Aztec Gods

The Aztec civilization flourished for more than 700 years before it came to an abrupt end just six decades after first contact with Europeans. During that time, they built towering pyramids and temples and created a vibrant society filled with art, dance, ritualistic practices, games, poetry – even chocolate! Yet within only a few generations, all this had been destroyed by the conquest.

Here are 15 of the most famous Aztec gods:

Huitzilopochtli

Huitzilopochtli is the Aztec god of the sun, war, and human sacrifice. He was seen as the leader of the Mexica tribe who left their home in search of a new world to bring order into its chaos. A prophecy promised that they would find their new home when they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus while perched on a lake. A vision like this was indeed found upon reaching Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. It served as an omen that they had reached their new home and they founded Tenochtitlan on this spot, where its ruins lie today.

Tlaloc

Tlaloc is the god of rain, fertility, and water. He was one of the most important deities in ancient Mexico and his name can be translated as “he who caresses or shines”, a reference to either the lightning bolts he carries or perhaps to the storms he creates by scattering clouds.

Chantico

Chantico is the goddess of fire, hearth, and domesticity. Her name means “she who dwells in the house”. It is believed she lives within the flames of the home’s oven or furnace where food is prepared.

Coyolxauhqui

Coyolxauhqui was an Aztec moon goddess and a powerful and fearsome warrior. She was often depicted as a young woman with a large disk strapped to her back and holding severed heads in each of her hands.

Tonatiuh

Tonatiuh is an Aztec sun god and one of the most important deities in the Mesoamerican pantheon. He sustains all life on earth by providing heat and light through his daily circuit around the sky, a journey that also brings the seasons, weather patterns, and even time itself.

Teteo Innan

Teteo Innan is a rain god who was worshipped in central Mexico. He is often depicted with huge fangs because it was believed that he drank so much rainwater from lakes during storms that he swelled up.

Xipe Totec

Xipe Totec is the flayed god of vegetation, fertility, and springtime in Aztec culture. His name means “our lord of the flowers” and it is said that every year he shed blood to give life back to nature when it withers in winter.

Xochiquetzal

Xochiquezal was an Aztec goddess of fertility, love, beauty, and wisdom. She is associated with the moon and may have also been worshipped as a symbol of Venus, the morning star. Her name means “flowering quetzal”, referencing her association with tropical plants that often blossom in spring.

Tlaltecuhtli

Tlaltecuhtli was a creator god in Aztec mythology, often described as a part-jaguar, part-earth monster. He is sometimes known as the “earth dragon”, Tlaltecuhtli, and served as one of their primordial deities who emerged during the creation of the world.

Ehecatl

Ehecatl was an Aztec god of wind associated with both the cardinal directions and different concepts, sometimes benevolent and other times maleficent in nature depending on which direction he is blowing. Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl was considered to be a creator god who helped give shape to the universe.

Xolotl

Xolotl was a god of fire and sickness in Aztec mythology, although he is also associated with lightning and destruction. He could cause both good and bad health and be thus seen as a bearer of both good and bad omens. His twin brother was Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl is often depicted as a black dog in his service.

Tezcatlipoca

The “smoking mirror” god Tezcatlipoca was one of the lords of the night in Aztec mythology and an omnipotent presence within creation. He usually appears as a disembodied skull with a magic, smoky stone that allows him to see into the future and even control human affairs.

Chaaclchiuhtilicue

Chaac is an ancient Mayan god of rain, lightning, and thunder. He was considered to be very moody and unpredictable, often bringing torrential periods of rain that could quickly turn into violent storm clouds. Chaac was also seen as a fertility god who made it rain for the crops.

Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was an important god of wind, the cardinal directions, and fertility in Aztec mythology. He was often depicted as a serpent with feathers or a feathered serpent and represented the dynamic forces of nature.

Aztec Religion

Aztecs were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped multiple gods – all of which had different functions and personalities within the Aztec culture. The Aztecs believed that there was a life force inherent to all things on earth – animate, inanimate, or other. This energy was called “Itzpapalotl” and the Aztecs believed that it gave them strength, power, and longevity.

The Aztecs worshipped these gods through elaborate sacrifices to ensure a continued source of life for humanity, which they believed came from their gods. They saw similarities between themselves and their gods, particularly in that they both bled and died to give life to humanity.

However, the Aztecs still saw their gods as fundamentally different from themselves because of their immortality. They believed that the human struggle for existence was a facet of this endless war between opposites, including life and death.