Quetzalcóatl, “the Feathered Serpent,” constitutes one of the most complex and widely venerated deities in Mesoamerican territory. Present in cultures such as the Teotihuacan, Toltec, Mexica, Huastec, and Maya, this figure articulates concepts concerning the origin of humanity, the calendar, cyclical renewal, and political authority. The name of this civilizational symbol is composed of quetzal (a bird with precious feathers) and coatl (serpent), two elements that express the union of complementary opposites (water-fire, cold-hot, among others), as well as the god’s relationship with fertility. In agricultural terms, these paired opposites allude to the regenerative power of the earth and to the alternation of rainy and dry seasons that make possible the growth of maize, the precious grain and the “flesh of the new man.” The Legend of the Suns specifies this relationship between Quetzalcóatl, maize, and the origin of humanity through the bones retrieved from Mictlan. Among his mythical exploits, one of the most notable is his entry into Tonacatépetl (“Mountain of Sustenance”), from which he steals the grains from the rain gods in order to feed humankind.
As a creator and civilizing deity, Quetzalcóatl participates in the establishment of the calendar, the arts, music, and the governance of the city of Tula under the manifestation of Ce Ácatl Topiltzin, where he introduces the principles of social organization, the priesthood, and morality. In the Huehuetlahtolli and other colonial sources, he is described as a wise ruler and virtuous priest, in contrast to Tezcatlipoca, who deceives and intoxicates him, provoking his flight toward the Gulf Coast of Mexico. According to the myth, this event marks the decline and gradual abandonment of the Toltec city. Nevertheless, the Florentine Codex interprets the departure of the god-man as an allegory of his old age and of the moment when he was required to relinquish power.
Like other deities of the Mesoamerican pantheon, Quetzalcóatl possesses diverse manifestations and functions that vary over time, although he remains present in creation myths and in different cosmic processes. Particularly well known is his association with Venus, the Morning Star, whose astronomical cycle regulated certain agricultural, military, and calendrical events. He also appears as Ehécatl, the god of the wind, wearing his characteristic beak-shaped mouth mask, his conch-shell trumpet, and his conical headdress. During the Postclassic period, he was also regarded as the patron deity of merchants. The enigmatic figure of this god-man extended throughout southeastern Mesoamerica: among the Mixtecs he was known as Koo Sau; among the Yucatec Maya, as Kukulcán; and in Guatemala, as Gucumatz.