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Aztec Mythology Facts & Worksheets

The mythology of the Aztec culture, which ruled central Mexico in the 1400s and the initial half of the 1500s, painted a picture of an enormous universe.

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The mythology of the Aztec culture, which ruled central Mexico in the 1400s and the initial half of the 1500s, painted a picture of an enormous universe. According to the myths, worlds were formed and destroyed, and magnificent gods fought one another.

See the fact file below for more information on Aztec Mythology, or you can download our 31-page Aztec Mythology worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • The Aztecs had four mythological eras: (1) the Water Sun, which was destroyed by flood; (2) the Earth Sun, which was destroyed by an earthquake; (3) the Wind Sun, which was destroyed by a giant, leaving only Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent, predicting the destruction of the Earth by wind and the transformation of humans into monkeys; and (4) the current Sun of Fire, which will end in a general bloodbath. Quetzalcóatl, a survivor of the Wind Sun’s age, introduced civilization to the people. 
  • The ceremonial priest preserved the mythology that served as the foundation of ceremonial life, but there were also prevailing folktales that matched those of other indigenous societies in North America.
  • These myths reflect two deeply established notions. One was the conviction that the universe was inherently unstable and that death and destruction were constant threats. The other stressed the importance of the gods’ sacrifice.
  • Moreover, the Aztec worldview gave humans only a small role in the grand scheme of things.

ORIGINS AND INFLUENCES

  • From the north, the Aztecs moved to central Mexico around the year 1200. They originated from a place called Aztlan, which is where they got their name, according to their legends.
  • The Aztec people included various groups, such as the Culhua-Mexica, Mexica, and Tenochca. 
  • In the early 1300s, these groups joined forces and founded Tenochtitlan, the city-state now standing on the site of Mexico City. During the 1400s, the people of Tenochtitlan rose to prominence and captured a large empire.
  • The Aztecs were newcomers to a region long occupied by earlier civilizations, such as the Olmecs and Toltecs, who had created a pantheon of gods and a body of myths and legends. The Aztecs absorbed these earlier peoples’ deities, stories, beliefs, and the Maya of southern Mexico. 
  • Aztec mythology included religious and mythological traditions shared by many Mexican and Central American groups. Some such factors of the religion, most notably human sacrifice, rose to prominence under the Aztecs.

MAJOR THEMES

  • The belief that humans were servants of the gods was a recurring theme in Aztec mythology. Humans were responsible for keeping the gods fed, as disaster could strike any moment.
  • The gods’ food was a valuable substance found in human blood. The desire to appease the gods, particularly the sun god, spawned a related theme: human sacrifice.
  • Human life was considered small and insignificant in the Aztec universe. Forces beyond an individual’s control shape his or her fate. People were created by the gods to work and fight for them. They did not bestow favors or provide direct protection, but failure to properly serve the gods could result in doom and destruction.
  • Another key theme in Aztec mythology was duality, the balance of two equal and opposing forces. Many Aztec gods and goddesses had dualistic personalities, which meant they had two sides or roles. 

AZTEC DEITIES

  • Duality was the fundamental element of the primal deity Ometecuhtli, who had a male side named Ometeotl and a female side known as Omecihuatl. Their offspring were the other gods and goddesses. Their first four children were the Aztec creator gods Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, and Xipe Totec.
  • Formerly, Tezcatlipoca (Lord of the Smoking Mirror) was the god of the night sky. He was associated with the color black as well as the direction north. He owned a magical mirror through which he could see the hearts of people, and the Aztecs treated themselves as his slaves. Furthermore, Tezcatlipoca is a jaguar in its animal form. 
  • Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), an ancient Mexican and Central American deity related to Aztec mythology with the color white and the direction facing west, was Tezcatlipoca’s great rival and competitor in cosmic battles as well as his partner in acts of creation. 
  • Several storylines regarding Quetzalcoatl pertain to him as an earthly priest-king, implying that he was a Toltec king whose legend had become mixed with mythology.
  • Quetzalcoatl had many facets. He was the god of the morning star and evening star (Venus) and of the planet Venus. He was also the god of twins and learning and was credited with creating the calendar by the Aztecs. A peaceful god, he accepted animal and jade sacrifices but not human blood. 
  • Huitzilopochtli (Southern Hummingbird), an Aztec deity, was both the sun and the god of war. The souls of warriors who died in battle were said to transform into hummingbirds and follow them into the sky.  He was blue, and his direction was south.
  • Xipe Totec (Flayed Lord) was also dual-natured. He was a god of vegetation and life-giving spring growth, as well as the terrifying god of torture and sacrifice. His dual meaning mirrored the Aztec perspective of a widespread balance wherein a new beginning had to be purchased with blood. Xipe Totec’s color was red, and he faced east.
  • Tlaloc, a significant rain and fertility god known under multiple names, was also worshipped by the Aztecs. He ruled over a group of lesser gods known as Tlaloques, who created thunder and rain by shattering their water jars. Furthermore, he was also known as “the provider.” 

