Mixcoatl (Yemaxtli, Yoamaxtli) (cloud serpent) In Aztec mythology, god of hunting, lord of the chase, often identified with the god Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec creator-trickster god worshipped by warriors and magicians. He was also said to be the father of Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish cleric Fray Diego Durán, in his Book of the Gods and Rites (c. 1576), says that Mixcoatl was the “inventor of the ways and manners of hunting.”
The god was portrayed as a man with long hair and black eyes. He wore a crown of plumes on his head, and his nose was pierced with a berry pit. In one hand he held a basket containing food, in the other a bow and arrow. His body was covered with white stripes from the top to the bottom. Human sacrifices were made to him.
Mixcoatl was also known as Iztac Mixcoatl (the white cloud serpent). He was a progenitor, father of seven sons who were the founders of the seven cities speaking the Nahuatl language. His first wife was Ilamatechtli, a form of Coatlicue, and his second wife was Chimalmatl (green shield).
SEE ALSO:
Source:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. DowCopyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante
Mixcoatl, the cloud serpent, Lord of the Hunt, is a deified hunter and warrior, the first to use flint to start a fire. Originally a spirit of the Chichimeca and Otomi, his role was taken over by the Aztec Huitzilopochtli. His mother is Cihuacoatl. In some traditions, Mixcoatl is Quetzalcoatl’s father. He is also the father of Coatlique’s four hundred sons. Mixcoatl governs the stars and the Milky Way and is closely associated with Tezcatlipoca.
ALSO KNOWN AS:
Camaxtli; Camastli
MANIFESTATION:
Mixcoatl’s body is ornamented with painted red-and-white stripes, sort of like a candy cane. The black mask he wears is trimmed with stars.
ATTRIBUTES:
Bow, arrows, basket covered with netting
ELEMENT
Fire
SEE ALSO:
- Cihuacoatl
- Coatlique
- Huitzilopochtli
- Malinalxochitl
- Quetzalcoatl
- Tezcatlipoca
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.