The Aztecs were an ancient Mesoamerican civilization that dominated large parts of what is now central Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries. They had a rich culture that produced impressive architecture, art, astronomy, mathematics and agriculture. The Aztecs also had complex religious and mythological systems that were interwoven into their daily lives. Symbols played an important role in Aztec religious beliefs and practices. There were many important Aztec symbols, but one that stands out as most significant is the eagle and snake symbol.
The Eagle and Snake Symbol
The eagle and snake symbol features an eagle perched atop a cactus devouring a snake. This powerful image held deep meaning for the Aztecs and represented important concepts regarding their worldview and identity.
According to Aztec legend, the Mexica people were wandering for many years in search of a sign from their patron deity Huitzilopochtli, who was the god of sun and war. The sign would indicate where the Mexica should build their capital city. One day, a Mexica priest named Tenoch saw an eagle eating a snake while perched on a cactus growing from a rock outcrop on an island in Lake Texcoco. This vision fulfilled the prophecy, and the Mexica built their capital city Tenochtitlan on that site. The city later grew into a massive urban center and the heart of the Aztec empire.
The eagle and snake image represents the founding of Tenochtitlan, but also symbolizes deeper cosmological concepts. The eagle represents the sun, the snake represents the earth monster, and the cactus represents the underworld. The eagle devouring the snake symbolizes the triumph of the sun over the darkness. This cosmic battle between light and dark drove the movement of the sun and ensured the continuation of time and life on earth.
The eagle and snake motif has long been a symbol of Mexico’s indigenous heritage. It features prominently on the Mexican flag and coat of arms, and represents the fusion of Tenochtitlan/Aztec heritage with Spanish colonization. The symbolic meaning of the eagle and snake endured beyond the end of the Aztec empire and remains an icon of Mexican national identity.
Significance in Religion and Mythology
The eagle and snake symbol was enormously significant in Aztec religion, cosmology and mythology. The Aztecs practiced a complex polytheistic religion with hundreds of deities. Some of the most important gods included:
- Huitzilopochtli – patron god of sun and war
- Tlaloc – god of rain, water and agriculture
- Quetzalcoatl – god of wind, learning and priesthood
- Tezcatlipoca – god of night, sorcery and destiny
Huitzilopochtli was one of the most revered gods, and his symbol was the eagle and snake. The Aztecs believed he needed nourishment in the form of human blood and hearts to win the battle against darkness each day and ensure the sun’s survival. The eagle in the symbol represented Huitzilopochtli, and the snake symbolized the earth monster Coyolxauhqui whom he defeated at the beginning of time. This battle allowed the sun to keep moving and established Huitzilopochtli as a solar deity.
The eagle and snake image held power as a cosmic symbol, but also represented the patron deity of the capital Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs believed Huitzilopochtli directly guided them to construct the city at the spot where the eagle omen appeared. Tenochtitlan was also the center of ritual activity for honoring Huitzilopochtli, especially during veintena festivals which were monthly religious observations. The Templo Mayor, the great Aztec temple in Tenochtitlan’s sacred precinct, was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. Many sacrifices were performed there to nourish and honor Huitzilopochtli. So the eagle and snake symbol marked the sacred city specially chosen by the Aztecs’ patron god.
The eagle and snake was an emblem of Mexica identity and divine right to rule. According to myth, Huitzilopochtli guided the Mexica to found Tenochtitlan after a long period as outsiders. The symbol validated the Mexica’s status as the chosen people of their patron deity. It demonstrated that the god of sun and war blessed their rule and military expansion. The emblem provided a cosmic justification for Mexica dominance over other Nahua people in the Valley of Mexico.
Use in Architecture and Art
The eagle and snake symbol decorated temples, sculptures, and other artworks in Tenochtitlan. The Templo Mayor, the city’s great dual pyramid temple, displayed two massive stone eagle and snake sculptures on its facade. Many temples were adorned with eagle and snake iconography, especially those dedicated to Huitzilopochtli. The symbol also appeared on jewelry, banners, pottery, and codices (folding books).
