Aztec Mythology
In Aztec mythology, our age (Nahui-Ollin), the fifth age, or fifth creation, escaped destruction due to the sacrifice of Nanahuatl (the smallest and humblest of the gods) who transformed himself into the Sun by leaping into a fire. Another god, known as Tecuciztecatl, originally boasted that he would become the sun but was fearful of the pain. Humiliated by Nanahuatl's sacrifice he too leapt into the fire and became the moon. This myth is associated with the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which was abandoned but still extant when the Aztec arrived.
Read more about this topic: Fifth World (Native American Mythology)
Famous quotes containing the word mythology:
“The Anglo-American can indeed cut down, and grub up all this waving forest, and make a stump speech, and vote for Buchanan on its ruins, but he cannot converse with the spirit of the tree he fells, he cannot read the poetry and mythology which retire as he advances. He ignorantly erases mythological tablets in order to print his handbills and town-meeting warrants on them.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)