Metztli

In Aztec mythology, Metztli (Nahuatl: [metstɬi]; Meztli, Metzi) was a god or goddess of the moon, the night, and farmers. They were likely the same deity as Yohaulticetl or Coyolxauhqui and the male moon god Tecciztecatl; like the latter, who feared the Sun because of its fire.

Depiction of Metztli

Legend
Metztli in the Codex Borgia

The Moon and Sun were at one time equally bright. Fearing the earth would burn under the light of two luminaries, one of the gods threw a rabbit in the face of the other, and the one struck darkened to become today's Moon. Henceforth it is possible to distinguish a figure of a rabbit on the Moon's surface. During a full moon, the "Rabbit in the Moon" becomes readily visible.

Otomi mythology

For the Otomi people, Zäna was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Young Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire. The Otomi counted lunar months as a period from new moon to new moon. They gave every month 30 days.

See also

References
  • Galindo Trejo, Jesús (1994). Arqueoastronomía en la américa antigua. México: Equipo Sirius, S.A. ISBN 84-86639-66-2.
  • Esperanza Carrasco Licea & Alberto Carramiñana Alonso, "Metztli, La Luna", Diario Síntesis, 28 de Mayo de 1996


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