Xochiquetzal (lady precious flower, beautiful rose?) In Aztec mythology, goddess of sexual love and courtesans, patroness of painters, embroiderers, weavers, silversmiths, sculptors, and all whose profession was to imitate nature in crafts and drawings. On the Day of the Dead the goddess was offered marigolds by her faithful followers. She is the female form of the bisexual god Tonacatecutli.
SEE ALSO:
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante
Xochiquetzal : Precious Flower; Quetzal Flower
Xochiquetzal, beautiful Aztec goddess of love, pleasure, flowers, and vegetation, is the lady of birds and butterflies, the very essence of youthful female sexuality and generative, creative power. Xochiquetzal is the inventor of artistic crafts. She presides over menstruation, conception, pregnancy, and childbirth. According to myth, Xochiquetzal was the very first to menstruate, have sex, and give birth. She first menstruated after being bitten on her vagina by a bat, which sprang from Quetzalcoatl’s semen. The very first flowers emerged in response to that bite, too. The ever-charming and seductive Xochiquetzal resides in Tamoanchan, the Aztec Paradise, where she guards the Tree of Life. Allegedly one touch of its flowers ensures happiness, fidelity, and good fortune.
Xochiquetzal is sometimes identified as the sister with whom Quetzalcoatl engaged in incest, causing the downfall of the Toltec empire and forcing him to flee.
• The conquistadors identified her with Eve.
• Veneration of Xochiquetzal may survive under the guise of Our Lady of Ocotlan, a Mexican Madonna.
Pronounced:
Sho-CHEE-ket-zul
FAVOURED PEOPLE:
Artists, artisans who create luxury items, including embroiderers, feather-workers, metalworkers, painters, sculptors, and weavers. Also florists, housewives, young mothers, pregnant women, prostitutes, sex workers, midwives, healers.
MANIFESTATION:
Xochiquetzal has long black hair with bangs cut in the style the Aztecs associated with young women. Her face may be painted with flowers, or she may sport facial tattoos. Xochiquetzal is always young, beautiful, sexy, and alluring. In reality, she’s thousands of years old, but she looks like a young girl. Xochiquetzal never looks scary (even when she’s being scary). She is accompanied by a retinue of birds and butterflies
ICONOGRAPHY:
She is portrayed wearing a quetzal feather headdress and a jewelled butterfly nose ornament. In Codex Vaticanus B, her menstrual blood is portrayed as a single flower emerging from her vagina.
Consort:
Tlaloc (although she eventually left him for the very persistent Tezcatlipoca)
Spirit ally:
Her twin brother, Xochipilli
ELEMENT
Fire
PLANET:
Moon
Metal:
gold
Flower:
All, but especially Aztec marigolds (Tagetes erecta), called Cempazuchil in Nahuatl.
CREATURES:
Hummingbirds, quetzal, butterflies. Dr. Carlos Beutelspacher, author of Butterflies of Ancient Mexico, theorizes that Xochiquetzal’s specific butterfly is the Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudatus).
OFFERINGS:
Flowers! Also the traditional crafts that she loves. Patronize artisans in her honour. Xochiquetzal drinks Mexican hot chocolate. Devotees obtain flower tattoos.
SEE ALSO:
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses – Written by Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.