Metztli
Encyclopedia
In Aztec mythology
, Metztli (also Meztli, Metzi) was a god or goddess of the moon
, the night, and farmers. He/she was probably the same deity as Yohaulticetl
and Coyolxauhqui
and the male moon god Tecciztecatl
; like the latter, he/she feared the sun because he/she feared its fire. Also referred to as the lowly god of worms who failed to sacrifice himself to become the sun, and became the moon instead, his face darkened by a rabbit.
, Metztli was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Old Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire. The Otomi counted lunar months as a period from new moon to new moon. They were giving every month 30 days.
probably derived from Metztli. For more detailed explanation see Toponymy of Mexico
.
Aztec mythology
The aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many deities and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. "orlando"- History :...
, Metztli (also Meztli, Metzi) was a god or goddess of the moon
Lunar deity
In mythology, a lunar deity is a god or goddess associated with or symbolizing the moon. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related to or an enemy of the solar deity. Even though they may be related, they are distinct from the...
, the night, and farmers. He/she was probably the same deity as Yohaulticetl
Yohaulticetl
In Aztec mythology, Yohualticetl, the "Lady of the Night", was a moon goddess and guardian of infants. She may have been the same as Metztli and Coyolxauhqui and the male moon god Tecciztecatl.-See also:*Black Sun *Five Suns...
and Coyolxauhqui
Coyolxauhqui
In Aztec mythology, Coyolxauhqui was a daughter of Coatlicue and Mixcoatl and is the leader of the Centzon Huitznahuas, the star gods. Coyolxauhqui was a powerful magician and led her siblings in an attack on their mother, Coatlicue, because Coatlicue had become pregnant.- Attack on Coatlicue :The...
and the male moon god Tecciztecatl
Tecciztecatl
In Aztec mythology, Tecciztecatl was a lunar deity, representing the old "man-in-the-moon". He could have been the sun god, but he feared the sun's fire, so Nanahuatzin became the sun god and Tecciztecatl was promptly thrown into the moon...
; like the latter, he/she feared the sun because he/she feared its fire. Also referred to as the lowly god of worms who failed to sacrifice himself to become the sun, and became the moon instead, his face darkened by a rabbit.
Otomi mythology
For the Otomi peopleOtomi people
The Otomi people . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The Otomi language belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.One of...
, Metztli was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Old Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire. The Otomi counted lunar months as a period from new moon to new moon. They were giving every month 30 days.
Mexican traces
The origin of the name of the MexicaMexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
probably derived from Metztli. For more detailed explanation see Toponymy of Mexico
Toponymy of Mexico
The name of Mexico entails the origin, history, and use of the name Mexico, which dates back to 14th century Mesoamerica. Mexico was named after its capital, Mexico City, whose original name was Mexico-Tenochtitlan, in reference to the name of the Nahua Aztec tribe, the Mexica...
.