Mictlantecuhtli has become one of the most representative deities of the Mexica civilization. There are several ways of referring to this Aztec god, the most common being "Lord of the realm of the dead," "of the beyond," or "of the shadows." Its name comes from the word Mictlán, which was the way the Mexica used to designate one of the divisions of the underworld.
The kingdom of the dead, where Mictlantecuhtli rules, is the area to which the souls of people who have died go. This final destination has the objective of offering permanent rest.
AlejandroLinaresGarcia, via Wikimedia Commons.
It was one of the beliefs that the Spanish after the conquest tried to erase from Mexican culture. The intention was that Catholicism would predominate as a religion. Despite everything, the worship of Mictlantecuhtli has a lot to do with the celebration that today is known as Día de Muertos in Mexico, which occurs in early November.
Some texts assure that another of the ways to refer to the god Mictlantecuhtli was as Popocatzin. His partner is Mictecacihuatl and they are considered the most powerful duo of the afterlife areas, which are divided into nine according to the Aztec civilization.
The representation that is made of Mictlantecuhtli, as well as of his partner, is with that of a skeletal body that resembles the shape of humans. They have a large number of teeth and black hair.
Origin
Despite its importance, there are very few mentions of Mictlantecuhtli in the written works of the ancient cultures of Mexico. In the Florentine Codex, which has a lot to do with the history after the arrival of the Spanish, there is no reference to Mictlantecuhtli in the initial volume.
The Spanish used to refer to this deity in a general way. They wrote about the gods that the locals worshiped in some of their publications, but without being very specific.
Although its presence was almost nil at the written level, many graphic representations of Mictlantecuhtli were made over the years. There are carved objects from the pre-classic period in some of the oldest towns that settled in the basin of Mexico, dating from 1500 to 500 BC. C.
It is one of the best known gods of the Mexican culture worldwide and, due to its characteristics, it is a very easy being to identify.
Iconography
The characteristics with which the god Mictlantecuhtli has been represented have been very clear for years, but historians have not fully agreed on the meaning of each element. There are even those who believe that there are misconceptions about the meaning and origin of Mictlantecuhtli.
The body of this deity is made up of the bones of a human body. Her face is a mask that is shaped like a skull and has a black mane.
Typically, Mictlantecuhtli is in a posture that resembles the intention to attack. In addition to having claws that make it an aggressive being.
There are several animals that are linked to this deity of the Mexica culture, among them the dog, the bat, the spiders and the owls.
For the Mayans there was also a deity for death, very similar to Mictlantecuhtli, but in this case he was known as Ah Puch.
Legend
According to the dogmas of the Aztecs at that time, only those who died of natural causes could enter the area where Mictlantecuhtli and his wife Mictecacihuatl ruled. In spite of everything, the entrance to the underworld was not so simple.
The dead have to overcome several obstacles before they can appear before the gods of the shadows.
According to mythology, one of the most difficult levels is to go through areas where there are Xochitónales, iguanas or giant crocodiles that live in swampy areas. They must also pass through deserted areas or suffer strong wind currents, all in order to reach Mictlán.
When the dead presented themselves before the gods of death they had to give offerings.
The trip to Mictlán lasts four days. Then the spirits of the deceased are separated among the nine regions that make up the afterlife in Mexica mythology.
Wife
Mictecacihuatl is the partner of the lord of the place of the dead. In the Nahuatl language she was called the "lady of death." Together with Mictlantecuhtli, they form the most powerful duo in the underworld.
Mictecacihuatl's task consists of guarding the bones of the dead that arrived in Mictlán. She is in charge of directing the parties that are held in honor of the deceased. With the inclusion of Christianity, these festivities became known as the Day of the Dead, which is a date celebrated worldwide.
Legends say that this deity died at the time of his birth.
Festivities
There are no references to festivals or rituals that are held periodically in honor of Mictecacihuatl. It is not part of the festivities of the veintenas that occur in the Mexican tradition.
But there are several ceremonies in honor of death itself, ranging from worshiping the gods, ancestors, as well as supernatural forces.
Day of the Dead
Currently, one of the best-known traditions of Mexicans worldwide is the Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in early November. This celebration is a consequence of the mixture of cultures between the Mexica and the Spanish who colonized and introduced the Catholic religion in the country.
The festival consists of the delivery of various offerings, prayers and requests by the faithful.
Rituals
In the Tudela or Magliabechiano codices, reference is made to the ceremonies held in honor of the god Mictlantecuhtli. The normal thing in ancient times was human sacrifice. These acts consisted of taking out the heart, in episodes of cannibalism and in scenes of self-sacrifice.
In addition, a common practice was to spread blood on a statue with the figure of Mictlantecuhtli.
Offerings
In ancient times, the Mexican cultures did not use altars and decorate them as the current tradition shows. The offerings made to Mictlantecuhtli were considered more like funeral ceremonies. This explains the reason why there was no special day to worship this deity, but depended on the burial of each person.
The dead, according to Mexica mythology, were buried with different objects such as jewelry, clothes, food and water. In general, things were placed that could serve souls on their way to Mictlán.
There was also the custom of burying people who had died with dogs. These animals served as support to reach the underworld to appear before Mictlantecuhtli.
References
- Camper, C. and Raúl the Third (2016). Lowriders to the center of the Earth. (Lowriders, book 2.). San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
- Ganeri, A. (2012). Gods and goddesses. New York: PowerKids Press.
- Kuiper, K. (2010). Pre-Columbian America. Britannica Educational Pub.
- Phillips, C. and Jones, D. (2006). The mythology of the Aztec & Maya. London: Southwater.
- Shaw, S. (2012). Paradise misplaced. West Chester, Pa.: Swedenborg Foundation Press.