Entity: TLALTECUHTLI
Tlaltecuhtli is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican deity worshipped primarily by the Mexica (Aztec) people, often referred to as the 'earth monster' associated with fertility and creation.
TLALTECUHTLI
Etymology
Tlaltecuhtli, derived from Classical Nahuatl Tlāltēuctli, means 'earth lord/lady' in the Aztec language.
Definition
Tlaltecuhtli is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican deity worshipped primarily by the Mexica (Aztec) people, often referred to as the 'earth monster' associated with fertility and creation.
Historical Context
Envisioned as a terrible toad monster, Tlaltecuhtli's dismembered body gave rise to the world in the Aztec creation myth of the 5th and final cosmos.
Cultural Significance
Considered both an earth goddess and an earth god, Tlaltecuhtli had a dual-gender identity, symbolizing the earth's fertility and creative power.
Related Concepts
Cipactli/Tlaltecuhtli is not the only deity depicted as consuming people in Aztec mythology. Other deities like Tonatiuh the Sun also received sacrifices.
See Also
A powerful earth deity in Aztec mythology, Tlaltecuhtli embodies both masculine and feminine qualities, symbolizing the earth's fertility and creative power.