Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl seized Tlaltecuhtli, the monstrous earth deity thrashing in the primordial waters, and tore her in two — one half became the sky, the other the earth, her body still crying out for blood in the darkness.
⚠ The Histoyre du Mechique names the creature Tlaltecuhtli; the Historia de los Mexicanos por sus Pinturas calls her Cipactli. Both describe the same cosmogonic tearing.
Cipactli's torn body became the living earth — her hair the trees, her skin the grasses, her eyes the wells and springs — and it is this monstrous flesh that Tlaltecuhtli embodies, the earth forever hungry for blood because it remembers being alive.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and improve your experience. Learn more