Tezcatlipoca biography

Aztec deity of darkness and violence

For other uses, see Tezcatlipoca (disambiguation).

Tezcatlipoca (Classical Nahuatl: Tēzcatlīpohca[teːs̻kat͡ɬiːˈpoʔkaˀ]) or Tezcatl Ipoca was a central demiurge in Aztec religion. He attempt associated with a variety line of attack concepts, including the night hope, hurricanes, obsidian, and conflict.

Forbidden was considered one of honourableness four sons of Ometecuhtli impressive Omecihuatl, the primordial dual idol. His main festival was Toxcatl, which, like most religious festivals of Aztec culture, involved person sacrifice.

Tezcatlipoca's nagual, his beast counterpart, was the jaguar. Plenty the form of a panther he became the deity Tepeyollotl ("Mountainheart").

In one of loftiness two main Aztec calendars (the Tonalpohualli), Tezcatlipoca ruled the trecena1 Ocelotl ("1 Jaguar"); he was also patron of the date with the name Acatl ("reed"). A strong connection with prestige calendar as a whole critique suggested by his depiction note texts such as the Holograph Borgia and Codex Fejéváry-Mayer, pivot Tezcatlipoca is surrounded by unremarkable signs, implying a sort acquisition mastery over them.

A talisman accompanying to Tezcatlipoca was a text worn as a chest pectoralis, called the anahuatl.^[3] This amulet was carved out of univalve shell and depicted on distinction chest of both Huitzilopochtli tube Tezcatlipoca in codex illustrations.^[4][5]

The outset of Tezcatlipoca can be derived to earlier Mesoamerican deities precious by the Olmec and Mayan.

Similarities exist between Tezcatlipoca have a word with the patron deity of probity K'iche' Maya, Tohil, as asserted in the Popol Vuh. Justness name Tohil refers to obsidian and he was associated give way sacrifice. The Classic Maya divinity of rulership and thunder, K'awiil (known to modern Mayanists in the same way "God K", or the "Manikin Scepter"), was depicted with systematic smoking obsidian knife in government forehead and one leg replaced with a snake.^[a][6] Although involving are striking similarities between credible earlier imagery of Tezcatlipoca, archaeologists and art historians are hole in the debate.

It pump up possible that he is dignity same god that the Indian and Maya term their "jaguar deity", or alternately that sharptasting is an Aztec expansion distend foundations set by the Indian and Maya, as the Aztecs routinely took deliberate inspiration escape earlier Mesoamerican cultures.

Etymology

Tezcatlipoca report often translated from the Indian as "smoking mirror."^[b] 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 much Tezcatlipoca is additionally associated eradicate divination.^[7]

Tezcatlipoca had many epithets which alluded to different aspects go along with his deity and also arrange to his centrality in Nahuatl worship. Bernardino de Sahagún, just the thing Book VI of the Florentine Codex, refers to Tezcatlipoca varnished 360 different forms.

These include:

• Tloque Nahuaque, meaning "lord prime the near and nigh"; "the one who owns what surrounds [us]"
• Titlacahuan, Titlacahua or Titlacaua, import " [of whom] we form [his] servants"; "[he] whose [servants] we are"
• Tehimatini, meaning "the wise"; "the one who understands people"
• Tlazopilli, meaning "the precious nobleman"; "the precious son"
• Teyocoyani, meaning "the inventor [of people]"
• Yáotl or Yaotzin, content "the enemy"; "the venerable enemy"
• Icnoacatzintli, meaning "the merciful"
• Ipalnemoani, meaning "[he] by whom [we] all live"
• Ilhuicahua, meaning "possessor of heaven"
• Tlalticpaque, thrust "possessor of the earth"
• Monenequi, advantage "the arbitrary"; "the one who pretends"
• Pilhoacatzintli, meaning "revered father"; "possessor of children"
• TlacatléTotecué, meaning "our head, our lord"
• YoalliEhécatl, YohualliEhécatl or Youalli Ehécatl, meaning "night wind"(metaphor buy "invisible" or "impalpable")
• Monantzin, meaning "your mother"
• Motatzin, meaning "your father"
• Telpochtli, import "[the] young man"
• Moyocoyani or Moyocoani, meaning "the one who builds himself." His calendrical name job Ome Ácatl, "Two Reed", pole under that name he consecrates himself as another deity.^{[citation needed]}

Representations

Few representations of Tezcatlipoca survive record the present day, due make out large part to a major portion of codices being annihilated by Catholic priests.

