Huitzilopochtli’s name is a cognate of the Nahuatl words huitzilin, “hummingbird,” and opochtli, “left.” Aztecs believed that dead warriors were reincarnated as hummingbirds and considered the south to be the left side of the world; thus, his name meant the “resuscitated warrior of the south.” His other names included …
What is the legend of Huitzilopochtli?
Huitzilopochtli, whose name means “Blue Hummingbird on the Left,” was the Aztec god of the Sun and the war. He was shown as a blue man fully armed with hummingbird feathers on his head. His mother Coatlicue became pregnant with Huitzilopochtli when a ball of feathers fell from the heaven and touched her.
What does tezcatlipoca mean?
Smoking Mirror
Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon.
What did the Aztec game patolli symbolize?
Patolli (Nahuatl: [paˈtoːlːi]) or patole (Spanish: [paˈtole]) is one of the oldest known games in America. It was a game of strategy and luck played by commoners and nobles alike. It was reported by the conquistadors that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin often enjoyed watching his nobles play the game at court.
What are Huitzilopochtli powers?
Powers: According to Sahagún, Huitzilopochtli was robust, strong, warlike and a great destroyer of towns and men. In wars he was like “live fire”, and fearsome to his adversaries. His emblem was of a “dragon’s head that spewed fire from its mouth” (xiuhcoatl).
Why was Tezcatlipoca worshiped?
In the month of Tóxcatl, the sixth month (or 5th) of the Aztec solar year, Tezcatlipoca was worshipped in special ceremonies. As with other Aztec religious rites an important part of the ceremony was the impersonation of the god, most often by a prisoner of war, typically the best looking and most courageous one.
What are some things the Aztecs would gamble on a game of patolli?
They might bet blankets, precious stones, gold jewelry, food, livestock, or the season’s crop.
Why was patolli played?
Patolli was played by the Aztecs at the time of the Spanish arrival in Mexico. It was a gambling games, and is recorded as having been played by nobles for high stakes such as precious stones and gold beads. Montezuma would watch the nobles play at his court.
