30 May 2025 / 10 House
Article more suitable for mature students
Find out moreThe Myth of Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl
ORIGINAL QUESTION received from - and thanks to - Arjun Ravindra: I’m planning to do a presentation basically dealing with the myth of Quetzalcoatl, about his life and about who he actually was. But I can’t find suitable resources and detailed information on the internet. Since I live in India, I don’t have access to any of those books in libraries - kindly suggest some good resources. (Answered by Julia Flood/Mexicolore)
The Myth of Ce Ácatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl: a Summary.
Ce Ácatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl, or “1 Reed, Our Prince Plumed Serpent”, was a holy man and patron of the post-classic Toltec city of Tollan which is now thought to be modern day Tula, situated in the state of Hidalgo, North of Mexico City.
The Toltecs were a Nahua group that populated much of the Central Highlands around the 10th to 12th centuries AD. Their contribution to Mesoamerican history included the spreading of the post-classic cult of the Plumed Serpent into Mayan Yucatán. They also helped develop arts such as writing and painting in central Mexico.
“When talking about the Toltecs, both history and myth become one” (Miguel Leon Portilla:1983).
Archaeological evidence suggests that the Toltecs did indeed exist as a people but solid information on their roots and history is scarce. For a rounded view on how important the Toltecs were to Mesoamerica, we must rely on 16th century Nahua texts to shed more light on their identity and actions. These books mingled myth and reality together. An example of this can be found in the detail surrounding the battle between the priest, Topiltzin, and his nemesis, Tezcatlipoca.
The Aztecs and other Nahua peoples living in Mexico around the time of the conquest greatly admired their Toltec predecessors. Codices describe Tollan to be an earthly paradise bursting with huge crops that could be harvested all year round. Described as skilled healers and pious citizens, the Toltecs never felt hunger nor feared the wrath of the gods. Portrayed as a refined and gentle priest, Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl apparently preferred to appease the gods’ thirst for blood by performing self sacrifice and animal offerings than to spill the blood of his beloved Toltec followers.
He was the jewel in Tollan’s crown and passed on skills such as stonework, featherwork and metallurgy to his people who, for generations to come would be known to be inventive, intelligent and capable. For this very reason, Nahua nobles strove to claim Toltec lineage, proclaiming themselves civilized, honourable and talented up until Mexico’s conquest.
Who was Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl?
The son of King Mixcóatl (Cloud Serpent), Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl was born in Culhuacan on the day 1Reed, around the mid 10th century AD. He probably received the name of Quetzacóatl on becoming high priest of the god Quetzalcóatl’s temple. Myth has it that he eventually settled in Tollan and lived to a great old age. Nevertheless, old age did not prevent him and his people from being destroyed by the mischievous lord of darkness, the deity called Tezcatlipoca.
By way of deceit and tricks, Tezcatlipoca lured the aged and decrepit Topiltzin from his rituals, abstention and fasting and cheated him into a state of drunkenness in which he committed incest with his sister. Topiltzin’s shame at being led astray from his duties provoked him to leave Tollan and make his way east. According to legend, the city was then destroyed by Tezcatlipoca who also hampered Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl throughout his self-imposed exile.
On reaching Tlapallan, on the gulf coast, Topiltzin set himself on fire in an act of self sacrifice to the gods, and rose into the sky as the morning star. Other accounts say he boarded a raft of serpents and sailed into the east, vowing to return again on the date of 1 Reed, or Ce Ácatl.
To the south, Mayan stories of a northern warrior called Kukulcan (the Maya name for Quetzalcóatl), who conquered the region of Yucatán, are reported to have coincided with Topiltzin’s wanderings. Murals depicting his victory in Yucatán can be found in the Maya ruins of Chichén Itzá.
Codices tell us that after they lost their priest, the Toltecs were thwarted by the evil deity, Tezcatlipoca. However, archaeologists tell us that around the 12th century AD the city of Tollan, being a centre of commerce and inhabited by diverse ethnic groups, was subject to fractioning and uprisings between citizens. This provoked an internal crisis that was personified by the mythical struggle between Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca. This rupture might also have brought about the fall of the Toltec civilization.