The image often formed part of more complex artistic and architectural iconography. One example is the massive round stone now known as the Aztec Calendar Stone. It reflects the Aztec conception of cyclical time. The central face depicts the sun god Tonatiuh holding human hearts. A large eagle with a snake sits in the center, representing the cosmic struggle between light and darkness that drives the sun’s motion.
The eagle and snake symbol sometimes morphed into the form of an eagle warrior or eagle knight. These military orders played an important role in Mexico prior to and during the Aztec era. Warriors adopting the eagle as their emblem fought to expand the political control of Mexico’s Valley lakes region by city-states such as Culhuacan. Later, the Mexica established a prestigious Eagle and Jaguar order of warriors who were among the elite fighters in Aztec society. These eagle warriors wore specialized costumes and helmets adorned with eagle imagery and feathers to channel the power of their patron deity Huitzilopochtli.
State Imagery of the Aztec Empire
As the Mexica established the Aztec Empire’s hegemony over broad swaths of Mesoamerica in the 15th and early 16th centuries, the eagle and snake icon became a symbol of state power. It signified the Mexica ethnic group’s political and military dominance. The triple alliance between Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan that formed the core of the empire institutionalized rule by the Mexica who claimed descent from the original Mexica tribe that settled Tenochtitlan.
The emblem appears on state costume and insignias of power worn by the emperor and nobles. For example, the royal tilmatli was a cloak or banner depicting the eagle holding a snake in its talons. This garment signaled the wearer’s authority and Mexica imperial power. Kings and nobles also wore turquoise diadems displaying the eagle and snake insignia. As the empire expanded and absorbed other ethnic groups, the eagle and snake badge marked the Mexica rulers as part of a privileged noble class. Commoners and subjects from other cultures were barred from wearing Mexica imperial symbols.
The symbol also conveyed the Aztec political theology that cosmically sanctioned Mexica rule. As descendants of the tribal patron god Huitzilopochtli, the Mexica elite believed their divine right to wage war and exact tribute from subjugated peoples was established at the foundation of their city. The emblem thus fused religious and political authority. It simultaneously represented the cosmic order and the Mexica’s military might.
After the Spanish Conquest
After the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521, indigenous symbols were banned by the colonizers who imposed Catholicism. However, the eagle and snake iconography persisted in syncretic form. The Spanish incorporated the potent symbol into their own artistic, architectural, and heraldic imagery as a way of legitimizing their rule over indigenous subjects.
In the early colonial era, churches were built over the ruins of destroyed temples in Tenochtitlan. The Cathedral of Mexico City which stood on the site of the leveled Templo Mayor displayed an eagle and snake sculpture on its first church tower built in the 1530s. The integration of the emblem into Catholic architecture reflected its endurance despite Spanish religious persecution. Additionally, in the early 17th century King Philip III of Spain granted a coat of arms to Mexico City that incorporated the eagle and snake motif along with images of Saint James on horseback, a conqueror dominating Native people. This combination of indigenous and Spanish symbology reflects the complex cultural mixing of post-conquest Mexico.
Today, the eagle and snake symbol remains an iconic representation of Aztec civilization and Mexican national pride. It retains its ancient meanings of cosmic struggle, divine order, and prosperous rule. The emblem also signifies historic Mexican resistance against imperial domination by foreign powers. The Aztec legacy powerfully endures through its most potent symbol of the eagle warrior triumphing over adversity.
Conclusion
The eagle and snake was the most important symbol in Aztec culture and religion. It represented the founding of their capital Tenochtitlan following a divine prophecy. The eagle was linked to their patron deity Huitzilopochtli and the cosmic battle between light and darkness that allowed the sun to move. The emblem featured heavily in imperial iconography and architecture that legitimized Mexica rule. While banned after the Spanish conquest, the image persisted syncretically and remains an icon of Mexican national identity. For the ancient Aztecs, the eagle and snake bore sacred meanings regarding their worldview and destiny. The enduring power of the symbol continues to connect modern Mexico to its indigenous heritage.
