Page "Aztec mythology" Paragraph 5

Because the Aztec adopted and combined several traditions with their own earlier traditions, they had several creation myths.

One of these, the Five Suns describes four great ages preceding the present world, each of which ended in a catastrophe, and " were named in function of the force or divine element that violently put an end to each one of them ".

Coatlicue was the mother of Centzon Huitznahua (" Four Hundred Southerners "), her sons, and Coyolxauhqui, her daughter.

She found a ball filled with feathers and placed it in her waistband, becoming pregnant with Huitzilpochtli.

Her other children became suspicious as to the identity of the father and vowed to kill their mother.

She gave birth on Mount Coatepec, pursued by her children, but the newborn Huitzilpochtli defeated most of his brothers, who became the stars.

He also killed his half-sister Coyolxauhqui by tearing out her heart using a Xiuhcoatl ( a blue snake ) and throwing her body down the mountain.

This was said to inspire the Aztecs to rip the hearts out of their victims and throw their bodies down the sides of the temple dedicated to Huitzilpochtli, who represents the sun chasing away the stars at dawn.