The fifth sun, called Nahui-Ollin, the “Four Movement,” is the present age in which we are now living. According to Mexica tradition, the fifth sun was created by the gods at a great gathering at Teotihuacan, the ancient city of the gods, where the gods met to determine who would become the new sun. The gods selected Nanahuatzin, a small and humble god who had been covered with sores, to become the sun, and Tecciztecatl, a rich and proud god, to become the moon. The gods were required to sacrifice themselves to set the cosmos in motion, and they built a great fire at Teotihuacan and required Nanahuatzin and Tecciztecatl to leap into the flames. The myth of the creation of the Fifth Sun was central to Mexica religious belief, and it shaped the Mexica understanding of time, of history, and of the human condition.
The Gathering of the Gods at Teotihuacan
According to the myth, the gods gathered at Teotihuacan, the ancient city of the gods, to discuss the creation of a new sun. The gods had been in darkness since the destruction of the fourth sun, and they needed to create a new sun to bring light to the world. The gods met in the great temple of Teotihuacan, and they discussed who would become the new sun and who would become the new moon.
The gods finally selected two candidates: Nanahuatzin, a small and humble god who had been covered with sores, and Tecciztecatl, a rich and proud god. The gods built a great fire, and they required the two candidates to leap into the flames. The gods were required to sacrifice themselves to set the cosmos in motion, and the two candidates were the first to make the sacrifice.
The Sacrifice of the Gods
Nanahuatzin and Tecciztecatl were required to leap into the great fire, and the two candidates prepared for the sacrifice. Tecciztecatl, who was rich and proud, hesitated at the edge of the fire, and he tried to make Nanahuatzin leap first. Nanahuatzin, who was humble and unafraid, leapt into the fire without hesitation, and he was transformed into the sun. Tecciztecatl, ashamed of his hesitation, also leapt into the fire, and he was transformed into the moon.
Yet because Tecciztecatl had hesitated, the moon was given a dimmer light than the sun. The new sun, however, refused to move across the sky, and the gods were required to sacrifice themselves to convince him to begin his daily journey. The gods died one by one, and the sun began to move. The sacrifice of the gods was a central part of Mexica religious belief, and it provided the religious justification for the Mexica practice of human sacrifice.
The Symbolism of the Myth
The myth of the creation of the Fifth Sun is rich in symbolism. The choice of Nanahuatzin, a humble and sickly god, over Tecciztecatl, a rich and proud god, reflects the Mexica belief that the gods valued humility and devotion over wealth and pride. The transformation of Nanahuatzin into the sun reflects the Mexica belief that the sun was a manifestation of divine sacrifice, and that the sun required constant feeding with blood and human hearts to continue its daily journey.
The myth also reflects the Mexica understanding of the cosmic order. 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 Mexica also believed that the only way to prevent the destruction of the Fifth Sun was to honor the gods with the appropriate rituals, including human sacrifice. The myth provided the religious justification for the Mexica practice of human sacrifice, and it gave the Mexica state a divine mission to maintain the cosmic order.
The Legacy of the Myth
The myth of the Fifth Sun 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 resurrection and the Hindu myth of the churning of the ocean. 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 Fifth Sun 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.
Related Articles
- Aztec Creation Myth and the Five Suns — the broader context
- What happened to the previous suns? — the destruction
- How were humans created in the Aztec myth? — the creation of humanity
- Major Gods of the Aztec Pantheon — the gods
- Human Sacrifice in Aztec Religion — the ritual response
- Aztec Religion and Mythology — the broader context