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The quetzal plays a central role in Mesoamerican mythology and is associated with the Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl. The word quetzal was originally used for just the resplendent quetzal , the long-tailed quetzal of Guatemala , (more specifically the area of Northern Guatemala known as the Petén) which is the national bird and the name of the ...
As the morning star, he was known by the title Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, meaning "lord of the star of the dawn". He was known as the inventor of books and the calendar, the giver of maize (corn) to mankind, and sometimes as a symbol of death and resurrection. Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the twin Aztec high priests.
The quetzal clade is thought to have spread out from where it emerged in the Andes, the resplendent quetzal being the youngest species. [9] The name of the genus, Pharomachrus, refers to the physical characteristics of the bird, with pharos meaning ' mantle ' and makros meaning 'long' in Ancient Greek. [10]
"The Resplendent Quetzal" is a short story by Margaret Atwood. [1] It was published in the collection Dancing Girls & Other Stories in 1977. [2] Plot summary
Much of this symbolism arose with the spread of the worship of the Toltec god/king Quetzalcoatl, depicted as a serpent covered in quetzal feathers. Quetzalcoatl was said to have discovered gold, silver and precious stones. When he fled Tula, he released all kind of birds he was breeding.
The double symbolism used by the Feathered Serpent is considered allegoric to the dual nature of the deity: Being feathered represents its divine nature or ability to fly to reach the skies; being a serpent represents its human nature or ability to creep on the ground among other animals of the Earth, a dualism very common in Mesoamerican deities.
The object's identification as a quetzalapanecayotl (a quetzal bird feather headdress) is attributed to American anthropologist Zelia Nuttall in her research paper "Standard or Head-dress?". [12] [13] Nuttall put forth the theory that the objects represent a quetzal bird with its wings extended, tail pointing upwards, and head pointing ...
The golden-headed quetzal or corequenque (Pharomachrus auriceps) is a strikingly coloured bird in the genus Pharomachrus. It is found in moist mid-elevation forests from eastern Panama to northern Bolivia. The golden-headed quetzal is known for its iridescent green colour, which it shares with other quetzals, and its distinctive golden head ...