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Encyclopedia of Religion entry forCenteotlCenteotl was one of the deities worshipped by the ancient Mexicans. The name was that of a goddess, and means Maize-goddess. Centeotl was represented as bearing in her arms a child (the young maize), or as a frog with many udders. One of her descriptions is " the nourisher of men." Just as a young male was sacrificed to Tezcatlipoca (q.v.), a maiden, who personated Centeotl, was sacrificed to the goddess with other victims. " Before her death she took part in several symbolic representations which were expressions of the various processes in the growth of the harvest. The day before her sacrifice she sowed maize in the streets, and on the arrival of midnight she was decapitated and flayed " (Lewis Spence). A priest then donned her skin. J. M. Robertson compares the practice of the Babylonian priests who identified themselves with the Fish-god by wearing artificial fish-skins. See Lewis Spence; J. M. Robertson, " The Religions of Ancient America," in R.S.W.; P.C., 1911. citations: Encyc. of Rel., Canney
article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12 |
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