South America

The Aztecs/Mayans viewed dragons in both a positive and negative way. The other cultures of South America also shared this view, although most dragons were used as a bogey.

• Chac
• Coatlcue
• Iemisch
• Ihuaivulu
• Iwanci
• Quetzalcoatl
• Footnotes

History: Chac was mainly involved with the rain-making, but he ruled over all bodies of water. He required royal sacrifices from Earth, but, in turn, he would shed his own blood so that there would be rain.

Due to his connection with the rain, Chac was one of the most popular Mayan gods. This was because the Mayan's weather made it such that they needed to get all the rain required to grow crops during the rainy seasons in order to grow their crops. Everyone of the Mayans worshiped him, and there were over two hundred mosaics of Chac's face in the Palace alone.

Symbolism: Chac was known as the rain bringer. He shows us not only the need for rain and weather that the Mayans held, but also their response to the production of crops. (And what they offered for the insurance of rain - sacrifices.)

Physical Description: Chac was said to have a long noise, fish scales, catfish-like wiskers, deer ears, and a crocodilian head. Many times he has an axe, his lightning axe, in his hand which he would use to produce lightnings.

top of the page

History: Sometimes, Coatlcue was represented as a woman. More often, however, she wore a skirt of snakes, and she had two dragon heads. She was the goddess of duality of nature. She sometimes is also depicted with a heart necklace and claws.

Coatlcue also represented maternal fertiliy. She was the mother of Huitzilopochtli. When she became pregnant with Huitzilopochtli, her chidlren (centzon huitznahua) were outraged, and they prepared to make war upon their mother. They were led by Coyolxauhqui.

Needless, to say, Coatlicue was afraid, but a voice from her womb told her not worry. She gave birth to Huitzilopochtli, a fully grown and dressed warrior.. Using his xiucoatl (serpent of lightning), he fought off his siblings and killed Coyolxauhqui.

Symbolism: Coatlcue is a symbol of nature for the Aztecs. The fact that she was feared by them shows how they perceived nature.

Physical Description: She was primarily a human woman. However, she somtimes had a skirt made of snakes along with two dragon heads. Also, she can be depicted with a heart necklace and/or claws.

top of the page

History: This was the Aztecs great feather serpent god. (Kukulkan was the name used by the Mayans for this creature.) As one of the most popular gods, this creature appeared in many forms of art as well as in tales. Not only this, but he was the only god that did not require human sacrifices.

In addition to his popularity, he seems to have been god of many things. He was a Creator god, the god of twins, the god of the Evening and Morning Star, protector of craftsman, a rain maker as well as a fire-bringer, teacher of the finer arts, and the god of twins. As Echecatl, he was the god of winds. Furthermore, he is know as the god that created the calender.

Often, he was seen soaring throughout the sky creating a rainbow. Occasionally, he would take the form of a man or the sun, and eclipses were said to be caused by the Earth Serpent swallowing him.

The Quetzalcoatl was opposed to regular human sacrifices. So much so that when the god of war, Tezcatlipoca, appeared and asked for sacrifices, the Quetzalcoatl tried to dissaude others from agreeing to it. He failed, however, and decieded to leave.

How and where the Quetzalcoatl left has a bit of mystery to it. There are different variations of this tale. In one version, it is said that he proceed to the Gulf of Mexico and there burned his body. After which, he was reborn as the planet Venus.

The more common ending is different. It has been suggested that the Spanish used this ending to aid in their conquering of the Aztecs. It said that the Quetzalcoatl left, promising his most loyal that he would return. He left on a raft that was supported by snakes. With this, he headed East.

It is believed that the second version was used by the Spanish because there are many depictions of the god becoming Venus, but slim to none of them depict him on a raft.

Symbolism: The Quetzalcoatl tried to save man from man and other bloodthirsty gods. When this failed, he left. The story of the Quetzalcoatl shows how the Aztecs looked upon life in general, especially their outake on war.

Physical Description: This creature was an amphiptere, meaning the creature only had two wings and no other limbs. Also, this creature possessed multicolored scales and feathers. Occansionally, The Quetzalcoatl would shapeshift to become a man.

Related Articles: Temple of Quetzalcoatl

top of the page

History: This creature is wise like a fox and has the foreparts of a fox as well. However, it uses its serpent's tail to ensare victims. Like a snake, this creature will crush the victim until dead and then eat him or her.

Symbolism: Unknown

Physical Description: This creature is said to look like a fox, but it has the tail of a serpent.

top of the page

History: The Ihuaivulu is said to live in volcanoes. He can breathe fire, and thus is harmful to anything that meets him.

Symbolism: Unknown

Physical Description: The Ihuaivulu is said to have seven heads and to be quite massive.

top of the page

History: The Iwanci is a demonic shapeshifter, always appearing as one srepent or the next. It would change in order to kill its victims. One form, the Macanci, is the water snake. The other form is Pani, the anaconda.

Symbolism: It is likely that the Iwanci was a bogey, a creature used to scare people from doing something.

Physical Description: The Iwanci was a shape shifter. It commonly appeared as a water snake or an anaconda.

top of the page

1. Mythical Birds and Beasts from Many Lands by Margaret Mayo and Jane Ray
2. Macmillion Profiles: Myths and Legends
3. Macmillion Profiles: Myths and Legends
4. Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
5. Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
6. Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose

For more information, see the Bibliography