What is mictlantecuhtli?

Mictlantecuhtli was the Aztec god of the dead, king of <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Mictlan">Mictlan</a>, the lowest and northernmost section of the underworld. He was one of the principal deities of the Aztecs and was widely worshipped.

• Domain: Mictlantecuhtli ruled over the underworld, Mictlan, where the souls of most people went after death. His realm was a dark and terrifying place, filled with challenges and dangers that souls had to overcome to reach their final resting place.
• Appearance: He was typically depicted as a skeleton or a figure with a skull for a head. Sometimes he was shown wearing a headdress of owl feathers and a necklace made of human eyeballs.
• Role: Mictlantecuhtli's primary role was to guard the bones of the dead and oversee their passage through the underworld. He was a powerful and fearsome god, but also a necessary one, as he ensured the cycle of life and death continued. He was also associated with dogs, owls, and bats, creatures often linked to death and the night.
• Worship: He was worshipped through rituals, sacrifices, and offerings. Human sacrifice was sometimes performed in his honor, particularly during the Aztec month of Quecholli. Temples dedicated to Mictlantecuhtli were often located in caves or dark, hidden places.
• Consort: His consort was <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Mictecacihuatl">Mictecacihuatl</a>, the "Lady of Mictlan," who ruled alongside him in the underworld. She was also associated with death and the afterlife.
• Significance: Mictlantecuhtli was a crucial figure in Aztec cosmology. He represented the inevitable end of life and the passage to the afterlife. He symbolized the balance between life and death, and the importance of honoring the ancestors. His image and stories served as reminders of mortality and the need to live a worthy life.