Quetzalcoatl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quetzalcoatl
Member of Mesoamerican religion
Quetzalcoatl, God of Wind and Wisdom
Other names	Deities: Ehecatl, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Kukulkan (Maya) Nicknames: "Feathered Serpent", "Precious Twin"
Major cult center	Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Teotihuacan
Planet	Venus
Animals	Snake
Region	Mesoamerica
Ethnic group	Aztec, Nahua
Festivals	Several
Personal information
Parents	Mixcoatl and Xochiquetzal
Siblings	Xolotl

Quetzalcoatl in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis.

Quetzalcoatl was a very important god to the Aztecs. The Aztecs were an ancient civilization in Mesoamerica (which is now Mexico). Quetzalcoatl was known as a god of the sky and a creator god.

His name means "feathered serpent" or "plumed serpent". This is because his name comes from two words: quetzalli (a colorful bird) and coatl (meaning serpent or snake). He was often shown as a snake with feathers. Sometimes, he was also shown as a human.

Quetzalcoatl was linked to the planet Venus. He was also seen as the special god of Aztec priests. He was the god of learning and knowledge. Many other ancient cultures in Mesoamerica also worshipped a feathered serpent god. This shows how important this god was across the region.

Who Was Quetzalcoatl?

Quetzalcoatl was one of the most famous Aztec gods. Other important Aztec gods included Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca, and Huitzilopochtli.

The name Quetzalcoatl was also used by some ancient Aztec leaders. This can make it tricky to tell the difference between the god and the human leaders.

You can see images of the feathered serpent god in many ancient places. For example, at Teotihuacan, there are large buildings with feathered serpent images. You can also find similar images at Chichén Itza and Tula.

Amazing Legends About Quetzalcoatl

There are many interesting stories about Quetzalcoatl. These stories are called legends.

How Humans Were Created

One legend says that the world had been created and destroyed four times before. Quetzalcoatl then went to the underworld. He collected human bones from there. He added his own blood to these bones to bring them to life. This is why he was seen as the creator of the humans who lived during the Aztec Empire.

The Return of Quetzalcoatl

Another legend talks about Quetzalcoatl being sent away. This story said he would return from the east. This return was supposed to happen just before the end of the world.

Some people used this legend to explain why the Aztec leader Moctezuma treated the Spanish so well. The Spanish conquistador (explorer and conqueror) named Cortés arrived from the east. Some thought Moctezuma believed Cortés was Quetzalcoatl returning.

However, most historians today do not believe this. They think this idea was probably made up by the Spanish. It is unlikely that Moctezuma truly thought Cortés was a god.

Relevant Pages

• Quetzalcoatlus, a very large pterosaur (a flying reptile) from the time of the dinosaurs, was named after Quetzalcoatl.

Images for kids

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  A photo of La Venta Stela 19, the earliest known representation of the Feathered Serpent in Mesoamerica

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  Feathered Serpent head at the Ciudadela complex in Teotihuacan

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  Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the Codex Magliabechiano

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  Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the Codex Borbonicus

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  Quetzalcoatl in human form, using the symbols of Ehecatl, from the Codex Borgia

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  Quetzalcoatl in feathered-serpent form as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis

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  Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the post-Conquest Tovar Codex

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  Quetzalcoatl Mural in Acapulco by Diego Rivera

See also

In Spanish: Quetzalcóatl para niños