Tovar Codex, Huitzilopochtli, Aztec God of War

Huitzilopochtli, holding a turquoise serpent in one hand and a shield with the five directions of space and three arrows in the other. Huitzilopochtli wears a hummingbird mask or helmet with feathered quetzal crown, which is identified with the two Moctezumas. The xiuhcoatl (turquoise or fire serpent) was his mystical weapon. In Aztec religion, Huitzilopochtli was a god of war, sun, human sacrifice and the patron of the city of Tenochtitlan. He was also the national god of the Mexicas of Tenochtitlan. Huitzilopochtli was a tribal god and a legendary wizard of the Aztecs. Originally he was of little importance to the Nahuas, but after the rise of the Aztecs, Tlacaelel reformed their religion and put Huitzilopochtli at the same level as Quetzalcoatl, Tlaloc, and Tezcatlipoca, making him a solar god. The Tovar Codex (16th century) contains detailed information about the rites and ceremonies of the Aztecs. The codex is illustrated with 51 full-page paintings in watercolor. Illustration taken from a 19th century transcript of Juan de Tovar's Historia de la benida de los yndios apoblar a Mexico (the Codex Tovar)

Picture No

12696103

Media ID

47670261

Size

4350px x 3252px (2.6MB)

Credit

LOC/Jay I. Kislak Collection/Science Source/Mary Evans