Legend of the Suns: An Aztec Creation Myth

Introduction

Creators: Tōnacātēcuhtli and Tōnacācihuātl, the union that formed Ōmeteōtl.
Offspring: 4 gods
- Red: Xipe Totec (seasons, growth)
- Black: Tezcatlipoca (earth)
- White: Quetzalcoatl (air)
- Blue: Huitzilopochtli (war)

First Creation
- Sun: Quetzalcoatl & Huitzilopochtli create half a sun.
- Humans: Created Oxomoco & Cipactonal (man - farmer, woman - spinner/weaver).
- Time: 18 months of 20 days each (360 days).
- Underworld: Mictlan created, ruled by Mictlantecuhtli & Mictecacihuatl.
- Earth: Made from the fish Cipactli.
Second Creation (First Sun)
- Sun: Tezcatlipoca turns himself into the sun.
- Inhabitants: Giants, ate pine nuts.
- End: Quetzalcoatl strikes Tezcatlipoca who becomes a jaguar, eating all giants.
Third Creation (Second Sun)
- Sun: Quetzalcoatl becomes the sun.
- Inhabitants: Humans, turned into monkeys later.
- End: Tezcatlipoca with a great wind blows Quetzalcoatl and humans away.
Fourth Creation (Third Sun)
- Sun: Tlaloc (god of rain) becomes the sun.
- Inhabitants: People ate seeds from water plants.
- End: Destroyed by Quetzalcoatl's fire rain, turning humans into birds.
Final Creation (Fourth Sun)
- Sun: Chalchiuhtlicue (goddess of waters) becomes the sun.
- Inhabitants: Destroyed by great floods, humans turned into fish.
- End: Tezcatlipoca & Quetzalcoatl push the sky back, create new humans.

Consuming Human Hearts and Blood: Decided a new sun requires human sacrifices.
Aztec Pantheon
- Nanautzin (diseased one) and Tecuciztecatl (wealthy one) prepare to become the sun.
- Nanautzin jumps into the fire, becomes the sun, while Tecuciztecatl follows, becoming the moon.
- Significance: Rabbit marks moon's face for dimmer light.

Sacrifice of Gods: Gods sacrificed their hearts ignited the new sun.
Sustained by human sacrifices: Ongoing need for human sacrifices to keep the sun moving across the sky.

Various Interpretations: Multiple versions of Aztec creation myths exist. This video covers "The Legend of the Suns".