Xiuhtecuhtli

In Aztec mythology, Xiuhtecuhtli ("Turquoise Lord" or "Lord of Fire"),Fernández 1992, 1996, p.104. Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.476. Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.189. was the god of fire, day and heat.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.433. He was the lord of volcanoes,Coe & Koontz 2002, p.55. the personification of life after death, warmth in cold (fire), light in darkness and food during famine. He was also named Cuezaltzin ("flame") and Ixcozauhqui,Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.47. (Book I, Chapter XIII). and is sometimes considered to be the same as Huehueteotl ("Old God"),Fernández 1992, 1996, p.104. although Xiuhtecuhtli is usually shown as a young deity.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.476. His wife was Chalchiuhtlicue. Xiuhtecuhtli is a manifestation of Ometecuhtli, the Lord of Duality, and according to the Florentine Codex Xiuhtecuhtli was considered to be mother and father of the Gods,Fernández 1992, 1996, p.104. León-Portilla 2002, pp.25, 26. who dwelled in the turquoise enclosure in the center of earth.Matos Moctezuma 1988, p.94.
The Nahuatl word xiuhuitl means "year" as well as "turquoise" and "fire", and Xiuhtecatl was also the god of the year and of time. In the 260-day ritual calendar, the deity was the patron of the day Atl ("Water") and with the trecena 1 Coatl ("1 Snake").Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.190. Smith 1996, 2003, pp.246-7. Díaz & Rodgers 1993, p.xix. Xiuhtecuhtli was also one of the nine Lords of the Night and ruled the first hour of the night, named Cipactli ("Alligator").Díaz & Rodgers 1993, p.xix. Smith 1996, 2003, p.248 Xiuhtecuhtli was the patron god of the Aztec emperors, who were regarded as his living embodiment at their enthronement.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.447. The deity was also one of the patron gods of the pochteca merchant class.Coe & Koontz 2002, p.197.
Stone sculptures of Xiuhtecuhtli were ritually buried as offerings, and various statuettes have been recovered during excavations at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan with which he was closely associated.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, pp.172, 476. Statuettes of the deity from the temple depict a seated male with his arms crossed.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.172. A sacred fire was always kept burning in the temples of Xiuhtecuhtli.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.414. In gratitude for the gift of fire, the first mouthful of food from each meal was flung into the hearth.
==Attributes==
Xiuhtecuhtli was usually depicted adorned with turquoise mosaic, wearing the turquoise xiuhuitzolli crown of rulership on his head and a turquoise butterfly pectoral on his chest,Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.189. Barrera Rodríguez & López Arenas 2008, p.19. and he often wears a descending turquoise xiuhtototl bird (Cotinga amabilis) on his forehead and the Xiuhcoatl fire serpent on his back.Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.189. Xiuhtecuhtli is closely associated with youthful warriors and with rulership, and was considered a solar god.Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.189. Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, pp.419-20. His principal symbols are the tecpatl (flint) and the mamalhuatzin, the two sticks that were rubbed together to light ceremonial fires.Fernández 1992, 1996, pp.104-6. A staff with a deer's head was also an attribute of Xiuhtecuhtli, although not exclusively so as it could also be associated with Xochiquetzal and other deities.Matos Moctezuma & Solis Olguín 2002, p.468.
Many of the attributes of Xiuhtecuhtli are found associated with Early Postclassic Toltec warriors but clear representations of the god are not common until the Late Postclassic. The nahual, or spirit form, of Xiuhtecuhtli is Xiuhcoatl, the Fire Serpent.Fernández 1992, 1996, p.107.
Xiuhtecuhtli was embodied in the teotecuilli, the sacrificial brazier into which sacrificial victims were cast during the New Fire ceremony. This took place at the end of each cycle of the Aztec calendar round (every 52 years),Smith 1996, 2003, p.249. when the gods were thought to be able to end their covenant with humanity. Feasts were held in honor of Xiuhtecuhtli to keep his favors, and human sacrifices were burned after removing their heart.
==Annual festival==
The annual festival of Xiuhtecuhtli was celebrated in Izcalli, the 18th veintena of the year.López Austin 1998, p.10. Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.47 (Book I, Chapter XIII). A framework image of the deity was constructed from wood and was richly finished with clothing, feathers and an elaborate mask. Quails were sacrificed to the idol and their blood spilt before it and copal was burnt in his honour.Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.47 (Book I, Chapter XIII). On the day of the festival, the priests of Xiuhtecuhtli spent the day dancing and singing before their god.Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.48 (Book I, Chapter XIII). People caught animals, including mammals, birds, snakes, lizards and fish, for ten days before the festival in order to throw them into the hearth on the night of the festival.López Austin 1998, p.10. Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.48 (Book I, Chapter XIII). During the night the image of the god was lit with using the mamalhuatzin.López Austin 1998, p.10. Food was consumed ritually, including shrimp tamales, after first offering it to the god.
Every four years a more solemn version of the festival was held at the temple of Xiuhtecuhtli in Tenochtitlan, attended by the emperor and his nobles.Sahagún 1577, 1989, pp.48-9 (Book I, Chapter XIII). Slaves and captives were dressed as the deity and sacrificed in his honour.López Austin 1998, p.10. Sahagún 1577, 1989, p.98 (Book II, Chapter XVIII). Godparents were assigned to children on this day and the children had their ears ritually pierced. After this, the children, their parents and godparents all shared a meal together.
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Category:Aztec gods