Simultaneously, innocent Aztec texts note that position darkness and omnipresence of Tezcatlipoca make him something akin scolding "invisible", thus direct representations stare him are considered inadequate manage even impossible.^[8] Still, multiple depictions of the deity exist, last common trends and symbols sprig be identified.

Iconography

One of integrity most recognizable iconographic details care for Tezcatlipoca is his face tinture, called mixchictlapanticac.^[3] Most commonly, recognized is shown with horizontal bands of black and yellow, scour codices may vary in which two colors are depicted.Mary Shaper has posited that the proportion of yellow and black force be a connection to say publicly jaguar, with which Tezcatlipoca equitable associated.^[6] Black is the primary color associated with Tezcatlipoca, remote only because of his pretend as a god of night-time and darkness, but to oppose him from the other duo so-called Tezcatlipocas (Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopoctli, mount Xipe-Totec) and their respective emblem (white, blue, and red).^[6] Which parts of his body build painted black varies by site; half of his leg, nobleness full length of his munition, the majority of his bound, or any combination thereof throng together be depicted.

Later scholarship has identified the black material amputate which the god was presumably painted as tezcatlipoctli.^[8] He task often depicted with various flashy objects in place of queen right foot, such as harangue obsidian mirror, bone, or unblended serpent. This is an remark applicability to the creation myth, delight which Tezcatlipoca loses his sink battling with the earth mutant Cipactli.^[6] The obsidian mirror haw also appear on his box, as a breastplate, and over and over again is shown emanating smoke — a literal representation of monarch name and role.

In position majority of representations, Tezcatlipoca bears the mirror in one give a lift, where it is surrounded outdo feathers of various colors.^[8]

Tezcatlipoca usually wears a headdress of throw down, flowers, and/or flint knives. Sovereign head could be additionally complex with the symbol for vapour.

Heron feathers or balls for eagle down, like that use which Huitzilopochtli was born, many times adorned his head, clothing, spreadsheet shield. He variably wore earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other jewellery, all rendered in precious funds like gold and jade. Unmixed motif of skulls and crossbones is recorded appearing in generous pictures,^[8] but likely would have to one`s name followed the European popularization incline such a design.

Many iconographic elements highlight Tezcatlipoca's role pass for a warrior,^[10] including his encompass, his anahuatl breastplate, his pointer nose ring,^[3] and his spears, or arrows.

Ezpitzal

Scholar Juan José Batalla Rosado has identified mar iconographic element unique to depictions of Tezcatlipoca in codices be different central Mexico, which both Rosado and Sahagún call the "ezpitzal." The term is likely development from the Nahuatl words accompaniment "blood" (eztli) and "to change enflamed with anger" or "to rise with anger" (pitza).

Convert translations for pitza make proclivity to blowing or playing gear like the flute, which show up during the Tozcatl fest significant may then have some association with Tezcatlipoca himself. The locution ezpitzal has since been translated as "flow of blood", however Rosado additionally points out decency sense of rage and bloodthirstiness the ezpitzal is meant be signify—an element which points persevere with Tezcatlipoca's nature and his conduct yourself as a god of conflict.^[3][11] The ezpitzal is one unimportant more streams of blood shown emanating from Tezcatlipoca's head, once in a while accompanied by the symbol nurse a flint knife or great heart.

In some cases, representation idea of the ezpitzal was artistically transformed into a headband or garland, adorned with bud or stones.^[3]

Codex Fejéváry-Mayer

The frontispiece make stronger the Codex Fejéváry-Mayer, one eradicate the more well-known images escaping Aztec codices, features a immortal circumscribed in the 20 trecena, or day symbols, of interpretation Tōnalpōhualli.

The exact identity endorse this god is unclear, however is most likely either Tezcatlipoca or Xiuhtecutli. The figure has yellow and black face tint, as is characteristic of Tezcatlipoca. But as Olivier points withdraw, "gods like Xiuhtecutli or Huitzilopoctli have similar facial painting."^[8] Character figure is also shown amputate two unaltered feet, but does possess the white sandals, armbands, and adorned ears and intellect of Tezcatlipoca.

He also carries arrows and a spear, rectitude typical weapons of the hostilities god. Finally, perhaps coincidentally, justness figure is bounded on depiction left side by the system jotting for acatl (reed) and tecpatl (flint knife), both of which are associated with Tezcatlipoca.

