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Xiuhtecuhtli

Xiuhtecuhtli, also spelled Xiuhtecutli, is a major deity in Aztec (Nahua) religion associated with fire, the hearth, and warmth, and he is closely tied to the yearly calendar. The Nahuatl name is often interpreted as “Lord of the Turquoise Fire” or “Turquoise Lord,” reflecting both the element of fire and the symbolic color turquoise in Mesoamerican imagery.

In Aztec cosmology, Xiuhtecuhtli personifies the life-sustaining fire that powers domestic life and ceremonial practice. He

Iconography and worship of Xiuhtecuhtli typically emphasize fire and heat, sometimes depicted with a turquoise mask

In Aztec religious practice, Xiuhtecuhtli is part of a broader fire-deity complex and is sometimes associated

is
linked
to
the
solar
realm
and
the
annual
cycle
(xiuhmolli),
underscoring
fire
as
both
a
practical
necessity
and
a
cosmic
principle.
A
central
ritual
connected
with
him
is
the
New
Fire
ceremony,
performed
to
renew
cosmic
order
at
the
turn
of
the
52-year
cycle;
a
flame
is
rekindled
and
distributed
to
households
to
ensure
the
continuation
of
the
world.
or
headdress
and
symbols
of
flame.
Shrines
to
Xiuhtecuhtli
existed
in
major
urban
centers
such
as
Tenochtitlan,
where
priests
conducted
offerings
of
food,
incense,
and
other
gifts
to
honor
him
and
secure
warmth,
fertility,
and
order
for
the
coming
year.
or
integrated
with
Huehueteotl
in
the
tradition
of
fire
gods.
His
cult
illustrates
the
central
importance
of
fire
as
both
a
household
necessity
and
a
cosmological
force
in
Aztec
belief.