Tlazolteotl

### Aliases

"Filth Goddess", Ixcuinan, Tlaelcuani, "Chiconahui acatl" 9-Reed (calendar name).

## Physical description

### Gender

Female

**Tlazolteotl** ("Filth Goddess") is the moon goddess of lust, childbirth, steam baths, sin and weaving.

## Name

**Tlazolteotl** is a nahuatl name that can be translated as "Goddess of Filth" or "Filth Goddess", from *tlazolli*: "trash", "filth", "manure", "stain", "adultery", "infidelity"; and *teotl*: "God/Goddess", "sacred", "wonderful" "strange", "amazing".

She's also called **Tlaelcuani**, "She who eats filth" or "Filth Eater", from *tlaelli*: "dirt", "slovenliness", "excrement", "blood flow"; and *quani* or *cuani*: "they who eat".

She's also called **Ixcuina** or **Ix Cuinim**, in Teenek, as she's a goddess whose cult most probably originated in the Huaxtec region. From *Ix*: a feminine prefix and *Cuynal*: "to shoot an arrow", "to stone/throw a rock", which can be translated as "She who shoots arrows" or "Archer".

Her calendar name is **Chiconahui Acatl** (9-Reed), as seen in Mixtec codices.

## Appearance

Tlazolteotl's appearance is based on several of her representations in codices. Her face is painted white with black dots on her cheeks, a black drop-like element on her forehead and on her mouth. The black mouth is one of the most iconic elements of the goddess' symbols, as it represents her nature as "filth eater" or she who devours/absolves people's sins. Her eyes are white with red extremes, just like most gods are represented in Mixtec codices, implying a supernatural state.

The headband is made of raw cotton and hanging from her ear spools are raw cotton elements. Finally atop her head two cotton spools are displayed as the main elements of her headdress, referencing her role as patron deity of weavers. Her long hair curves in a half moon shape.

The back part of her headdress is commonly represented in codices and include a fan of raven feathers, bird that accompanies Tlazolteotl on the fifth day of each *trecena* in the sacred calendar and is closely related to the goddess. From it descends a black cape with down motifs. She wears a black neck cloth or pectoral that barely covers her chest and splits into black cloth laces. More black laces float around her, tied at her elbows. Wears blue bracelets with golden beads and her hands are painted white.

Her skirt is long, at mid-shin height and is mostly black with half moon motifs. Her feet are also painted white and wears white *cactli* (sandals) with black laces.

# Trivia

* Tlazolteotl is mentioned by Itzcacalotl in Chapter 5. He says he and Béelia were able to finish an order of textiles on time because they were in the Ce Ollin (1-Movement) *trecena* ruled by Tlazolteotl in the sacred calendar, as she is a patron deity of weavers.
* She is the author's favorite Mesoamerican goddess.

# Gallery

Several depictions of Tlazolteotl in both prehispanic and colonial codices.

Codex Borbonicus p.36 - Tlazolteotl priestessCodex Borbonicus p.34 - Tlazolteotl priestess during the *Xiuhmopilli* ("New Fire") ceremonyCodex Borbonicus p.30 - Tlazolteotl priestessCodex Borbonicus - Tlazolteotl as ruler of the *Ce Ollin trecena*Codex Borgia p.12Codex Borgia p.16Codex Borgia p.23Codex Borgia p.39 - Tlazolteotl with white face paintCodex Borgia p.50 - Tlazolteotl during sexual intercourseCodex Borgia p.55 - Tlazolteotl armed with shield and darts. Has double cotton spools as headdress and a typical huaxtec conch ornament as pectoral.Codex Borgia p.60Codex Borgia p.63Codex Borgia p.68Codex Borgia p.72Codex Cospi p.26 - The goddess is armed with an *atlatl* (dart propeller)Codex Fejervary Mayer p.01Codex Fejervary Mayer p.05 - White body paintCodex Fejervary Mayer p.18Codex Fejervary Mayer p.33Codex Laud p.15Codex Laud p.29Codex Laud p.39 - The sharp teeth associate her with her huaxtec originsCodex Laud p.41Codex Magliabechiano p.79 - Note the black dots on her cheeks over white face paintCodex Telleriano Remensis p.385 03rCodex Vaticanus B p.18Codex Vaticanus B p.30Codex Vaticanus B p.51Codex Vaticanus B p.61 - Tlazolteotl as a sacred bundleCodex Vaticanus B p.91Florentine Codex - Tlazolteotl's head over the entrance of a *temazcal* (steam bath)
1. ↑ Siméon, Rémi. *Diccionario de la lengua Nahuatl o mexicana*. Mexico: Siglo Veintiuno, 1977.
2. ↑ Rincón Huarota, Ricardo. "Tlazoltéotl-Ixcuina: 'La Gran Flechadora'. Análisis etimológico de su denominación huaxteca" *Globedia*. January 10th 2018. Available at: http://mx.globedia.com/tlazolteotl-ixcuina-flechadora-analisis-etimologico-denominacion-huaxteca\_3 (Consulted on December 14th 2020). [In Spanish]
3. ↑ Rossel, Cecilia and Ojeda Días, María de los Ángeles. *Las mujeres y sus diosas en los códices prehispánicos de Oaxaca*. Mexico: Miguel Ángel Porrúa, 2003. p. 160.