Here are some facts about Chalchiuhtlicue
- Chalchiuhtlicue was an important goddess during much of the Aztec reign in Central America. She was the goddess of the sea, rivers and storms and storms, and of baptism.
- She was believed to make crops fertile, and was also the protector of women and children. However, legend has it that she also ate the sun and moon, and caused terrible flooding.
- She was the wife of the rain god Tlaloc, and the mother of the moon god Tecciztecatl. Some Aztec legends say that Tlaloc was her brother, as well as her husband.
- Chalchiuhtlicue was seen as being very beautiful. She often carried a cross, a symbol of fertility, and had water flowing from her clothing, a symbol of baby boys and girls.
- Several sculptures of Chalchiuhtlicue are made from green jade. Sculptures and statues also show her with frogs, an important creature during the Aztec culture.
- A 20 ton statue was discovered at the city of Teotihuacan, in the 19th century. The statue was on top of the city’s Pyramid of the Moon which was probably dedicated to her.
- A tomb dedicated to her was also discovered in Teotihuacan. It contained over 400 items, some carved from green stone, and the skeletons of a jaguar, wolf, serpent and bird.
- She is often described as wearing a green or blue skirt, and has black lines across her face. Her name translates as She of the Jade Skirt, or Owner of the Green Skirt.
- Festivals dedicated to Chalchiuhtlicue took place in February and lasted all month. Priests jumped into the river, and often imitated frogs in an attempt to bring rain.
- Chalchiuhtlicue ruled over the fourth world, or fourth sun. During this time, the sky turned into water, there was a huge flood and all the people in the world were turned into fish.
What next? Discover more Aztec facts by visiting our Aztec resources page.
