood that was needed to give life to the bones.
The ceremony of the bones was a central part of Mexica religious belief, and it was regularly reenacted in the major religious rituals. The Mexica believed that the humans of the present age were the result of the divine sacrifice of the gods, and that they were obligated to repay this sacrifice with their own devotions and their own offerings, including human sacrifice. The myth of the creation of humanity was closely tied to the Mexica practice of human sacrifice, and it provided the religious justification for the practice.
The Meaning of the Myth
The myth of the creation of humanity was rich in symbolism. The myth establishes the relationship between the humans and the gods, with the humans owing their existence to the divine sacrifice and the divine will. The myth also establishes the obligation of the humans to honor the gods, and it provides the religious justification for the Mexica practice of human sacrifice.
The myth of the creation of humanity also reflects the Mexica understanding of the cosmos and the human condition. The Mexica believed that the humans of the present age were the result of a long process of creation and destruction, and that they were the heirs of a long line of previous humanities. The Mexica also believed that the humans of the present age were particularly precious and particularly vulnerable, and that they were obligated to maintain the cosmic order through proper ritual and proper devotion.
The Legacy of the Myth
The myth of the creation of humanity has been the subject of much scholarly analysis, and it remains the most important myths in the Mexica religious tradition. The myth has been compared to similar myths in other religious traditions, including the Christian myth of the creation of Adam and Eve. The myth is also an important part of the modern Mexican national identity, and it is widely remembered in Mexican popular culture and in the national mythology.
The myth of the creation of humanity also has implications for the modern understanding of Mexica civilization. The myth provides a window into the Mexica understanding of the cosmos and the human condition, and it shows the deep connection between Mexica cosmology and Mexica religious practice. The myth is evidence of the sophistication of Mexica thought, and it is a reminder of the cultural inheritance of the Mexica.
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- Aztec Creation Myth and the Five Suns — the broader context
- What happened to the previous suns? — the destruction
- What is the Aztec story of the Fifth Sun? — the present age
- Major Gods of the Aztec Pantheon — the gods
- Human Sacrifice in Aztec Religion — the ritual response
- Aztec Religion and Mythology — the broader context