Tlaloc: Supreme Aztec God Of The Rain

652 Words3 Pages

Tlaloc was the supreme Aztec god of the rain, he was also a god associated with fertility and water.The rain god was also the patron of the calendar day and ruler of the third sun, and the heavens in Aztec Cosmology. Tlaloc was one of the most influential gods of the Aztec as well as the molder of their civilization.
Tlaloc, was widely praised for being the giver of life and nourishment though he was also feared for his ability to send hail, thunder, and lightning, and for being the lord of the powerful element of water that he could choose to give or take away from the people. He is seen in wall paintings and ceramics and in the sculpted statues by the ancient Aztec. Tlaloc's most defining features include his goggles and Jaguar fangs.The jaguar fangs most likely represented his power. Jaguars were highly respected and iconic in most ancient mesoamerican civilizations.Their armies were named after jaguars and egasl and In many art pieces that include Tlaloc often show him with symbols for maize to represent his power over agriculture, lighting bolts, and snakes. References to Tlaloc can be found in the imagery of other civilizations other than Aztec though he may have had a different name. Tlaloc is speculated to have originated from the Olmec Culture, because of his similarities with their rain god as well as the Mayan rain god, Chac. …show more content…

At the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán two twin temples were set up on the Templo Mayor pyramid. One pyramid was for Huitzilopochtli, and the other to Tláloc. The steps leading to Tláloc’s temple were painted blue and white. These colors represented water which was in reference to his status of the water god. Tlaloc’s temple was on the north side of the pyramid and it marked the summer solstice and wet season. Inside the pyramid offerings have been found connected to the sea such as coral, shells and