Mixcoatl (, from mixtli "cloud" and cōātl "serpent"), or Camaxtle or Camaxtli, was the god of the hunt and identified with the Milky Way, the stars, and the heavens in several Mesoamerican cultures. He was the patron deity of the Otomi, the Chichimecs, and several groups that claimed descent from the Chichimecs. Under the name of Camaxtli, Mixcoatl was worshipped as the central deity of Huejotzingo and Tlaxcala.
Representation
Mixcoatl is most often depicted wearing a black mask and with distinctive red and white pin stripes painted on his body. These features are shared with Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the Lord of the Dawn, god of the morning star, as well as Itzpapalotl, goddess of infant mortality who was sometimes said to be his mother. Unlike Tlahuizcalpanteuctli, Mixcoatl can usually be distinguished by his hunting gear, which included a bow and arrows, and a net or basket for carrying dead game.
Mythology
Mixcoatl was one of four children of Tonacatecutli, meaning "Lord of Sustenance," an aged creator god, and Cihuacoatl, a fertility goddess and the patroness of midwives. Sometimes Mixcoatl was worshipped as the "Red" aspect of the god Tezcatlipoca, the "Smoking Mirror," who was the god of sorcerers, rulers, and warriors. In one story, Tezcatlipoca transformed himself into Mixcoatl and invented the fire drill by revolving the heavens around their axes, bringing fire to humanity. Along with this cosmic fire drill, Mixcoatl was the first to strike fire with flint. These events made Mixcoatl a god of the Milky Way, along with war, and the hunt.
Mixcoatl was the father of 400 sons, collectively known as the Centzon Huitznahua, who ended up having their hearts eaten by Huitzilopochtli. The Centzon Huitznahua met their demise when they, and their sister Coyolxauhqui, after finding their mother Coatlicue pregnant, conspired to kill her. However, as they attacked she gave birth to a fully formed and armed Huitzilopochtli, who proceeded to kill his half-siblings. Mixcoatl was also related to 400 more gods, the Centzonmimixcoa, whom, together with his 3 brothers (all different from the ones named above) and their sister, he slew by ambush. Mixcoatl was also thought of as being the father of another important deity, Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent.
Quetzalcoatl's father Mixcoatl was murdered; Quetzalcoatl was informed by Cozcaquauhtli that "the uncles who had killed [his] father were Apanecatl, Zolton, and Cuilton."
The Codex Mendieta gives Mixcoatl six giant children, counted among the Quinametzin:
thumb|right|Replica of statue of Mixcoac as displayed in [[Metro Bellas Artes in Mexico City. The accompanying plaque translates as" SCULPTURE OF MIXCOAC - Mexica-Huasteca culture - Late Post-Classic Period - Description: sculpture with the image of Mixcoatl, patron of the hunt and one of the most important gods of war in ancient Mexico. He is considered to be the father of Quetzalcoatl. Original is in the Castle of Teayo, Veracruz"]]
Xipetotec, Camaxtle, Mixcoatl or Red Tezcatlipoca
Originally the name of the first son of the creative couple Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl is Tlatlauhca or Tlatlauhaqui-Tezcatlipoca (Red Tezcatlipoca), "Smoking red mirror." Of obscure origin, this god is honored by the Tlaxcalans and Huejocinas with the name of Camaxtli (Camaxtle), and apparently a deity of Zapotlan, Xalisco, is widely known in almost all of Mesoamerica with the name of Xipe Totec, 'Our Lord, the Flayed One'. His body is dyed yellow on one side and lined on the other; his face is carved, superficially divided into two parts by a narrow strip that runs from the forehead to the jawbone. His head wears a kind of hood of different colors with tassels that hang down his back. The Tlaxcala myth that refers to Camaxtle, a god identified as Xipe-Totec himself
Ritual associations
Quecholli, the 14th veintena, the 20-day Aztec month (November 19th Julian calendar, November 29th Gregorian calendar), was dedicated to Mixcoatl. The celebration for this month consisted of hunting and feasting in the countryside. The hunters would take the form of Mixcoatl by dressing like him, kindling a new fire to roast the hunted game. Along with these practices, a man and woman would be sacrificed to Mixcoatl at his temple.
Modern associations and references
In modern scientific nomenclature, the names Mixcoatl–Camaxtli have been assigned to:
- Camaxtli Patera, one of the paterae (shallow craters) on the Jovian moon of Io
- Pseudoeurycea mixcoatl, a species of lungless salamander endemic to Mexico
- Mixcoatlus barbouri, a species of viper endemic to Mexico (previously Cerrophidion barbouri).
- Mixcoatlus browni, a species of viper endemic to Mexico (previously Agkistrodon browni).