"Obsidian Butterfly". Goddess of healing. Aztec and Mexica goddess of the earth and fertility, often seen as the darker aspect of the earth goddess. She is usually depicted as a dragon-like being with fangs and claws, as she was seen to "grasp the sky". Itzpapalotl may be connected with souls of the dead, as the Mexica believed that departed souls often manifested as butterflies.
n Aztec mythology, Itzpapalotl ("Clawed Butterfly" or "Obsidian Butterfly") was a fearsome skeletal goddess, who ruled over the paradise world of Tamoanchan. She is particularly associated with the moth Rothschildia orizaba from the family Saturniidae.Itzpapalotl is the patron of the day Cozcuauhtli and Trecena 1 House in the Aztec calendar. The Trecena 1 House is one of the five western trecena dates dedicated to the cihuateteo, or women who had died in childbirth. Not only was Itzpapalotl considered one of the cihuateteo herself, but she was also one of the tzitzimime, star demons that threatened to devour people during solar eclipses,as well as their queen.Itzpapalotl is also known as the clouded Apollo. The Goddess got her name because of the broad butterfly wings sprouting from her shoulders with the blades of sharp obsidian knives all the way around the edges; she also has a knife for a tongue.
As the legend goes, Itzpapalotl fell from heaven along with Tzitzimime and several other shapes such as scorpions and toads. Itzpapalotl wore an invisible cloak so that no one could see her. At some times, she was said to have dressed up like a lady of the Mexican Court, caking her face with white powder and lining her cheeks with strips of rubber. Her fingers tapered into the claws of a jaguar, and her toes into eagle's claws.According to the Manuscript of 1558, section VII, Itzpapalotl was one of two divine 2-headed doe-deers (the other one being Chimalman) who temporarily transformed themselves into women in order to seduce men. Itzpapalotl approached the two "cloud serpents named Xiuhnel and Mimich", who transformed themselves into men (so as to diguise themselves when all the others of the Centzonmimixcoa had been slain in the ambush?). To Xiuhnel, Itzpapalotl said ""Drink, Xiuhnel." Xiuhnel drank the blood (menstrual?) and then immediately lay down with her. Suddenly she ... devoured him, tore open his breast. ... Then Mimich ... ran and ... descended into a thorny barrel cactus, fell into it, and the woman fell down after him."
0 comments:
Post a Comment