Editing Xiuhcoatl

{{Short description|Aztec mythological serpent}}
{{for|the rifle|FX-05 Xiuhcoatl}}
[[Image:Xiuhcoatl British Museum.jpg|thumb|right|An Aztec sculpture of Xiuhcoatl from [[Texcoco (altepetl)|Texcoco]], now in the British Museum <ref name="britishmuseum">{{cite web | url=https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/stone-figure-of-xiuhcoatl/8gGLbiPoLfaKjw | title=Stone figure of Xiuhcoatl }}</ref>]]
In [[Aztec religion]], '''Xiuhcōātl''' {{IPA|nah|ʃiʍˈkoːaːt͡ɬ|}} was a mythological serpent, regarded as the spirit form of [[Xiuhtecuhtli]], the Aztec fire deity sometimes represented as an [[atlatl]] or a weapon wielded by [[Huitzilopochtli]]. Xiuhcoatl is a [[Classical Nahuatl]] word that translates as "[[turquoise]] serpent" and also carries the symbolic and descriptive translation of "fire serpent".

Xiuhcoatl was a common subject of [[Pre-Columbian art|Aztec art]], including illustrations in [[Aztec codices]], and was used as a back ornament on representations of both Xiuhtecuhtli and Huitzilopochtli.<ref name="britishmuseum"/> Xiuhcoatl is interpreted as the embodiment of the [[dry season]] and was the weapon of the sun.<ref>López Austin 2002, p.142.</ref> Apparently, the royal diadem (or ''xiuhuitzolli'', "pointed turquoise thing") of the [[List of Mexico-Tenochtitlan rulers|Aztec emperors]] represented the tail of the Xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent.<ref>Olivier & López Luján, p.85.</ref>

==Attributes==
[[File:Aztec serpent sculpture.JPG|left|thumb|An Aztec sculpture representing the left-facing head of Xiuhcoatl]]
Typically, Xiuhcoatl was depicted with a sharply back-turned snout and a segmented body. Its tail resembled the trapeze-and-ray year sign and probably does represent that symbol. In [[Nahuatl]], the word ''xihuitl'' means "year", "[[turquoise]]", and "grass". Often, the tail of Xiuhcoatl is marked with the Aztec symbol for "grass". The body of the Xiuhcoatl was wrapped with knotted strips of paper, linking the serpent to [[Bloodletting in Mesoamerica|bloodletting]] and sacrifice.<ref name="miller">Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, pp.188-189.</ref>

In the [[Mesoamerican chronology|Postclassic]] period, the Xiuhcoatl fire serpent was associated with the three concepts associated with its tail-sign: turquoise, grass, and the solar year. All three of these concepts were associated with fire in central [[Mexico]] during the Postclassic, with dry grass and the solar year being closely identified with fire and solar heat. Page 46 of the [[pre-Columbian]] [[Codex Borgia]] depicts four smoking Xiuhcoatl serpents arranged around a burning turquoise [[Mirrors in Mesoamerican culture|mirror]]. A turquoise-rimmed mirror has been found at the [[Maya civilization|Maya]] city of [[Chichen Itza]], with four fire serpents encircling the rim. The archaeological site of [[Tula (Mesoamerican site)|Tula]] has warrior columns on Mound B that bear mirrors on their backs, also surrounded by four Xiuhcoatl fire serpents.<ref name="miller"/>

Although the Fire Serpent easily may be traced back to the Early Postclassic period in Tula, its ultimate origins are unclear. During the [[Mesoamerican chronology|Classic Period]], the War Serpent of [[Teotihuacan]] was probably a forerunner of Xiuhcoatl, it was also depicted with the grass symbol, flames, and the trapeze-and-ray year symbol.<ref name="miller"/>

