What does the Mayan serpent mean? The serpent was a very important social and religious symbol, revered by the Maya. The shedding of their skin made them a symbol of rebirth and renewal. They were
What does the Mayan serpent mean?
The serpent was a very important social and religious symbol, revered by the Maya. The shedding of their skin made them a symbol of rebirth and renewal. They were so revered, that one of the main Mesoamerican deities, Quetzalcoatl, was represented as a feathered serpent.
Who was the Mayan feathered serpent god?
Quetzalcóatl
Quetzalcóatl, Mayan name Kukulcán, (from Nahuatl quetzalli, “tail feather of the quetzal bird [Pharomachrus mocinno],” and coatl, “snake”), the Feathered Serpent, one of the major deities of the ancient Mexican pantheon.
What does the snake represent in Aztec culture?
Snakes were sacred to the Aztecs as they were the symbol of the feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl. The Aztec Empire consisted of many subject territories, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific. Frequently they had to provide gifts as tribute to demonstrate their allegiance to the Aztec emperor.
What is the Mayan name for the Plumed Serpent in Chichen Itza?
Kukulkan
Kukulkan, also spelled K’uk’ulkan, /kuːkʊlˈkɑːn/ (“Plumed Serpent”, “Feathered Serpent”) is the name of a Mesoamerican serpent deity.
What was the Indian name for the plumed serpent god?
The Aztec feathered serpent deity known as Quetzalcoatl is known from several Aztec codices, such as the Florentine codex, as well as from the records of the Spanish conquistadors. Quetzalcoatl was known as the deity of wind and rain, bringer of knowledge, the inventor of books, and associated with the planet Venus.
What do snakes symbolize in Mexican culture?
The snake is a symbol of the earth and, in certain pre-Hispanic traditions, a representation of Quetzalcoatl; more specifically, in Aztec (Mexica) tradition, the snake is the representation of Coatlicue, the personification of earth and mother of Huitzilopochtli.
What is the symbolism of a serpent?
Historically, serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life.
What is the story behind the eagle and the Serpent?
According to legend, the gods had advised the Aztecs that the place where they should establish their city was to be identified when they saw an eagle, perched on a prickly pear tree, devouring a serpent. They saw this mythical eagle on a marshy lake that is now the main plaza in Mexico City.