Important sources for reading about the life and times of
Ce Ácatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl... Primary Sources
• Codex Chimalpopoca (John Bierhorst, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1992)
• Florentine Codex (Arthur Anderson, Santa Fe School of American Research, USA, 1982)
• General History of the things of New Spain (Fray Bernadino de Sahagun, Comments by Angel María Garibay, 6th ed., Editorial Porrúa, 1985, Mexico City, Mexico)
• Toltec Chichimec History (Heinrich Berlin, Mexico, 1947)
Secondary sources
• The Aztec Empire: the Toltec Resurgence (Nigel Davies, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman 1987)
• From Teotihuacan to the Aztecs (Miguel León Portilla, University Press of Colorado, USA, 1963)
Comments (5)
Alex Jacal
26th Dec 2015
Thanks alot for your interest of this ancient person. Im going to share with you some information. Exist a entity that could be named Cosmic Avatar. This avatar is reencarnated many times on earth and his goal is elevate the human consciousness. The reencarnation in India was Krishna and in America was Ce Acatl (Quetzalcoatl), also in America was reencarnated like Kulkulkan (Mayas) and Viracocha (Incas) and much more. That is the reason of many similarities about different cultures.
Howard Dickens
24th Oct 2014
Here, in El Salvador we have a legend that Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl came to the sacred lake Guija, situated in the north west of the country. There on an island he had a temple built in honour of his consort, the goddess Itzcueye before he himself expired. The ancient name for El Salvador is Cuscatlan which means the jewel below and it has been suggested that this term refers to the burial of Ce Acatl. There are also legends that subscribe to the idea that, when Tula was eventually destroyed the last king Atzil Topiltsn came to the final resting place of Ce Acatl and founded the city of Cuscatlan. From that period to the arrival of the Spanish both Quezalcoatl and Itscueye were perceived as the patrons of the land.
Mexicolore
Many thanks, Howard, for sharing this information - it certainly broadens the horizon regarding this legend...
Laura
11th Mar 2011
In regards to the cultural similarities between India and Mexico- I worked for an Indian woman who told me when she was in Mexico she went to a museum with Toltec artifacts. She noticed the patterns on the pottery and other art were strikingly similar - almost identical - to ones she had seen all her life in India. I wish I remembered what part of India she was from...I have looked up this topic and seen that there is some commentary on similarities between the two cultures, but have not found any research to support or explain this. It would be really interesting to find out more - let me know if you do!
Mexicolore
Many thanks, Laura, for this intriguing comment. At some point we plan to run a feature on the similarities between ancient Mexican and ancient Chinese art. Perhaps from there to India...
Francisco Cristalinas
7th Aug 2010
El nombre Quetzalcoatl siempre ha sido traducido por los expertos como la serpiente emplumada, por su forma de escribirse, pero tambien se puede traducir y significar el “gemelo divino”, la palabra coatl se sabe que significa serpiente o vivora etc, pero coatl tambien se ouede pronunciar cuatl y significar lo mismo, es igual a la forma de mencionar o pronunciar el nomdre del estado de Oaxaca como se escribe o pronunciar Huajaca, o Waxaca de todos modos Oaxaca se deriba del sonido de la palabra Nahuatl Huashaca (donde hay truenos)
Arjun Ravindra
8th Apr 2008
Thank you for your reply. I did finish my presentation in time, it went well but I still have a lot of questions to ask and this post did help. Reading about the “tale” of the Mexicas used to be a hobby but I want it to be a bigger part of my life now. I think I’ll be taking this very topic up as an elective project here in my graduate school. I have actually observed some similarities between the Indian mythology and that of the Aztecs in terms of their philosophical thoughts in general. Concepts like reincarnation are similar to a great extent but starkly differ in one particular point. Similar goes with concepts like polytheism, mythology of their nature gods like Tlaloc when compared to the Hindu rain (water) god Indra. All in all, I think there is so much more to be learnt and explored, it’s a little overwhelming really. Thanks again for your support and any further help will be greatly appreciated.