Depicting either Tezcatlipoca and Xiuhtecutli delimited by calendrical symbols is resembling logical in both cases, slightly Tezcatlipoca is represented in extra codices in association with honourableness calendar, and Xiuhtecutli was topping god of the sun folk tale passage of time.

The attack also features the ollin metaphor, a trecena that additionally represent eras of time, including class five suns. These mythological eras were begun by Tezcatlipoca, on the contrary Aztec festivals which celebrated significance completion of eras involved revere of Xiuhtecutli.^[12][13] The codex quality additional, more standardized depictions order both deities in its afterward pages.

Temples

Many of the temples associated with Tezcatlipoca are condition facing east–west, as Olivier quotes Felipe Solis: "the sacred capital of the war god [Tezcatlipoca] was in direct relation approximate the movement of the eye of heaven, in the same manner center the Great Temple was, their façades being towards the West".

There are also several references to momoztli. Although the hardhitting definition of the momoztli laboratory analysis unknown, with definitions varying devour "mound", "stone seat" and "temple", there is an overall accord that it is a regular holy place to worship birth gods, specifically mentioned as "his [Tezcatlipoca's] viewing place".

Priests

The priests ferryboat Tezcatlipoca often wore the splendour of the god and wore specific garments for different rituals.

Most frequently worn were waxen turkey feather headdresses, a system loincloth, and a tzanatl impede with similar feathers and expose decorations. Another common practice was to cover themselves in swart soot or ground charcoal eventually they were involved in sacerdotal activities at the temple excellent during rituals.

They would as well cover the sick and latterly appointed king in a comparable manner with a black demulcent to encourage an association monitor the god. When the liturgy called for it, priests would also dress up as Tezcatlipoca himself and accompany other in the same way outfitted gods or goddesses.

Several types of priests were dedicated resume the service of Tezcatlipoca, pooled of them likely being rank one Sahagún calls "huitznahuac teohua omacatl".

Others were the calmeca teteuctin who were allowed discriminate against eat the ritual food offered to Tezcatlipoca, still more attended the impersonator of Tezcatlipoca fasten the year prior to empress execution. Honoring Tezcatlipoca was pioneer to both the priesthood topmost the nobility. "On his installation", the new king fasted gleam meditated, "which included prayers collect honor of Tezcatlipoca, the finance deity of the royal house".

Tezcatlipoca's priests were offered interested his service by their parents as children, often because they were sick. These children would then have their skin whitewashed black and be adorned shrink quail feathers in the statue of the god.^[21] Sacred hymns were also chanted at ceremonies to honor the gods. Governing were sung to praise justness highest deities, including Tezcatlipoca, who was often addressed as loftiness "Giver of Life".

In work on hymn, he is mentioned though being both the creator stomach destroyer of the world, come to rest both as a poet sit a scribe. Everyone, including horde, high priests, and the celebration, were involved in some obvious of the Toxcatl ceremonies.

Tezcatlipoca snowball Quetzalcoatl

Tezcatlipoca was often described likewise a rival of another chief god of the Aztecs: influence culture hero, Quetzalcoatl.

In rob version of the Aztec origin account^[23] the myth of birth Five Suns, the first control, "The Sun of the Earth" was ruled by Tezcatlipoca on the contrary destroyed by Quetzalcoatl when noteworthy struck down Tezcatlipoca who confirmation transformed into a jaguar. Deity became the ruler of excellence subsequent creation "Sun of Water", and Tezcatlipoca destroyed the gear creation "The Sun of Wind" by striking down Quetzalcoatl.

In later myths, the four balcony who created the world, Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli and Xipe Totec were referred to respectively similarly the Black, the White, distinction Blue and the Red Tezcatlipoca. The four Tezcatlipocas were prestige sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, lady and lord of say publicly duality, and were the creators of all the other balcony, as well as the pretend and all humanity.

The emulation between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca quite good also recounted in the legends of Tollan, wherein Tezcatlipoca deceives Quetzalcoatl, ruler of the storied fabricated city, and forces him devour exile. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca both collaborated in the different thrust and that both were native to as instrumental in the genesis of life.

Karl Taube at an earlier time Mary Miller, specialists in American studies, write that, "More by anything Tezcatlipoca appears to rectify the embodiment of change insult conflict." A large and complete depiction of Tezcatlipoca appears make a fuss the Codex Borgia carrying loftiness 20 day signs of rectitude calendar; in the Codex Cospi he is shown as wonderful spirit of darkness, as nicely as in the Codex Adore and the Dresden Codex.

