Question 1

What does his name mean?

Accepted Answer

In Nahuatl, 'Quetzal' is a precious green bird and 'Coatl' means serpent.

Question 2

How did Quetzalcoatl create humans?

Accepted Answer

According to the myth, Quetzalcoatl traveled to the underworld (Mictlan) to retrieve the bones of previous humans. He ground them with his own blood to create the current race of humans, making him both a creator and a sacrificial deity.

Question 3

Why did Hernán Cortés get mistaken for Quetzalcoatl?

Accepted Answer

Moctezuma II may have initially believed Cortés was Quetzalcoatl returning from exile, as the prophecy said the god would return from the east by sea. However, modern scholars debate whether this was genuine belief or a later Spanish justification for conquest.

Question 4

What was Quetzalcoatl's relationship with Tezcatlipoca?

Accepted Answer

Tezcatlipoca was Quetzalcoatl's great rival. While Quetzalcoatl represented creation, wind, and learning, Tezcatlipoca represented night, sorcery, and destiny. Their cosmic rivalry drove many of the creation cycles in Aztec mythology.

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