Story Summary
Discover the Aztec myth of Quetzalcoatl Creates Humanity. Follow the feathered serpent into Mictlan to retrieve sacred bones and breathe life into a new world.
After the destruction of the fourth world, the gods realized they needed a new race of humans to inhabit the earth. Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, volunteered to descend into Mictlán, the dark and treacherous underworld, to retrieve the bones of the ancestors. Upon his arrival, he was met by Mictlantecuhtli, the Lord of the Dead, who agreed to surrender the bones only if Quetzalcoatl could blow a conch shell that had no holes. Using his wisdom, Quetzalcoatl commanded bees to enter the shell and create a thunderous sound, outsmarting the death god. However, as Quetzalcoatl fled with the precious remains, Mictlantecuhtli’s minions dug a pit. Quetzalcoatl tripped and fell, causing the bones to shatter into pieces of various sizes. Undeterred, he gathered the fragments and brought them to the goddess Cihuacoatl, who ground them into a fine meal. Quetzalcoatl then sprinkled his own divine blood over the powder, breathing life into the mixture. From this sacred union of ancestral bone and godly sacrifice, the first humans of the Fifth Sun were born, their varying heights a permanent reminder of the broken bones from the underworld.
The Moral
Creation requires persistence and sacrifice; our existence is a sacred gift built upon the foundations of the past.
“From the bones of the past and the blood of a god, a new world awakens.”
Fun Fact
The Aztecs believed they lived in the 'Fifth Sun,' and this story explains why humans are diverse in stature due to the 'shattered' nature of the ancestral bones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of Quetzalcoatl Creates Humanity?
It teaches that life is a sacred gift born from divine sacrifice and the remnants of those who came before. It emphasizes that persistence in the face of death is necessary for new beginnings.
Why did Quetzalcoatl travel to Mictlán?
He traveled to the underworld to retrieve the bones of previous generations that had perished. These bones were the essential ingredients needed by the gods to create a new race of humans for the Fifth Sun.
Who is Mictlantecuhtli in the story?
Mictlantecuhtli is the formidable Lord of the Dead and ruler of Mictlán. He acts as the antagonist who tests Quetzalcoatl with impossible tasks and traps to prevent the bones from leaving his realm.
Why are humans different heights according to this myth?
When Quetzalcoatl was escaping the underworld, he tripped into a pit and dropped the ancestral bones, causing them to shatter. Since humans were made from these broken fragments of various sizes, they grew to different heights.
How did Quetzalcoatl bring the bones to life?
After the bones were ground into a meal by the goddess Cihuacoatl, Quetzalcoatl performed a bloodletting sacrifice. By mixing his divine blood with the bone meal, he provided the life force necessary to animate humanity.
What is the significance of the Fifth Sun?
The Fifth Sun represents the current era of the world in Aztec cosmology. Quetzalcoatl's creation of humans from the bones of the past marks the definitive start of this age of human existence.
