The mighty Aztec Goddess Coatlicue (pronounced koh-at-lee-kway) is the all-powerful Goddess of Life, Death, and Rebirth. Her name means "Lady of the Serpent Skirt." She wears a necklace of human hands and hearts. A human skull is the buckle on her serpent belt. Her fearsome attire is topped by a double-headed snake that can also be seen as a single, forward-facing snake.
But those serpents are not Coatlicue's head. She has no head. Along with some other goddesses, Coatlicue willingly sacrificed her own life by decapitation in order to bring about the current 5th Solar Era of our world. These deaths served to put the Sun in motion again so that Time itself could continue and the Cosmos would not end. It is from Coatlicue's severed neck that the two snakes arise, symbolizing her gushing blood, the fertile liquid of life.
The altar cloths reflect the Solar Yellow and Blood Red colours of Coatlicue's sacrifice. A red stone serpent and red candles complete the scene.
The famous basalt statue of Coatlicue was carved around 1500 C.E., weighs 12 tons and stands over 10 feet tall with its base. After the Spanish Conquest, the invaders systematically destroyed all evidence of Aztec religion. This statue was buried deep in the earth, perhaps by Aztecs themselves in order to protect it from defacement or destruction. In 1790, the statue was found and horrified Catholic priests ordered it reburied after it caused a sensation in the archeological world. In the 20th century, the statue was again dug up and finally given a place of honour in Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology. (If you're interested in seeing a good 7-minute YouTube video about this statue, click here).
There are two more depictions of Coatlicue on the full moon altar. The first is a tarot card from the Universal Goddess Tarot deck, showing a much more conventional representation of the goddess, with a beautiful headdress and symbols of power.
The other representation is a small statue which I bought in Mexico in 2004 from an artisan who was selling them not far from Chichen Itza, the ancient Mayan site. In this version, Coatlicue has a head and the double snakes arise above her headdress, nuzzling a human skull between them. Clearly the skull represents Death, but Life is also present -- the goddess is simultaneously giving birth. Between the goddess's crouching legs, you can see the baby's small head emerging out of the birth canal.
I've always loved this little statue because it celebrates Coatlicue's life-giving (or rebirth-giving) powers. According to her myth, Coatlicue gave birth to all the other deities of the Aztec pantheon, plus the moon and the stars. These little grey/black statues were available everywhere in Mexico, but I love the fact that this particular artisan had taken the time and trouble to carefully highlight some details in gold paint, as if to honour Coatlicue just a little bit more.
And speaking of Aztec childbirth, here's a relevant concluding meme --
[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026; Meme courtesy of the internet]
13 comments:
No doubt the Aztecs were a bloodthirsty bunch, but at least they respected and honoured women for their life-giving ability. Were Aztec women political or religious leaders too?
@ Tundra Bunny -- Not to my knowledge. I believe it was otherwise a typically male-dominated social order.
You know a lot about such things Debra. In contrast, I know next to nothing about Aztec culture and history. Thanks for blowing away some of my cobwebs.
Ohhh first, I need that Tarot deck.
Second, super fierce goddess. Very fitting of an altar.
Third, I cannot imagine childbirth in the 1300 in America.
XOXO
...childbirth is a battle that I'm glad that I have not fought.
Thanks for introducing me to a new goddess. I really don't know much about the Aztecs, so this was fascinating. Probably just as well as the early Spanish conquerors reburied the statue because they could have destroyed it. and it would have been lost. Have a great Wedesday.
Wait. Does that mean the Calendar, which "ended" in 2000, went back to the beginning as a result of her action?
@ whkattk -- I'm not sure, but we do know that time did not end in Y2K! Incidentally, the famous Aztec Sun (Calendar) Stone was dug up in Mexico City right beside the statue of Coatlicue. Coincidence?
Love this! I am a long-time admirer of the Mayan goddess, Ixchel. Some crossovers. Ixchel also had snakes as part of her headdress although she DID have a head. I'm going to watch that film and I would so love to go to that museum.
Thank you for sharing the Aztec Goddess Coatlicue's story. I'm a Spanish descendant and a Christian, but I'm appalled by the fact that my ancestors tried to eradicate such rich cultures. Sadly, some modern day Europeans and so called Christians are still trying to eradicate other cultures these days.
I've witnessed childbirth three times and consequently I agree that it's a battle, but as a man observing, I also feel, with the utmost respect and appreciation, that my characterization of that experience is wholly irrelevant.
It's all new to me so thanks for sharing this interesting story.
@ Ms. Moon -- I'm a fan of Ixchel too! I've done two altars for her over the years. Here's the link if you want to see them --
https://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/2025/05/may-full-moon-altar-triple-goddess.html
and
https://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/2021/03/march-full-moon-altar-ixchel.html
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