Aztec mythology Aztec mythology is the body or collection of myths of the Aztec civilization of Central Mexico. The Aztecs were Nahuatl-speaking groups living in central Mexico and much of their mythology is similar to that of other Mesoamerican cultures. Accor ...

, Mētztli (; also rendered Meztli, Metzi, literally "Moon") was a god or goddess of the moon, the night, and farmers. They were likely the same deity as Yohaulticetl or Coyolxauhqui and the male moon god Tecciztecatl; like the latter, who feared the Sun because of its fire.

Legend

The Moon and Sun were at one time equally bright. Fearing the earth would burn under the light of two luminaries, one of the gods threw a rabbit in the face of the other, and the one struck darkened to become today's Moon. Henceforth it is possible to distinguish a figure of a rabbit on the Moon's surface. During a full moon, the "

Rabbit in the Moon Rabbit in the Moon is an American electronic music group that formed in 1991. Their style draws from psychedelic trance, house music and breakbeat, along with other diverse influences. History Formed in 1992 in Tampa, Florida, the group cons ...

" becomes readily visible.

Otomi mythology

For the

Otomi people The Otomi (; es, Otomí ) are an indigenous people of Mexico inhabiting the central Mexican Plateau (Altiplano) region. The Otomi are an indigenous people of Mexico who inhabit a discontinuous territory in central Mexico. They are linguistica ...

, Zäna was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Young Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire. The Otomi counted lunar months as a period from new moon to new moon. They gave every month 30 days.

References

*
Esperanza Carrasco Licea & Alberto Carramiñana Alonso, "Metztli, La Luna", Diario Síntesis, 28 de Mayo de 1996
Aztec deities Lunar deities Agricultural deities Night deities {{mesoamerica-myth-stub

Legend

Otomi mythology

See also

References