Aztec Goddesses of Fertility

Whether they are worshipped to increase the chances of a woman giving birth or protect the people associated with taking care of children and pregnant females, the Aztecs had a handful of goddesses associated with fertility. In this article, you will encounter Coatlicue (known as the ‘Mother of Gods’) and the goddess who gave birth to ‘the 400 Rabbits.’

Coatlicue

Known as the ‘Mother of Gods,’ Coatlicue is an Aztec goddess who appears in myths as the deity who gave birth to the moon, stars, and Huitzilopochtli (god of the sun and war). In legends and tales, the goddess is referred to by many different names, including “Mother Goddess of the Earth who gives birth to all celestial things”, “Goddess of Fire and Fertility”, “Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth”, and “Mother of the Southern Stars”.

In art, she is depicted as a female wearing a skirt made out of writhing snakes. Around her neck, she wears a necklace comprised of human hands, skulls, and hearts. Claws decorate the goddess’ feet and hands. Drained from nursing, her breasts sag lifelessly. Two serpents facing one another make up her face. This is due to a myth that says she had her head cut off when she was sacrificed during the start of the present-day creation of humans. From her neck, two large serpents came from the blood that followed.

The majority of Aztec artworks associated with Coatlicue show her as a deadly deity. For example, she is often referred to as the ‘devouring mother’ , where both a womb and grave is present.

One of the Aztecs legends in which the goddess appears , she is said to have been impregnated by a ball of feathers that fell on her while she was sweeping a temple. From this act, she then gave birth to the gods Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl.

Mayahuel

As the goddess of maguey plants, Mayahuel is often linked to fertility. She is the deity who is seen as the personification of the plant that is prevalent amongst central Mexican cultures, such as the Aztec. Because of the nourishment that the plant gave to the people, the goddess earned a place as a fertility deity.

Mayahuel was depicted as having many breasts, which she used to feed her numerous children, which were called the Centzon Totochtin (the 400 Rabbits). Her children are often mentioned in myths as being responsible for drunkenness. Mayahuel is married to Patecatl, who is a god of healing and fertility, as well as the deity credited with discovering peyote.

Other goddesses of fertility associated with the Aztec culture include:

·    Chiconahui , the domestic fertility goddess, who also acted as a protectress of families and homes.

·    Huixtocihuatl , a fertility goddess who watched over salt and salt water. She was related to another fertility deity, Tlaloc, who was her younger brother.