Name and Etymology:
Xolotl, "The Animal," "The Dog"
Religion and Culture of Xolotl:
Aztec, Mesoamerica
Symbols, Iconography, and Art of Xolotl:
Aztec art usually portrays Xolotl with ragged ears and other deformities like reversed feet. Sometimes, he also appears as a skeleton, or even as a man with the head of a dog. Twins were themselves considered a type of deformity and a connection between twins and dogs can be found in Mesoamerican art at least as far back as the beginning of the Common Era.
Xolotl was God of:
Twins
Sickness
Deformities
Bad Luck
Lightning
Fire
Equivalents in Other Cultures:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Story and Origin of Xolotl:
Dogs were considered filthy and immoral in Mesoamerican cultures and Xolotl, the canine god, embodies all the worst characteristics ascribed to dogs. Xolotl was responsible for accompanying the dead to Mictlan, their final journey after death. Xolotl also guarded the sun as it made its way through the underworld every night.
Family Tree and Relationships of Xolotl:
Canine companion of Quetzalcoatl
Brother of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, Lord of Venus as the Morning Star
Temples, Worship and Rituals of Xolotl:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Mythology and Legends of Xolotl:
In one creation myth, Xolotl brought a bone to the gods who sprinkled it with some of their blood. The bone then transformed into the first human boy and girl, giving rise to the human race.
