The Mexica regarded the mountains around the Valley of Mexico as sacred places, and they recognized a hierarchy of sacred mountains that were associated with the gods and the directions. The most important of these mountains were the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, which dominated the eastern horizon of the Valley of Mexico, and the mountain of Tlaloc, which was the destination of pilgrimages for those seeking the favor of the rain god. The mountains were places of pilgrimage and of sacrifice, and they were the venue for many of the most important rituals of the religious year.
Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl
The two most important sacred mountains around the Valley of Mexico were the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, which dominated the eastern horizon. Popocatépetl, the “Smoking Mountain,” is an active volcano that rises to a height of 5,426 meters, and it was associated with the warrior tradition and with the Mexica state. The Mexica believed that the volcano was the home of the warriors who had died in battle, and they made pilgrimages to the mountain to honor them.
Iztaccíhuatl, the “White Woman,” is a dormant volcano that rises to a height of 5,230 meters, and it was associated with fertility and with the earth. The Mexica believed that the volcano was the home of the women who had died in childbirth, and they made pilgrimages to the mountain to honor them. The volcano was also associated with the earth goddess, and it was a symbol of the Mexica connection to the natural world.
The two volcanoes were also associated with a famous Mexica love story. According to the legend, Popocatépetl was a warrior who loved Iztaccíhuatl, the daughter of a chief. The two lovers were separated by war, and Iztaccíhuatl died of grief, believing that Popocatépetl had been killed in battle. When Popocatépetl returned, he found Iztaccíhuatl dead, and he carried her body to the mountains, where he laid her down and watched over her forever. The gods were so moved by the lovers’ devotion that they turned the lovers into mountains, and the two volcanoes have stood side by side ever since.
The Mountain of Tlaloc
The most important mountain for the cult of Tlaloc was the mountain of Tlaloc, also called the Cerro de Tlaloc, which is located to the east of the Valley of Mexico. The mountain was the home of the rain god, and it was the destination of pilgrimages for those seeking the favor of the god. The mountain was a particularly important destination during times of drought, and the Mexica believed that a pilgrimage to the mountain could bring the rains.
The mountain of Tlaloc was the venue for some of the most important rituals of the cult of Tlaloc, including the sacrifice of children, who were believed to be especially pleasing to the rain god. The children were taken to the mountain, where they were sacrificed in elaborate rituals. According to Mexica belief, the tears that children shed as they were led to the mountaintop shrines were transformed into rain that would fall on the fields of the valley. The ritual was performed with great solemnity, and elaborate ceremonies were carried out both to honor the children and to ensure the fertility of the fields for the coming year.
Other Sacred Mountains
In addition to Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl, and the mountain of Tlaloc, the Mexica recognized many other sacred mountains around the Valley of Mexico. These included the Cerro de la Estrella, which was the venue for the New Fire Ceremony; the Cerro del Tepozteco, which was the home of the god Tepoztecatl; and the Cerro de la Silla, which was associated with the moon goddess. Each of these mountains had its own mythology, its own rituals, and its own patron deity.
The Mexica also recognized sacred mountains in the territories they had conquered, and they incorporated these mountains into the imperial religious system. The most important of these was the volcano of Popocatépetl, which was the destination of military expeditions, and the mountain of Huaxtepec, which was associated with the cult of Xochipilli.
The Importance of the Sacred Mountains
The sacred mountains shaped the Mexica religious geography, and they were the destination of countless pilgrims over the centuries. The mountains were places of pilgrimage and of sacrifice, and they were the venue for many of the most important rituals of the religious year. The mountains were also a source of water, of wood, and of obsidian, and they were closely tied to the agricultural and economic life of the valley.
The sacred mountains also had an important influence on Mexica art and literature. The mountains were the subject of many Mexica poems, songs, and stories, and they were a common motif in Mexica art. The mountains were also an important part of the Mexica cosmovision, and they represented the Mexica understanding of the universe and the human condition.
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