==Mythology==
[[Image:Huitzilopochtli 1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Huitzilopochtli]] as depicted in the [[Codex Borbonicus]] with Xiuhcoatl held up in his right hand as a weapon]]
Xiuhcoatl was considered to be the [[nahual]], or spirit form, of the Aztec fire deity [[Xiuhtecuhtli]].<ref>Fernández 1992, 1996, pp.107, 160.</ref> It was a lightning-like weapon borne by [[Huitzilopochtli]].<ref>Read & Gonzalez 2000, pp.194, 230.</ref> With it, soon after his birth, he pierced his sister [[Coyolxauhqui]], destroying her, and also defeated the [[Centzon Huitznahua]].<ref>Read & Gonzalez 2000, pp.194, 230. Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.188.</ref> This incident is illustrated on a fragment of broken sculpture excavated from the [[Templo Mayor|Great Temple]] of [[Tenochtitlan]]. The fragment was originally a part of a large stone disk that depicted the fallen Coyolxauhqui with the Xiuhcoatl fire serpent penetrating her chest. This Xiuhcoatl wielded by Huitzilopochtli symbolizes the forces of darkness being driven out by the fiery rays of the sun.<ref name="miller"/>

[[Tonatiuh]], the sun god, was guided across the sky by Xiuhcoatl and was used by him as a weapon against his underworld enemies, the stars, and the moon.<ref>Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.414.</ref>

==Ritual==
During the [[Veintena|Panquetzaliztli]] ceremony, Xiuhcoatl was represented by a paper serpent with red feathers emerging from its open maw to represent flames. During the ceremony, burning torches also symbolized Xiuhcoatl and a serpent dance was performed.<ref>Matos Moctezuma 1988, p.140.</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}<!--BEGIN biblio format -->
* {{cite book |author=Durán, Diego   |author-link=Diego Durán|orig-year=c.1581 |year=1994 |title=The History of the Indies of New Spain |others=[[Doris Heyden]] (trans., annot., and introd.) |series=Civilization of the American Indian series, no. 210 |edition=translation of ''Historia de las Indias de Nueva-España y Islas de Tierra Firme'', English|location=Norman |publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]] |isbn=0-8061-2649-3 |oclc=29565779}}
* {{cite book |author=Fernández, Adela   |orig-year=1992|year=1996 |title=Dioses Prehispánicos de México |publisher=Panorama Editorial |location=Mexico City |isbn=968-38-0306-7 |oclc=59601185|language=es}}
* {{cite book |author=López Austin, Alfredo   |editor1=Eduardo Matos Moctezuma |editor2=Felipe Solis Olguín |year=2002 |title=Aztecs |chapter=The Natural World |publisher=[[Royal Academy of Arts]] |location=London |isbn=1-903973-22-8 |oclc=56096386}}
* {{cite book |author=Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo   |author-link=Eduardo Matos Moctezuma |year=1988 |title=The Great Temple of the Aztecs: Treasures of Tenochtitlan |series=New Aspects of Antiquity series |translator=[[Doris Heyden]] |location=London |publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]] |isbn=0-500-27752-4 |oclc=17968786}}
* {{cite book |author=Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo   |author-link=Eduardo Matos Moctezuma |author2=Felipe Solis Olguín |author2-link=Felipe Solis Olguín |year=2002 |title=Aztecs |publisher=[[Royal Academy of Arts]] |location=London |isbn=1-903973-22-8 |oclc=56096386}}
* {{cite book |author=Miller, Mary |author-link=Mary Miller (art historian) |author2=Karl Taube |author2-link=Karl Taube |orig-year=1993 |year=2003 |title=An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya |publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]] |location=London |isbn=0-500-27928-4 |oclc=28801551 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780500279281 }}
* {{cite book |author=Olivier, Guilhem   |author2= López Luján |author3=Leonardo |editor1=Colin McEwan |editor2=Leonardo López Luján |year=2009 |title=Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler |chapter=Images of Moctezuma and his symbols of power |pages=78–123 |publisher=[[The British Museum Press]] |location=London |isbn=978-0-7141-2585-5 |oclc=416257004}}
* {{cite book |author=Read, Kay Almere   |author2= Jason González |year=2000 |title=Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology |location=Oxford |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=1-85109-340-0 |oclc=43879188}}
{{refend}}<!-- END biblio format style -->

{{Aztec mythology}}

[[Category:Legendary creatures in Aztec mythology]]
[[Category:Legendary serpents]]
[[Category:Mythological weapons]]