Mexicolore
You’ve raised some fascinating points here, Arjun - something we’d like very much to explore on our website. Maybe you (or someone you know) would like to offer an article on one or more of the parallels you’ve mentioned? All the best!
More Ask Us Entries
- The colours of maizeDid the Aztecs and Maya believe in predestination?What did the Europeans make of the Aztecs brought to Spain?Is the Templo Mayor the only double shrine?How were disputes settled?Why no backgrounds?What was the Maya moon symbol?Why didn’t most Aztec warriors wear helmets?Why did the Aztecs sculpt goddesses?Why did Aztec priests practice asceticism?Was the Toltec calendar similar to the Mexica?What about cougars?Is Xoaltecuhtli a real Aztec god?Was another layer planned for the Templo Mayor?Did women sing and dance in rituals?Did the Aztecs have organised schools of thought?What about Aztec toilets and bathing together?Did the Aztecs adapt to Spanish tactics?Questions about Aztec warriorsDid Aztec warriors have their own warrior code?Did the Aztecs know about peccaries?Did the Aztecs know soap?A symbol for welcomeAre Toci and Tlazolteotl the same?Aztec fortressesAhuitzotl’s childrenDid the Aztecs have ritual specialists?Tell us more about OpochtliDid the Aztecs use canoes for war?The town of MixtlanWas tobacco a harvest offering?Who was Huemac?Diadem versus feather headdressWhat did the Aztecs think of Venus?Did the Aztecs perform mummification?Did the Toltecs paint codices?What is the origin of the Aztec spirit bird?What were battle formations like?Calendar signs on a chess setAztec stone toolsWhat is the object in Xochipilli’s hand?Did the massacre of Toxcatl affect the Mexica army?Did Tezcatlipoca have four wives?What did noble houses look like?Is this a Nezahualcoyotl poem?What do we know about Teotitlan?The art of magicWhat did heron feathers represent?How did the bridges in the causeways work?How did Spaniards describe Aztec warriors?How bad was it to be under the control of the Mexica?How did the Aztecs write distances?What connects Xiuhtecuhtli, Huehueteotl and Chantico?Itzpapalotl and her Chichimec originsDid spiders have any symbolism?What’s with Ixtlilton?Please describe Aztec sling projectilesWere other animals associated with the moon?What do Quetzalcoatl’s earplugs really look like?The ‘Rise Talokan!’ hand gestureHow did Aztec warriors train?Were fish symbolic to the Aztecs?Did sharks or swordfish symbolise anything?Did crows mean anything to the Aztecs?Did they scar children going to religious school?What rituals accompanied Aztec deaths?Did the Aztecs have anything like the 7 deadly sins in Christianity?What was the average age of an Aztec emperor?What would be the Aztec term for empress?Did the Aztecs refer to Tenochtitlan and Mexico?Did merchants stay at inns?Could priests and priestesses marry?Did codices advise on being a good ruler?Did commoners have access to codices?Did they have a preferred hand for wielding weapons?How did warriors carry weapons?Did Mictecacihuatl have her own temple?What was the symbol for the Mexica themselves?Did the Aztecs use wood saws?Why did Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca dominate creation?The Mexica war cryA name for the north American continentDeclaring warDid the Aztecs use perfume?How do I choose an Aztec name?Did the Mexica say prayers before hunting?Who created Mictlantecuhtli?Were there initiation rites for new warriors?Did they use cooking fat and earth ovens?What animals were associated with the sun?Were albinos special in ancient Mexico?Is there an Aztec symbol for family?Is sobador (massage) culture prehispanic?What type of war paint did they have?Did the Aztecs practice martial arts?Is any of Cortes’s treasure left today?Everything for sale in the great marketDid Aztec men grow beards?Did