The Mexica believed that the world had been created and destroyed four times before the present age, and each previous creation was called a “sun,” a word that refers both to the period of cosmic time and to the divine being who was believed to rule that period. The myth of the destruction of the previous suns ranks among the most important in the Mexica religious tradition, and it provides the cosmic context for the Mexica understanding of history and the human condition. The Mexica believed that the present age, the age of the Fifth Sun, was the last, and that it was destined to end in earthquakes.
The First Sun: Nahui-Ocelotl
The first sun, called Nahui-Ocelotl, the “Four Jaguar,” was ruled by the god Tezcatlipoca in his aspect as the Lord of the Night. The first age was one of giants, of beings who were able to communicate with the gods and who lived in peace and harmony. Yet the people of the first age failed to honor the gods properly, and the first sun was destroyed when the jaguars, the animals of the night, devoured the people of the first age. The destruction was the work of Tezcatlipoca, who was transformed into a jaguar and who devoured the people as punishment for their failure.
The few humans who survived the destruction retreated to the caves of the earth, and they waited for the gods to create a new age. The myth of the first age may reflect ancient memories of a great cataclysm, perhaps a volcanic eruption or a devastating flood. The first age was associated with the color black, with the element of earth, and with the jaguar.
The Second Sun: Nahui-Ehecatl
The second sun, called Nahui-Ehecatl, the “Four Wind,” was ruled by Quetzalcoatl in his aspect as the god of wind. The second age was one of less powerful beings, the ancestors of the present humans, who lived in more ordinary conditions. Yet the people of the second age also failed to honor the gods, and the second sun was destroyed when the great winds blew across the earth, sweeping away the people and the buildings they had constructed.
The destruction was the work of Tezcatlipoca, who was angry at the people for their failure to honor the gods, and who transformed himself into the wind to destroy them. The few humans who survived the destruction were transformed into monkeys, and they retreated to the forests to escape the divine anger. The second age was associated with the color white, with the element of wind, and with the monkey.
The Third Sun: Nahui-Quiahuitl
The third sun, called Nahui-Quiahuitl, the “Four Rain,” was ruled by Tlaloc, the rain god, in his aspect as the bringer of storms. The third age was one of agricultural abundance, with the people living in harmony with the natural world. Yet the people of the third age also failed to honor the gods, and the third sun was destroyed when a great rain of fire fell from the sky, burning the people and the buildings they had constructed.
The destruction was the work of Tlaloc, who was angry at the people for their failure to honor the rain, and who unleashed a rain of fire to punish them. The few humans who survived the destruction were transformed into turkeys, and they retreated to the forests to escape the divine anger. The third age was associated with the color red, with the element of fire, and with the turkey.
The Fourth Sun: Nahui-Atl
The fourth sun, called Nahui-Atl, the “Four Water,” was ruled by Chalchiuhtlicue, the water goddess. The fourth age was one of relative prosperity, with the people living in villages and cultivating the land. Yet the people of the fourth age also failed to honor the gods, and the fourth sun was destroyed when a great flood covered the earth, drowning the people and the buildings they had constructed.
The destruction was the work of Tlaloc, who was angry at the people for their failure to honor the water, and who unleashed a great flood to punish them. The few humans who survived the destruction were transformed into fish, and they retreated to the waters to escape the divine anger. The fourth age was associated with the color blue, with the element of water, and with the fish. The destruction of the fourth sun was particularly important because it was the most recent catastrophe, and it was a vivid memory in the Mexica historical tradition.
The Significance of the Myth
The myth of the destruction of the previous suns had a profound impact on Mexica religious belief and practice. The Mexica believed that the destruction of the previous suns was the result of the failure of the people to honor the gods properly, and they concluded that the only way to prevent the destruction of the present sun was to honor the gods with the appropriate rituals, including human sacrifice. The myth also gave the Mexica a sense of cosmic fragility, and it made the present age particularly precious and particularly vulnerable.
The myth of the destruction of the previous suns is also important for the modern study of Mexica civilization. The myth provides a framework for understanding Mexica religious belief, and it shows the deep connection between Mexica cosmology and Mexica ritual practice. The myth is also a remarkable example of the Mexica narrative imagination, and it has been the subject of much scholarly analysis and interpretation.
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