Quetzalcoatl

Broadcast from the museum's Hall of Mexico and Central America, the program presents an in-depth examination of the influence Quetzalcoatl (Serpent God of the Aztecs) had on four major cultures. Mixtec, Toltec, Mayan, and Aztec Indians worshiped Quetzalcoatl, who was believed to be both a legendary hero and ruler, as well as a benevolent deity. He first provided the Aztecs with great material blessings including, it is believed, maize. In Central American religions, Quetzalcoatl has a messianic role and is expected to return someday. Gordon Frederick Ekholm, AMNH curator of archaeology, discusses Quetzalcoatl's impact on these four cultures. Film sequences depict the ruins of Mayan cities, wall paintings, bas reliefs, stelae, and the enactment of human sacrifice.