Meehan, Evan. Article last revised on April 09, 2019 by Rowan Allen. Sometimes he was shown as a partner in creation, but more often he was shown as a god of judgment and destruction. Accessed on . In the manga Soul Eater, Tezca Tlipoca is a recurring character. He is sealed inside his temple in the jungles of Mexico. He was labeled the god of the nocturnal sky, temptation, sorcery, and war. Several of his alternative names, Titlacauan and Ipalnemoani, refer to his important status among the Aztecs, literally meaning “We are his slaves” and “He by whom we live,” respectively. The god of the night, Tezcatlipoca was an enemy of Quetzalcoatl. Tezcatlipoca is the Aztec god of night and change through conflict. Tezcatlipoca (bottom), god of providence in the Codex Borgia. Tezcatlipoca’s festival occurred during the fifth month of the Aztec calendar: Toxcatl. Tezcatlipoca was one of the most important gods in the Aztec pantheon. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia contributors. We are often asked about mythology merchandise. Usually seen as the opposite of his brother Quetzalcoatl. Tezcatlipoca was originally a god of warriors and the sun, the ruler of the First Sun, one of the great historical ages in the Olman circular calendar. Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon. Area of expertise: Night, Good/Evil Rating: BAD, best avoided He was also taught to play the flute, the sound of which was thought to be the voice of Tezcatlipoca.8 A month prior to the festival of Toxcatl, he would be wed to four young women impersonating the four goddess wives of Tezcatlipoca: Xochiquetzal, Xilonen, Atlatonan and Huixtocihuatl. As an ever-growing archive, our mission is to catalog the world’s mythology on the web for all to enjoy. Quetzalcoatl is also called White Tezcatlipoca, to contrast him to the black Tezcatlipoca. Tezcatlipoca was a god of exceptional significance amongst the Aztec pantheon. Privacy Policy, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tezcatlipoca, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tloquenahuaque, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dxcatl, https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/tezcatlipoca/. For official Godchecker merch please visit our God Shop where a wide range of items are available to buy. The two later cooperated, however, to create the 5th Sun. Tezcatlipoca is the Aztec God of night and destruction. Tezcatlipoca (pron. Particularly in light of the cultural disruption that occurred during and after the Spanish conquest, many legends do not have a clear consensus. the god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky. Tezcatlipoca was an important god in the Aztec religion. Despite some superficial similarities to the Aztec deity—such as an affinity for mirrors—the character was ultimately very different from his inspiration. Tezcatlipoca entered the underworld by climbing down a giant spider web. Before the world was created, all that existed were a few gods, a massive ocean, and the sea monster/crocodile Cipactli. To purchase such goodies we suggest you try Amazon, Ebay or other reputable online stores. If you are into worshiping jaguars, best stick with the E-type. Tezcatlipoca: Trickster and Supreme Deity. Originally adopted from the Toltecs, Tezcatlipoca is with the horned owl and the jaguar, the latter of which he is known to shapeshift into its form at will. The name was used because of the shiny black mirrors often used by Aztec priests. No wonder the Aztecs feared and worshiped him – he is a formidable and potent figure. PUNCH! A supreme god of the Aztecs, Tezcatlipoca which means “smoking mirror” was the patron god of sorcery and … Tezcatlipoca’s other names included: Tloque Nahuaque / Lord of the Near and the Nigh1, Ilhuicahua Tlaticpaque / Possessor of the Sky and Earth2. Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders. Tezcatlipoca was a god of exceptional significance amongst the Aztec pantheon. The festival would reach its climax with the man voluntarily walking up the steps of the tlacochcalco (literally “house of darts,” essentially a stepped pyramid that housed the Aztec’s armory) and breaking a ceramic flute at each step. Tenochtitlan, the seat of the Aztec empire, was located in a volcanic region, where smoke and venting steam would have been commonplace. While the Aztec pantheon did not have a hierarchy, Tezcatlipoca still managed to stand above his peers; the Ramirez Codex described him as “the greatest and the worst, who overpowered and bore sway over the other three [sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl.]”4. In the 1984 comic Wonder Woman (volume 1, #314), Tezcatlipoca served as Wonder Woman’s primary antagonist. Edited by Elizabeth Baquedano. He was considered the patron god of warriors. Evan Meehan, “Tezcatlipoca,” Mythopedia, accessed , https://mythopedia.com/aztec-mythology/gods/tezcatlipoca/. Tezcatlipoca was the second son of the primordial Aztec creator deities Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl. Popularity index: 4213. Whether it emanated from a ceremonial censer or a natural source such as a hot spring, smoke and steam always signified Tezcatlipoca’s presence. Tezcatlipoca overthrew Quetzalcoatl who overthrew him in return. He is the god intelligence and self-reflection, a patron of priests. The god Quetzalcoatl, is the Feathered Serpent or Precious Twin. He feuded with his brother Quetzalcoatl and emerged victorious after tricking his younger sibling into shaming himself. Tezcatlipoca, (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon. Tezcatlipoca and his brothers, the tzitzimime, created the world. A lover of chaotic confusion, he carries a smoking mirror which bewilders enemies and confuses the issues. Tezcatlipoca was believed to be the son of the primordial androgynous god Ometeotl. Smith, Michael E. “The Archaeology of Tezcatlipoca.” Tezcatlipoca: Trickster and Supreme Deity. He is happiest when leading people down the garden path to evil. When next year’s Tezcatlipoca impersonator was selected, they were given the most recent ixiptla’s skin to wear as a cloak.9. POW! Tezcatlipoca was usually drawn with a stripe of black paint across his face and an obsidian (black glass ) mirror in place of one of his feet (his name means Smoking Mirror). The post-Classic (after ad 900) Maya-Quiche people of Guatemala revered him as a lightning god under the name Hurakan ("One Foot"). Meehan, Evan. in History from Georgia State University. He was known as Black Tezcatlipoca or the “mirror that smokes”, god of the day and of Texcoco. 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