Cihuacóatl

Cihuacóatl (" woman serpent" , also written Chihucoatl or Ciucoatl) is in the Aztec mythology one of the goddesses of the Maternité and the fertility.

Cihuacóatl was the goddess of the Sages-femmes and with the steam baths which they took. It helped Quetzalcóatl to create the mankind by grinding the bones of the first ages, and by mixing them with the blood of the god. It is also the mother of Mixcóatl, which it gave up with a crossroads. The tradition wants that it turns over to these places to cry her lost son, and that it finds a knife of sacrifice there.

Although it is often represented like an young woman, similar to Xochiquetzal, it is often shown like an old woman with the face at the head of death, carrying the lance and the shield of the warriors. The childbirth was often compared with the war and the women died in layers honoured like combatants. Their spirit, Cihuateteo, are depicted with craniums of died like Cihuacóatl. It was thought that like it, these spirits haunted the crossroads of night to steal the children.

Cihuacóatl is also a title of nobility among the Aztèques, given to the secondary governor of Tenochtitlán which was in charge of the daily businesses of the capital. Tlacaelel was used like Cihuacoatl under four Aztec kings (tlatoani S) for the XVe century. As Cihuacóatl, he advised the governor and had the responsibility for the military and public sacrifices.

Internal bonds

Llorona, Mexican legend which can be a resurgence of the mythical figure of Cihuacóatl.

External bonds

Attic of Clio Cihuacóatl

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