QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcóatl

Quetzalcoatl, often written Quetzalcóatl in Spanish, is a major deity in Mesoamerican mythology, commonly identified as the feathered serpent. The name combines Nahuatl quetzalli, feather, with coatl, serpent, and the Spanish rendering Quetzalcóatl reflects orthographic adaptation by later authors.

The deity’s worship spans multiple cultures and eras. Quetzalcoatl is associated with Teotihuacan and later central Mexican traditions, where he is linked to wind, learning, culture, and priestly civilization. In the Maya world a closely related figure appears as Kukulkan, the feathered serpent, indicating a shared symbolic motif across Mesoamerica. The figure is often placed in close relation to other powers such as Tezcatlipoca, with myths describing rivalry, alliance, and cosmological roles that vary by region.

Myths about Quetzalcoatl emphasize his role as a culture hero who imparted civilization to humanity, including knowledge, agricultural skills, and ritual practices. He is frequently associated with the wind and with aspects of learning, the calendar, and priesthood. Iconography typically presents him as a serpent adorned with quetzal feathers, sometimes depicted with or transforming into a bird-like form. In some traditions, his realm overlaps with celestial symbolism, including connections to Venus in certain calendrical systems.

Post-conquest accounts note claims that Quetzalcoatl would return from the east, a belief that some Spaniards invoked during contact with the Aztec. Scholarship generally views these narratives as complex colonial-era interpretations rather than uniform indigenous doctrine. Today the name survives in various spellings and remains a central reference for Mesoamerican religion and cultural history.