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nydus/The gods of MexicoPublic
Page 290 of 670
Table of Contents

CHAPTER V

to represent the moon, and puts the stars to flight.

XOCHIQUETZAL = “FLOWER FEATHER”

  • Area of Worship: Plateau of Anahuac; Tlaxcallan; Tlalhuica.
  • Minor Names: Ce atl = “One Water.” Ce Mazatl (Calendar date) = “One Deer.” Mazateotl = “Deer Goddess.”
  • Calendar Place: Ruler of the twentieth day (xochitl) and of the nineteenth “week” (ce quauhtli).
  • Compass Direction: West.
  • Festivals: Tepeilhuitl (Tlalhuica). Quecholli (Tlaxcallan). Chicome xochitl (Mexico).
  • Relationship: The first woman, and thus companion of Piltzintecutli (the Sun-god); otherwise, wife of Tlaloc, abducted by Tezcatlipocâ.

ASPECT AND INSIGNIA

Codex Borgia.—Sheet 9: Here the goddess is represented as wearing an upper garment of diversified pattern, finished with a variegated edging. Her shawl is painted in the chalchihuitl colours, and from it depend two strings or ribbons of a dark shade, completed with a flower. Her nose-plate is blue and is formed rather after the fashion of the butterfly design, while her helmet-mask represents a quetzal-bird. In sheet 58 she is vis-à-vis with the Death-god and is garbed like an earth-deity with a many-coloured robe. Her hair is dressed like that of the Zapotec women, that is, two tresses are twisted

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