Created in the image of the unknown, without crack on her body and dressed in skulls, lacerated hands and snakes Coatlique is the mother goddess in the Aztec creation myth. She is the Lady of the Skirt of Snakes.
Impregnated by an obsidian knife, Coatlique gave birth to a large number of male children (who became the stars in the sky) and to Coyolxanuhqui (goddess of the moon). As a goddess Coatlique should have only been able to give birth once. However, the day came when Coatlique found a ball of feathers, tucked it into her bosom only later to discover the ball had vanished. She had become pregnant again.
Coyolxanuhqui and her brothers were so deeply ashamed that Coatlique was claiming to be pregnant again that they plotted to kill her. Before they could Coatliquegave birth to Huitzilopochtli the god of war.
Huitzilopochtli and a great fire serpent waged war on his sister and brothers. Coyolxauhqui was beheaded and her body thrown into a deep gorge. The brothers were murdered too.
As the heavens crumbled, the divine children torn apart by fratricide the earth mother fell and was fertilized. From this chaos, the Aztec world was born.
In Pure Spirit
What does this creation myth mean to you? Have you discovered any other Aztec creation stories?
that deity is huitzilopochtli