Aztec mythology; Indian mythology -- Mexico; Mexico -- Religion
Codex Magliabecchiano.—A good illustration of Tezcatlipocâ will be
found on page 89 of this codex. The figure of the god is surrounded by
footprints, symbolic, probably, of the circumstance that as the
youngest and swiftest of the gods he arrived first at the teotleco
festival (coming of the gods) and impressed his footprint on the heap
of maize arranged by the priests for its reception in order that they
might know of his coming. He wears a large panache of green feathers,
consisting of two parts; that immediately above the face being inserted
in a tumbler-shaped ornament painted blue, with a red rim, and having
six white disks upon its field. To the lower part of this is joined a
rainbow-like device in various colours, from which springs the main
part of the feather panache. The upper fore-part of the face is painted
yellow, the rear portion purple or grey, and the region about the mouth
is bright red. He is bearded. The tunic is white, with a white
shoulder-knot, and a bunch of maize springs from the right shoulder. On
the breast is the god’s mirror, and at the waist an ornament or symbol
resembling the Maya Kin (sun) sign, painted blue. The rest of the
body-colour is purple-grey. In the left hand he carries an atlatl, or
spear-thrower, with a serpent’s head having a brown mane, and bearing a
resemblance to some horse-like ornamental motifs found in Guatemala. In
the right hand he bears a shield, the field of which is divided into
two parts, the right painted blue and bearing what would seem to be the
nose-ornament of the pulque-gods, whilst the left resembles the design
found on the skirt of the Earth-goddess. The shield is crossed behind
by four darts and is surmounted by a befeathered banner. In this place
Tezcatlipocâ is undoubtedly represented in his variant of “the young
warrior,” as his equipment shows.
Sahagun MS. (Biblioteca del Palacio).—The god’s feather crown is set
with obsidian knives. His face is barred with horizontal lines of
black, and on his back he carries a basket filled with
quetzal-feathers. His arm-ring is set with obsidian knives, and
one-half of his leg is painted black. On his legs and feet he wears
shells and sandals, the latter the so-called “obsidian sandals,”
painted with a picture of the obsidian snake. His arms are covered with
paper fans. His shield is inlaid with feather balls, and in one of his
hands he holds the “seeing” or scrying implement tlachialoni.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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