Itztlacoliuhqui

Itzlacoliuhqui or Itzcoliuhqui (from Nahuatl: Itzcoliuhqui 'crooked knife''; itztli, obsidian, obsidian knife; tla, object; coliuhi, twist') in Mexica mythology he is the personification of justice, as well as being the god of obsidian, lord of sacrifice, disasters and knife-shaped objects, and is related to especially with frost or low temperatures. He is also alternately identified with many gods from other Mesoamerican cultures, including Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca.

An overview

Itztlacoliuhqui in the Borbonic Codex

Itztlacoliuhqui is the god of frost in Mexica mythology. Also, he is the god of ice, cold, winter, sin, punishment, and human misery. He is associated with the night and obsidian. He is responsible for tremors, volcanic eruptions, and disasters in general. Some studies say that his name literally means "Curved Obsidian Sword", while other experts say that this is a mistranslation. As Richard J. Andrews points out, his name truly means that everything has been warped by coldness or Plant-Killer-Frost Still, there are others who think that his name means "He who carries an obsidian hook". & # 3. 4;

Her physical appearance sometimes included a blindfold. Therefore, a nickname of his is "Blindfolded Justice." This symbolizes their relationship and their role in bringing justice and punishment to humans and spirits of the underworld. However, some also say that the bandage was actually used to cover his wounded forehead from the time he was shot with an arrow by the Sun God (Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli).Another aspect of his appearance is the concept of how he looks. incorporate obsidian. Some say his entire head is made of obsidian with a strange bit of an arrow sticking out. Instead, others claim that his head consists of a curved piece of obsidian flint.

Legend of its origin

In the Mexica creation myth, Itztlacoliuhqui began as the god Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the god of the early morning and the planet Venus. Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was a very cheerful and happy god. One day, Tonatiuh, the sun god, demanded obedience and sacrifices from the other gods before moving. But Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli got very angry, took charge of the situation and shot an arrow into the sun. The arrow did not reach where Tonatiuh was, and he shot another arrow at Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli in retribution, which penetrated his head. At that time, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli became the god of obsidian and cold, which is called Itztlacoliuhqui. Researcher Ivan Šprajc analyzes the cosmological and scientific connections between weather, rain, and the movement of the planet Venus as it influences the celebration of fertility and the cultivation of corn in Mesoamerica; finds concordances between the depictions of the gods associated with the planet Venus on stelae at Monte Albán, Tlatlico, and Uxmal and the rain observed at Copán. Some say that the arrow actually turned Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli to stone, and that his new look matches his icy and bitter personality (which greatly complements his role as a bringer of justice).

Connections to other gods

Itztlacoliuhqui is a part of the sacred trinity of Mexica mythology. The holy trinity consists of three parts: birth, life, and death. Here Itztlacoliuhqui is understood to represent death, while the god Tezcatlipoca represents birth, and life is signified by Itzpapalotl, who is Itztlacoliuhqui's female counterpart. Also, there is a direct association between Tezcatlipoca and obsidian.

Itztlacoliuhqui is linked to various gods from other cultures. For example, he is related to his Mayan counterpart, Kisin. Kisin is also associated with stones, as there are many depictions of him in the Mayan codices, in which he is seen attacking other gods with stones. Kisin is the punisher of the underworld, he punishes the souls that did bad deeds in their lives. He has a hot iron with cold water to torture souls. He also has a spear and knife or torch. The Kisin ring markings in these scenes are similar to Itztlacoliuhqui-Ixquimilli in various Mexica manuscripts.

According to the missionary Bernardino de Sahagún, in the second book of his General History of the Things of New Spain, also known as the Florentine Codex, after its connection with the planet Venus the god himself Itztlacolihuqui is associated with Cintéotl, god of maize in Aztec mythology, corresponding to 1 Xóchtil in the Nahua calendar, 1 Ahau in the Yucatec Mayan calendar, and 1 Hunahpú in the Quiché Maya.

Attributes and symbolism

Since Itztlacoliuhqui is the god of punishment, he is associated with some instruments of justice: a stone and a club. With the club drunkards were beaten to death, and with the stone adulterers were stoned to death. He also symbolizes the blindfold in this rich tradition, as it should be noted that the blindfold represents justice and the idea that all beings in the mortal and immortal world cannot escape punishment. Finally, Itztlacoliuhqui is associated with pulque, a sacred drink of the indigenous people of Mexico that plays an important role in the spiritual search.