thumb|A figure of a cihuateotl, the spirit of an Aztec woman who died in childbirth.
In Aztec mythology, the Cihuateteo (; , in singular ) or "Divine Women", were the spirits of women who died in childbirth. They were likened to the spirits of male warriors who died in violent conflict, because childbirth was conceptually equivalent to battle in Aztec culture. According to tradition, a woman in labor was said to capture the spirit of her newborn child similar to the way a warrior captures his opponent in battle. These spirits are also associated with the west, the place where the sun sets each day.
In the case of the death of the woman, special funerary practices were carried out, as the body of a woman who had died in childbirth was believed to possess special powers and magic following the departure of the soul from the body.
Depictions in art
thumb|A terracotta statue depicting an El Zapotal cihuateotl.|240x240px
thumb|Cihuateotl sculpture with significant features annotated.
Cihuateteo can be characterized as “fearsome figures with clenched, claw-like fists, macabre, bared teeth and gums and aggressive poses.” Finally, the unkempt hair is often associated with darkness and the earth.