In the ancient Aztec culture, Tlaloc was a significant god because he was associated with rain, water, and fertility. Known for giving life and sustenance, he was also feared for being the ruler over water , one of the most powerful elements in the world. When angered, he could send hail, thunder, and lightning at will. In this article, you will learn more about the importance of this Aztec deity.
Artistic Depiction and Associations
In art, Tlaloc is shown with goggle eyes and fangs. He is often portrayed as being around caves, springs, and mountains. The god is also linked to child sacrifices with accounts stating that it was a practice he supposedly demanded of his followers. Tlaloc was also linked to watery world of the dead, as much as he was with the earth. His name is thought to have come from the Nahuatl word for ‘earth.’ Some have translated its meaning into ‘long cave,’ ‘path beneath the earth,’ and ‘he who is made of earth.’
Worshipping Tlaloc
One of the two shrines found on top of the Great Temple was dedicated to Tlaloc in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. A High Priest was chosen to preside over the dedicated shrine and was given the title of “Quetzalcoatl Tlaloc Tlamacazqui”. However, this was not the most valued site of worship associated with the god. The peak of Mount Tlaloc (which stood 4,100 meters into the air) was said the location where he came to hold important ceremonies once a year. Set on eastern rim of the Valley of Mexico, pilgrimages were made to the mountain throughout the year, which resulted in the offering of precious stones and figures at the shrine.
Sacrifices and rituals took place at Tlaloc’s temple. Since the people believed that the god lived in mountain caves, they would come to offer riches on a regular basis. The most prominent were those that had a connection to water, such as jade, shells, and sand.
A huge statue that weighed 168 tons found in Coatlinchan was thought to symbolize Tlaloc, but some scholars felt that it was actually his sister or another female deity. The statue has since found a new home at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and was relocated in 1964.
Tlaloc-Associated Rituals
It was believed that if an Aztec lost his or her in water or succumbed to a death related to water, such as drowning, lightning, or diseases linked to water (such as leprosy, dropsy, scabies and gout), they would pass on to Tlalocan. People of a short stature were also seen connected to the god because it was one of the attributes used to describe the deity.
Those thought to return to Tlaloc were not cremated, which was the standard custom of the culture. Instead, they were buried into the ground with seeds positioned in their faces. Blue paint covered their foreheads. The Aztecs dressed their bodies in paper. In their hands, the deceased would hold a digging stick for planting.