THE FIERY BIRTH OF THE SUN

  • According to Aztec myth, the earth was covered in darkness at the beginning of time. The gods gathered in a sacred location and built a fire. One of the gods, Nanahuatzin, leaped into the fire and emerged as the sun.
  • The other gods, however, had to give the sun their blood before he could begin to move in the sky. This myth was just one of several about the gods who sacrificed themselves to create the world. People imitated the gods’ sacrifices through bloodletting and human sacrifice and kept the sun alive by feeding it blood.
  • Another significant concept in Aztec mythology was that human lives were shaped by a predetermined fate. The Aztec ball game, which historians know little about, could be related to this theme. Aztec temples, like those of other peoples in Mexico and Central America, had walled courts where teams of players tried to drive a rubber ball through a stone ring with their hips, elbows, and knees.
  • Some historians believe the game represented humanity’s struggle to control its destiny. It was a religious ceremony, not just a game, and players may have been sacrificed afterward.
  • The Aztecs’ usage of the calendar also reflected the theme of fate. The Aztecs and Mayans both created elaborate calendar systems that used two calendars: a 365-day solar calendar called xiuhpohualli based on the position of the sun and a 260-day ritual calendar called tonalpohualli used for divination. 
  • Every day of the ritual calendar was influenced or shaped by a different set of gods and goddesses. Divination entailed deciphering the negative or positive meanings of these influences, which defined a person’s fate. Additionally,  priests used the ritual calendar to determine the best days for activities, such as building, planting crops, and fighting wars.
  • The 365-day and 260-day cycles intertwined, like a smaller wheel inside a larger one, to form the Calendar Round, a 52-year cycle. The Aztecs extinguished all their fires at the end of each Calendar Round. Priests oversaw a ritual in which new fires were lit from flames torching the chest of a sacrificial victim to begin a new Calendar Round.
  • Another key theme in Aztec mythology was duality, the balance of two equal and opposing forces. Many Aztec gods and goddesses had dualistic personalities, which meant they had two sides or roles. 
  • Deities frequently worked in pairs or opposites. Furthermore, the same god could appear under numerous names or identities, possibly because the Aztecs combined myths from various sources.

MAJOR MYTHS

  • Many Aztec myths tell the story of the Five Suns in whole or in part. The Aztecs that before their sun, four suns, or worlds, existed. Catastrophic events had destroyed everything in each case, and the world had ended.
  • Tezcatlipoca, also known as Nahui-Ocelotl or Four-Jaguar, created the First Sun. It ended when Quetzalcoatl killed Tezcatlipoca, who turned into a jaguar and destroyed the entire population. Quetzalcoatl ruled over the Second Sun, Nahui-Ehécatl, or the Four Winds. Tezcatlipoca, on the other hand, threw Quetzalcoatl from his throne, and the sun and the fallen god were both carried away by a storm of wind. 
  • The rain god Tlaloc owned the Third Sun, Nahui Quiahuitl. Quetzalcoatl annihilated it with fire from the heavens. The Fourth Sun, Nahui-Atl, was ruled by the water goddess Chalchiuhtlicue, who wears a jade skirt. This sun was destroyed by a 52-year flood, and the people turned into fish.

Aztec Mythology Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Aztec Mythology across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Aztec Mythology. The mythology of the Aztec culture, which ruled central Mexico in the 1400s and the initial half of the 1500s, painted a picture of an enormous universe.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Aztec Mythology Facts 
  2. Point it Out!
  3. Make it Right
  4. Name the Deities
  5. Find the Deities
  6. Aztec History
  7. Hunt My Words
  8. The Ornaments
  9. I am A Deity
  10. #TheLegendaries
  11. I Learned That…

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the main gods in Aztec mythology?

  1. The Aztecs had a complex pantheon with numerous gods and goddesses. Some of the prominent deities included:
  • Quetzalcoatl: The feathered serpent god, associated with wisdom, creation, and fertility.
  • Huitzilopochtli: The god of the sun, war, and human sacrifice, considered the patron deity of the Aztecs.
  • Tlaloc: The rain god, associated with fertility and agriculture.
  • Tezcatlipoca: The god of night, sorcery, and destiny.
  • Xipe Totec: The god of agriculture, renewal, and rebirth.
  • Coatlicue: The goddess of earth and fertility, often depicted as a monstrous figure.

What was the creation story in Aztec mythology?

According to Aztec mythology, there were multiple creation stories. One of the central narratives involved the gods Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl. They joined forces to create the world by summoning the gods who represented the four cardinal directions, along with their corresponding elements. This act led to the creation of the sky and earth. The gods sacrificed themselves to provide sustenance to humanity, allowing the Aztec civilization to emerge.

What was the role of human sacrifice in Aztec mythology?

Human sacrifice played a significant role in Aztec mythology and religion. The Aztecs believed that the gods sacrificed themselves to create the world, so they needed human blood to sustain the cosmos. Regular human sacrifices were seen as essential for maintaining the cosmic balance and ensuring the continuity of life. Victims, typically captives from conquered tribes or volunteers, were ritually killed in various ceremonies to appease the gods and secure their favor.

Who was the goddess of fertility and childbirth in Aztec mythology?

The goddess of fertility and childbirth in Aztec mythology was Chalchiuhtlicue. She was also associated with water, lakes, and rivers. Chalchiuhtlicue was believed to bring forth rain and was revered as the protector of newborns and women in labor.

Did the Aztecs have a belief in an afterlife?

Yes, the Aztecs believed in an afterlife. They believed that the souls of the dead embarked on a journey to different realms depending on various factors, such as the manner of death and the person’s status in life. For warriors who died in battle or women who died during childbirth, a paradise-like realm called Tlalocan or the “Land of the Sun” awaited them. Others were thought to go to Mictlan, the underworld ruled by the god Mictlantecuhtli. The journey to Mictlan was arduous and involved several challenges that the soul had to overcome.

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