MIXTECA culture: most important gods

In the pre-Columbian peoples we can find some of the richest mythologies in the history of humanity, finding pantheons very similar to each other, but all of them with very interesting elements. To talk about the deities of one of the most relevant cultures in this lesson from a PROFESSOR we are going to talk about the most outstanding gods of the Mixtec culture.

Before talking about the gods of Mixtec mythology, we must talk even briefly about Mixtec culture, to learn about this interesting culture and its unique characteristics.

Mixtec culture was of the Mesoamerican civilizationswho inhabited this region during the pre-Columbian period, that is, before the arrival of the European colonizers to America. This culture inhabited the southern part of Mexico, and was the predominant civilization of this territory for centuries, the Europeans being the only ones who could take away their region.

To get to know Mixtec culture in depth, it is important to know its main facets, so we can talk about the following main features of Mixtec culture:

• Its economy was based on the farming, especially in the typical products of the area such as corn and beans.
• They were hunters and gatherers, spending his life in the villages, but already existing in them a great social division.
• They had big relations with the peoples the environment, whether it was military conflicts or friendship relations.
• His writing was based on symbols, some of them being very similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures of the time.
• They played the Mesoamerican ball, like most towns in the area.
• They were very united to nature, as evidenced by his great mastery of medicinal herbs.

Before commenting on the main gods of Mixtec culture, we must briefly talk about the main characteristics of Mixtec culture, since this will allow us to better understand why the main deities. Some of these particularities that make the Mixtec religion are as follows:

• It was one animist religion, that is, all objects and natural elements had consciousness. That is why there are so many natural events represented by deities.
• They thought of a dual origin of the worldConsidering that it was the division of two great entities that brought about the birth of the world. This is another of the characteristic elements of Mesoamerica, since generally in their mythologies two deities appear that unite or separate to form the cosmos.
• They believed that the world had been born and died on various occasions, being quite a cyclical event. This is another common element in Mesoamerica, but also in other European mythologies.
• They were quite common sacrifices, existing different varieties depending on the god that was worshiped. Many days were held where the Mixtecs worshiped their gods by killing humans and animals.
• They were polytheists, thinking that there were numerous gods and not just one. This system is the reason why such rich pantheons exist in most peoples of the ancient world.
• They created small temples to worship the gods, although none were the size of those created by mayan or aztecs. It should be taken into account that very few examples of this have reached the present day, being therefore considerably inferior in size and quality than that of other pre-Columbian peoples.
• The ball game It was a way of worshiping the gods, being considered one more ritual and being events that the majority of the population attended.
• The priests They were very important figures for the Mixtecs, since it was thought that they had great abilities such as transforming into animals. They occupied the main houses of the villages, being in some cases more important even than the kings.

To continue with this lesson on main gods of Mixtec cultureWe must talk about some of its main deities, commenting on some of its main characteristics to understand its great importance in this culture.

Dzahui

The god of rain and considered as most important god of Mixtec culture. The Mixtecs considered him to be his patron god, so they were always protected by him, being the deity that received the most sacrifices and rituals from the Mixtecs. It is said that he was petrified by the Sun, and it is from his fixed position that he sends the rains that take care of the Mixtec crops.

Huehuetéotl

The god of fire, another of the main natural elements and therefore another one that the Mixtecs should have represented by a deity. He is one of the oldest gods of Mesoamerican culture, his representations existing long before the existence of Mixtec culture. It is thought that there were many fire sacrifices made to worship this deity.

Xipe Totec

He is another of the most important gods of the Mixtec culture. Is he god of life, death, resurrection, diseases and agriculture. We can find this deity in numerous Mesoamerican religions, each occupying different elements. In the case of the Mixtec culture, we have evidence that he was a deity of fertility and agriculture, being key elements for the Mixtec economy.

Nine Wind

It is the way in which the Mixtecos called the Feathered Serpent, possibly the most represented creature in Mesoamerican mythologies. He is considered the cultural hero of the Mixtecs, being the one who taught them writing and the different arts.