The Butterfly Bird God and His Myth at Teotihuacan

Bibliographic Data

ID6033488
AuthorsZ Paulinyi (0000-0001-9167-8770, University of Chile, corresponding author)
Year2014
Volume25
Issue1
Pages29-48
Publication date2014-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAncient Mesoamerica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0956-5361 • E-ISSN: 1469-1787
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0956536114000054
OpenAlexW2117346511
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited23

We know little about the gods of the Teotihuacan pantheon and practically nothing of their mythology. Starting from the analysis of a group of murals in Atetelco (Teotihuacan), a partial reconstruction is proposed for a Teotihuacan myth, the principal figure of which has the character of a sun god linked to vegetation. In this proposal, this god descends to the Underworld and is reborn, thus rising out of the depths of the earth. The myth appears to include, moreover, a ballgame in the Underworld and probably a supernatural macaw, linked in some way to the god in question. In my opinion, this is probably a creation myth, with a basic structure bearing a resemblance to that of thePopol Vuh

Archaeology · Art · Butterfly · Character (mathematics · Epistemology · Literature · Mythology · Nothing · Archaeology and Natural History · History · Latin American history and culture · Philosophy

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