Surmount cult was associated with sovereignty, and was the subject out-and-out the most lengthy and deferential prayers in the rites go rotten kingship, as well as procedure mentioned frequently in coronation speeches. The temple of Tezcatlipoca was in the Great Precinct notice Tenochtitlan.

Creation stories

In one advice the Aztec accounts of birthing, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca joined buttressing to create the world.

In the past their act there was the sea and the primal, crocodilian earth monster called Cipactli. To attract her, Tezcatlipoca reach-me-down his foot as bait tend Cipactli, and she, in orbit, ate it. The two veranda gallery then captured her, and misshapen her to make the soil from her body. After consider it, they created the people, focus on people had to offer sacrifices to comfort Cipactli for go backward sufferings.

Because of this, Tezcatlipoca is depicted with a lost foot.

Following this, Tezcatlipoca turned in the flesh into the sun. As well-organized result of his transformation, that and all subsequent ages countless humanity were referred to translation the five suns.^[6] Quetzalcoatl was furious, so he knocked Tezcatlipoca out of the sky mess about with a stone club.

Angered, Tezcatlipoca turned into a jaguar allow destroyed the world. Quetzalcoatl, mistreatment, replaced him as the bake and started the second consider of the world, and kosher became populated again.

Tezcatlipoca overthrew God, forcing him to send efficient great wind that devastated nobility world, and the people who survived were turned into monkeys.

Tlaloc, the god of surge, then became the sun. On the contrary he had his wife taken away by Tezcatlipoca. Angered scuttle turn, he would not engineer it rain for several period until, in a fit clone rage, he made it volley brit sl bunch o fire. The few people who survived the assault turned jar the birds.

Chalchiuhtlicue the Water Megastar then became the sun.

Quieten, she was crushed by Tezcatlipoca's accusation that she only socalled to be kind. She cried for many years and dignity world was destroyed by leadership resulting floods. Those who survived the deluge were turned have some bearing on fish.

Aztec religion and reverence

According arranged Aztec belief, Tezcatlipoca had spruce up great many associations: the shades of night sky, night winds, hurricanes, depiction north, the earth, obsidian, antagonism, discord, rulership, divination, temptation, jaguars, sorcery, beauty, war, and instability.

His main temple in Tenochtitlan was located south of rendering Templo Mayor. According to Diego Durán, it was "lofty submit magnificently built. Eighty steps dripping to a landing twelve arbiter fourteen feet wide. Beyond stream stood a wide, long congress the size of a as back up hall ...". There were some smaller temples dedicated to Tezcatlipoca in the city, among them the ones called "Tlacochcalco" presentday "Huitznahuatl".

Tezcatlipoca was also cherished in many other Nahua cities such as Texcoco, Tlaxcala queue Chalco. Each temple had tidy statue of the god be aware which copal incense was toughened four times a day.

The Codex Magliabechiano contains a words relating Tezcatlipoca with the temascal, or sweatbath. The text states, "when any sick person went to the bath house, [they] offered incense, which they bellow copal, to the idol esoteric covered the body in smoky in veneration of the fame they call Tezcatepocatl [Tezcatlipoca], who is one of their main gods." Despite these references, Natural Miller states that the favourite actually depicted in codex illustrations and the one more credible to be associated with birth temascal is Tlazoteotl.^[6]

Toxcatl

Main article: Toxcatl

Tezcatlipoca's main feast was Toxcatl, which occurred during the eponymous 5th month of the Aztec calendar.^[c] The preparations began a period in advance, when a youthful man was chosen by priests to become the likeness insensible Tezcatlipoca.

This individual was callinged the teixiptla or "deity impersonator" and was chosen to ritually represent the god to depiction Aztec people. The teixiptla was usually selected from among behind bars warriors, and the chosen freakish was bathed and ceremoniously unsullied for the role that closure was to undertake.

Sometimes, slaves were purchased for the solemnity. Benardino de Sahagún describes effort the Florentine Codex how birth teixiptla must possess certain corporal qualities in order to remark worthy of becoming Tezcatlipoca:

For he who was chosen was of fair countenance, of agreeable understanding and quick, clean body— slender like a reed; lenghty and thin like a burly cane; well-built; not of pudgy body, not corpulent, and neither very small nor exceedingly fitting.

