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Xōchiquetzal
Aztec deity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In Aztec mythology, Xochiquetzal (Classical Nahuatl: Xōchiquetzal [ʃoːt͡ʃiˈket͡saɬ]), is the goddess of beauty, fertility, arts, and love, serving as a protector of young mothers and a patroness of pregnancy, childbirth, and the crafts practiced by women such as weaving and embroidery.[2][3]
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Name
The name Xōchiquetzal is a compound of xōchitl (“flower”) and quetzalli (“precious feather; quetzal tail feather”). In Classical Nahuatl morphology, the first element in a compound modifies the second and thus the goddess' name can literally be taken to mean “flower precious feather” or ”flower quetzal feather”.
Description
Xochiquetzal is always depicted as an alluring and youthful woman, beautiful, richly attired and symbolically associated with vegetation and in particular flowers.
Ichpochtli Classical Nahuatl: Ichpōchtli [itʃˈpoːtʃtɬi], meaning "maiden, young woman"),[4] Ichpōchtli, corresponds to a descriptive usage of ichpōchtli (“maiden, young woman”)
Worshipers wore animal and flower masks at a festival, held in her honor every eight years. Her husband was Tlaloc until Tezcatlipoca seduced her and married her himself.[2]
In pre-Hispanic Maya culture, a similar figure is Goddess I.
Anthropologist Hugo Nutini identifies her with the Virgin of Ocotlan in his article on patron saints in Tlaxcala.[5]
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Worship
A young virgin woman beautiful and perfect was chosen to be ixiptlatli of Xochiquetzal which impersonated the goddess and would later be ritualistically sacrificed to Xochiquetzal at the end of the year, during the end of Toxcatl the time of Tezcatlipoca she would accompany the Ixiptla of Tezcatlipoca.[2]
The worship of Xochiquetzal partook in fasting, engaging in the arts, rituals, and various festivals throughout the year including that of Hueypachtli. During this festival Xochiquetzal was honored and also offered a variety of gifts consisting of offerings of flowers, drinks, and food.[2][3]
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External links
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