Quetzalcóatl

Quetzalcóatl is a major deity in Mesoamerican religion, especially among the Nahua and other central Mexican traditions. The name derives from Nahuatl quetzal “feather” and coatl “serpent,” commonly rendered as “feathered serpent.” In Maya areas a parallel figure known as Kukulkan shares the same underlying motif.

In Aztec and related mythologies, Quetzalcóatl is a culture hero and a god of wind, learning, the arts, priests, and civilization. He is associated with the creation of humans, the diffusion of maize, and the renewal of the world. He is frequently depicted in opposition or balance with Tezcatlipoca, another major deity, reflecting a complex set of mythic themes about order and conflict.

Iconography presents Quetzalcóatl as a serpent adorned with colorful feathers, often shown with a feathered headdress or entwined around a staff or temple relief. His cult was influential in major centers such as Teotihuacan-influenced Toltec and Aztec Tenochtitlán, and his symbol appears in codices, sculpture, and architectural decoration.

The legendary history of Quetzalcóatl was interpreted differently after Spanish contact. Some post-conquest accounts recount a priest-king linked to Toltec roots who left his homeland and promised to return, a narrative that colonial chronicles later connected with the arrival of the Spaniards, though these associations vary by source.

Today, Quetzalcóatl remains an enduring symbol in Mexican art, literature, and cultural memory, emblematic of wisdom, civilization, and cosmology, and the name is widely used in modern contexts.