[He was] like something curved, like a tomato, or lack a pebble, as if cut of wood ... He who was thus, without flaw, who had no [bodily] defects, who had no blemishes, no moles, who had no lacerations knock back wrinkles on his body, they then looked well that without fear be taught to blow honourableness flute ...^[28]

For the duration manager Toxcatl's preparation, the teixiptla cursory as a god would, irksome expensive jewelry and having figure attendants.

The young man further was dressed in the clone of the god and society on the streets would adore him as such when encountered. "For one year he cursory a life of honor," prestige handsome young man "worshipped just as the embodiment of primacy deity". During the last 20 days before being sacrificed, grandeur teixiptla had their appearance transformed back to that of trim warrior.

"He had been regular warrior who was captured, stomach he ended his life in the same way a warrior." He would next be wed to four immature women, also chosen in nurture and isolated for a filled year and treated as goddesses. This marriage, occurring after straight full year of abstinence, symbolized a period of fertility which followed the drought. The lush man would spend his last few week singing, feasting and shine.

During the feast where subside was worshipped as the supreme being he personified, he climbed rendering stairs to the top for the temple on his violate where the priests seized him, a time in which sharp-tasting proceeded to symbolically crush "one by one the clay flutes on which he had phoney in his brief moment well glory", and then was atoning, his body being eaten consequent.

The young man would nearer this sacrifice willingly, as build sacrificed in this manner was a great honor. "Sacrificial dupes mounted the bloody steps outline the pyramid with dignity very last pride." "The sacrifice itself forceful the end of the drought." Immediately after he died natty new victim for the go by year's ceremony was chosen.

Tezcatlipoca was also honoured during nobleness ceremony of the ninth thirty days, when the Miccailhuitontli "Little Banquet of the Dead" was prominent to honour the dead, despite the fact that well as during the Panquetzaliztli "Raising of Banners" ceremony get going the 15th month.

For Nahuatl nobility, this "patron deity" in your right mind fundamental in the social innermost natural phenomena justified by communion during this time.

Extreme deference and respect, characterized by commemorative proceedings in which priests were "to pay homage" to Tezcatlipoca, or where "citizens waited expectantly" for ceremonial proceedings to elicit under the low hum presumption "shell trumpets," were commonplace, selfsame for this deity. Utter catch on from the highest position elaborate Aztec nobility, the king, shown through the figurative and letterforletter nakedness of his presence thrill front of Tezcatlipoca.

The openhanded would stand "naked, emphasizing realm utter unworthiness", speaking as holdup but a vessel for blue blood the gentry god's will. The new laissez-faire would claim his spiritual nudity symbolically through words and earthly vulnerability, praising Tezcatlipoca with figure such as:

O master, Inside story our lord, O lord interrupt the near, of the shady, O night, O wind ...

Poor am I.
In what manner shall I act ration thy city? In what behave shall I act for birth governed, for the vassals (macehualtin)?
For I am blind, Comical am deaf, I am cease imbecile, and in excrement, deduce filth hath my lifetime archaic ...
Perhaps thou mistaketh unnecessary for another; perhaps thou seekest another in my stead

For kings, lords, priests, and citizens similar to one another, the cyclical nature they practical every day and every class was portrayed not through body of knowledge or philosophical debate, but stammer reverence and respect for probity spiritual beings they believed were the cause of these gossip.

It was gods like Tezcatlipoca that solidified this notion, in behalf of both the silent wind, plus thunderous war.

Gallery

See also

Notes

In-text citations

References

• Coe, Michael; Koontz, Rex (2008). Mexico: From magnanimity Olmecs to the Aztecs (6th ed.).

  Thames & Hudson Ltd, Author. ISBN .

• Miller, Mary; Taube, Karl (1993). The Gods and Symbols drug Ancient Mexico and the Maya. Thames and Hudson. ISBN .
• Olivier, Guilhem (2003). Mockeries and Metamorphoses rob an Aztec God: Tezcatlipoca, "Lord of the Smoking Mirror". Translated by Besson, Michel.

  University Dictate of Colorado. ISBN .

• Smith, Michael (2003). The Aztecs (2nd ed.). Blackwell. ISBN .
• Heyden, Doris; Carrasco, David (1991). Dryness Before the Rains: Toxcatl. Dogma Press of Colorado. ISBN .

External links