The Aztecs: Creation and Destruction

Two illustrated figures sit opposite each other with expressions of frustration Mythological systems and stories often center on notions of creation and destruction (or death). In this lesson, we'll discuss Aztec beliefs about the creation of the universe, but also cover their views on death.

Image note: Ometeotl (dual gods) is often depicted as two separate forms. In this image, we see a depiction of the god in two forms named Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl (also called Tonacacihuatl and Tonacatuchtli). Splitting into two allowed Ometeotl to reproduce all of creation.

The Creation Myth: Five Suns

There are several different versions of the creation myth due to their conquest of and integration with surrounding people in the region. Five Suns is a belief that the world has gone through five distinct cycles of creation and destruction, with the current era being the fifth. Let's read the Aztec version of this myth.

According to the legend, from the void that was the rest of the universe, the first god, Ometeotl, created itself. The nature of Ometeotl, the god of duality, was shared by the male Ometecuhtli, lord of duality, and the female Omecihuatl, lady of duality. Ometeotl gave birth to four children, the four Tezcatlipocas, who each preside over one of the four cardinal directions. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, mercy, and wind. Over the South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec, the god of gold, farming, and springtime. And over the North presides the Black Tezcatlipoca, also called simply Tezcatlipoca, the god of judgment, night, deceit, sorcery, and the Earth.

The Aztecs believed that the gods created the universe at the sacred city of Teotihuacan (literally: birthplace of the gods in the Nahuatl language). The great gods created five different worlds, though the gods created each one when the previous one failed.

First sun

It was the four gods who eventually created all the other gods and the world we know today, but before they could create they had to destroy. Every time they attempted to create something, it would fall into the water beneath them and be eaten by Tlaltecuhtli, the giant earth crocodile, who swam through the water with mouths at every one of her joints.

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca destroyed the goddess by tearing her down the center of her body. One piece of Tlaltecuhtli's body became the earth, mountains, and rivers, her hair the trees and flowers, her eyes the caves and wells. The other piece became the vault of the sky. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca gave Tlatecuhtli the gift of providing humans with whatever they need from her body.

Tezcatlipoca (Black Tezcatlipoca, Lord of the North) was chosen as the first sun, which was a sun of earth. Being earth, he barely illuminated the first world. The people of this first world acted improperly, so the gods allowed jaguars to feast on their flesh.

Second sun

Quetzalcoatl (pictured at left) was chosen as the second sun, made of air. The gods created a second set of humans, but this also ultimately failed as humans began to drift away from the beliefs and teachings of the gods and instead embraced greed and corruption. Hurricane winds fell upon the earth, and the gods transformed the people into apes.

Afterwards, the apes were banished, and Quetzalcoatl stepped down from his role as the sun and crafted a new, more perfect race of humans.

Third sun

Tlaloc was crowned the new sun, one made fire. But in a fit of rage, Tlaloc unleashed volcanoes and earthquakes and caused fire to rain upon the earth, completely destroying it and leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

Fourth sun

The next sun was Chalchiuhtlicue, and so the sun of water illuminated the fourth world. Quetzalcoatl created a race of humans from the ash left behind by Tlaloc's rage. But these humans committed acts of greed, so the gods punished them with a great flood and converted the humans into fish. Still, Tlaloc saved one human couple, Tata and Nena, and informed them to create a hole in a tree and remain in it until the flood subsided. They were required to prove they could leave greed behind by consuming only one corn cob each. If they did so, their lives would be spared. However, the greed of the couple compelled them to roast the fish left by the flood, and so the furious gods turned the couple into dogs.

Fifth sun

Tecuciztecatl, a wealthy god, and Nanahuatzin, a poor and humble god, created the fifth world with a sun that was a combination of all four elements. The other gods commanded Tecuciztecatl and Nanahuatzin to leap into the sacrificial fire to create the fifth world, but the wealthy god trembled at the thought, so Nanahuatzin courageously jumped in first. Tecuciztecatl followed in shame, becoming the moon.

Under the fifth sun, Quetzalcoatl harvested corn he had stolen from ants to nourish the human beings he planned to create. He then traveled to his brother Xolotl, the lord of the dead, and requested the bones of his father to be utilized in the creation of humans. Xolotl attempted to keep the bones from Quetzalcoatl; however, Quetzalcoatl triumphed over his brother, and eventually molded a new race of humans, both male and female, from bone meal of his father and his own blood.

Alternative Fifth Sun Story: Another story about the Fifth sun is as follows: the Centzonhuītznāhua, or the stars of the south, became jealous of their brighter, more important brother Huitzilopochtli, who had become the fifth sun. Their leader, Coyolxauhqui, goddess of the moon, led them in an assault on the sun, and every night they come close to victory when they shine throughout the sky, but are beaten back by the mighty Huitzilopochtli (pictured on the right) who rules the daytime sky.

To aid this all-important god in his continuing war, the Aztecs offer him the nourishment of human sacrifices. They also offer human sacrifices to Tezcatlipoca in fear of his judgment, offer their own blood to Quetzalcoatl, who opposes fatal sacrifices, in thanks of his blood sacrifice for them, and give offerings to many other gods for many purposes. Should these sacrifices cease, or should mankind fail to please the gods for any other reason, this fifth sun will go black, the world will be shattered by a catastrophic earthquake, and the Tzitzimitl will slay Huitzilopochtli and all of humanity.

Final Thoughts: Aztec Attitudes on Death

You may have noticed at the end of the story that human sacrifice was a requirement for the Aztecs to assuage the gods. Keeping the fifth sun in the sky means nourishing the god, Huitzilopochtli. Debates back and forth have raged in academia about the degree to which Aztecs participated in human sacrifice, but it is clear, from their own accounts to archaeological evidence, to Spanish reports, that human sacrifice did happen in this belief system. The most extreme stories are not likely to be completely true. For instance, the Spanish used the practice to justify their genocide, claiming that they were actually helping the indigenous population by eliminating the Aztec power structure and their mass sacrifices. However, overwhelming evidence points to the Aztecs believing that human sacrifice was critical to the continuation of humanity, and thus they regularly carried out ritual murder.

Practice Activity: The Five Suns Cycle

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