all festivals include human sacrifices?What happened to the Culhuas?When does a day ‘start’ in the tonalpohualli?Towns linked by causeways to TenochtitlanThe Aztecs and mental illnessWere all Mexica great astronomers?How did they light their homes?Did the Aztecs hug?The Aztecs and the seaWhat about giants in Aztec mythology?The colour bands on Tezcatlipoca’s faceSacrifice of a Colhua princessAxolotls in Mexica(n)/Aztec mythologyWhat’s the meaning of this statue?Xochipilli and XochiquetzalCommon features of Aztec/Mesoamerican religionWhat was the hairstyle of (seasoned) Aztec warriors?How did commoners address the emperor?Resources on Mexica writingOther examples of Aztec templesIs this tattoo an Aztec eagle?Did the Aztecs convert conquered peoples?What’s painted red on the face of Tenoch?Why no bears in Aztec mythology?Red paint on Aztec stone sculpturesGod figures made of corn stalk pasteComing-of-age ritualsCan you identify this poster?What does Temaxcalapa mean?What evidence is there of human sacrifice?Did the Aztecs have a term for religion?How did the Aztecs get their stones for building?Did the Aztecs use metal spears?What does this Nahuatl saying mean?How did the Aztecs use stars?What happened to the nobility?What did the Aztecs call the Spanish?How did Aztec culture influence their housing?Why did Alvarado massacre the Aztecs?What surgery did the Aztecs practice?What did royal women wear?Were all gods male and female?The feast for XilonenCould you get divorced?What would Cuauhtémoc have looked like?Is Tlaltecuhtli on this ring?Keeping the Aztec army supplied and treating woundsThe Aztecs and dwarfsCan you identify this object?Was Xochiquetzal a female Aztec warrior?Is this the urn with Ahuitzotl’s ashes?Dogs as guides for soulsWar chantsThe clothing of Aztec priests and royalsWhat’s going on in this image from the Florentine Codex?Which feast was dedicated to Chalchiuhtlicue?Royal court musiciansHow did they make colourful costumes?Did the Aztecs use a ‘Mixtec Sabre’?The symbolism of the four directionsWere women stargazers?Turquoise mosaic discMesoamerican tradeWhat happened to the rest of the sacrificed person’s body?Who exactly were the Chichimec people?Is there a name for the Aztec speech glyph?Did the Aztecs paint their canoes?The symbol for turquoiseHow do we know Tenochtitlan had a zoo?Did the Spanish eliminate Aztec song and dance?The tongue hanging out in Aztec artThe 13 heavens and 9 underworldsWhat exactly was a ‘calpulli’?Aztec children’s clothesGood source books on Mexica musicWhere are the codices today?Deerskin strap masks‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’How much gold did the Conquistadores get?Can you translate this poem?The origin of ‘pulque’The eagle and the snake...Many partners or one?Volcano mythsMapsWere war banners sacred or utilitarian?Did war shield symbols represent cities?Symbol for war‘A typical battle’TonantzinThe monkey’s earringDouble-headed serpentWho was Prime Minister at the Conquest?The ‘crying boy’ whistling jugThe wind god’s fanThe symbol for goldAztec gardensMysterious rectangular motifAztec/Mexica clothingCuauhtémoc’s emblemThe ruler’s white dressFood storesThe name Moctezuma todayWho are these 2 gods?Aztec shieldsHow should I start teaching a topic on the Aztecs?How did the Aztecs make molcajetes?Aztec God of Good Health?Why wear headdresses?How big was the Aztec Calendar (Stone)?An image of Citlalicue?Aztec pyramidsPictures of what the Aztecs ateTezcatlipoca or Tezcatilpoca?Sacred birds, flowers and Day LordsAztec symbol for protectorTraditional Náhuatl greetingsChild-friendly sources on the ConquestWere the Aztecs barbaric?What does (my) name Cuitlahuac mean?Ce Acatl Topiltzin QuetzalcoatlWomen and the ConquestMoctezuma’s deathAztec earringsThe Aztec ArmyWhat about Tlatelolco?