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Article: Quetzalcoatl
- Article from:
- Myths and Legends of the World
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Quetzalcoatl
For thousands of years, Quetzalcoatl was one of the most important figures in the traditional mythologies of
Mesoamerica. As deity, culture hero,
or legendary ruler, Quetzalcoatl appeared in some of the region's most powerful and enduring stories. He represented life, motion, laughter, health, sexuality, and the arts and crafts of civilization, such as farming, cooking, and music.
The name
Quetzalcoatl
means "Feathered Serpent." It brings together the magnificent green-plumed quetzal bird, symbolizing the heavens and the wind, and the snake, symbolizing the earth and fertility. Quetzalcoatl's name can also be translated as "precious twin," and in some myths, he had a twin ...