#cihuateotl

[dwellerinthelibrary]

An Aztec sculpture in grey stone of a cihuateotl, a “divine woman”, a woman who died in childbirth and became a malevolent spirit. At the Met.

[jesussaizgarcia]

Los sabios sacerdotes de Anáhuac afirmaron siempre en forma enfática que las cihuateotl o mujeres diosas muertas en parto, viven en el paraíso occidental llamado cincalli, la casa del maíz.

[xochitl-nahuatl]

The Cihuateteoh

In Aztec culture, those women who died in childbirth were believed to become dangerous spirits called cihuateteoh. Because of the great harshness of childbirth, labor was viewed as being a different type of ‘war’. It was believed that the child’s spirit was sent down to the earth by the gods, and the woman had to fight and struggle in order to bring it into the world. The newborn child was seen as a sufficient reward if she was successful and emerged victorious from her battle, but if she proved unsuccessful, then she died and became a cihuateotl. 

After the death of such a woman, special funerary practices were carried out, as the body of a woman who had died in childbirth was believed to possess special magic powers. In these special practices, the body was guarded fiercely by an armed entourage that included the widowed husband, his friends, the midwives, and old women. This was deemed necessary due to the need to protect the woman's remains from warriors. Certain parts of her body were believed to be especially powerful relics for warriors, such as her left middle finger and her hair (which contains part of a person’s spirit). According to Aztec belief, “these relics had magical power and, if placed on their shields, would make the warriors brave and valiant, give them strength, and blind the eyes of their enemies.”

The Cihuateteoh all reside in a spiritual domain in the west known as Cihuatlampa, the “place of women.” They were seen as being the female counterparts of the men who died in war, and so they resided in one of the 13 heavens instead of going to Mictlan, the underworld. Each day, the Cihuateteoh guided the sun into the west from noon until sunset. They were assisted by the spirits of the male warriors, and this practice of guiding the sun was seen as exclusive to these two groups of the dead- it was an honor that was not bestowed on any other individuals.

During five specific days of the Aztec calendar, the cihuateteoh descended to the Earth, and became like demons of the night. These five days were the five western trecenas: 1 Eagle, 1 Deer (Ce Mazatl), 1 Monkey (Ce Ozomatli), 1 House (Ce Calli), and 1 Rain (Ce Quiahuitl). They were greatly feared by the Aztecs as they could descend on these particular days to harm women and children with a number of illnesses, including paralyses and epilepsy, or to steal infants. Sometimes they would even induce men to adultery. The cihuateteoh also often haunted crossroads, and so roadside shrines with their statues were often erected to try and appease them. Such depictions show these spirits as women with skeletal faces, wild hair, and skirts fastened with snake belts. Cihuateteoh figures found at the site of El Zapotal are even covered with the flayed skins of victims, and carry staffs bearing human heads as trophies.

However, when still in their domain of Cihuatlampa, these women were at times propitiated by midwives and curers. It was believed that if rituals were performed, and the cihuateteoh were praised, then they would be appeased and would assist in healing the sick, or to protect children. 

[kuramirocket]

The Mexican government has stepped up its campaign to end the international sales of pre-Colombian artefacts.  Earlier this week, Alejandra Fraustro, the Mexican Secretary of Culture wrote to the Munich-based dealer, Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger in an attempt to halt an auction—scheduled for Tuesday 21 September—of 74 artefacts, which the Instituto Nacional de Arqueologia e Historia (INAH) has designated as “national patrimony” belonging to the people of Mexico.

In her letter, Fraustro highlighted a 1934 Mexican law which prohibits the export of items of archeological importance. The culture secretary also reiterated the Mexican government’s renewed commitment to safeguard works deemed to be national heritage, and to seek the return of other works suspected of having been removed illegally or trafficked.

According to the online catalogue for the sale, the pieces include a selection of figures from the areas of Michoacan and Veracruz. A figure of Cihuateotl, the Mexica or Aztec goddess of women who died in childbirth, dated between 300-900 AD, has a reserve price of €5,000 while an Olmec mask has an estimate of €100,000. Francisco Quiroga, Mexico’s ambassador in Germany, visited Munich this week and spoke to Francisca Bernheimer, the head of Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger and niece of the firm’s founder. The embassy did not respond to a request for comment, but it appeared that the sale would go ahead, at the time of this article’s publication.

Quiroga said on social media that several wealthy people “who have a great love for Mexico”, including some involved in the country’s profitable mining sector, had offered to purchase the items in order to return them to Mexico. While he said he appreciated the offer, he thought it would not be appropriate as it would “fuel the trade in stolen artefacts”, the ambassador posted . Without going into more detail, he added that INAH has identified one of the items as a fake.

[tlatollotl]

Cihuateotl

Date: 15th–early 16th century

Geography: Mexico, Mesoamerica

Culture: Aztec

This stone sculpture depicts a seated female figure wearing a plain skirt and a simple knotted belt. Her skull-like face, with its large, circular eyes, open mouth, and exposed teeth, is framed by a mass of unkempt hair carved in swirls and twists. Leaning forward on clawed feet, her fearsome talons are raised to the sides of her chest as if prepared to seize some unseen prey. Among the Aztecs, a woman in labor was said to "capture" the spirit of her newborn child much like a warrior captures his opponent in battle. But if a woman died while giving birth, her own soul was transformed into a terrifying demon known as a Cihuateotl, or "Divine Woman." The Cihuateteo (pl.) resided in a region in the west known as Cihuatlampa ("place of women") and accompanied the sun daily from its zenith at midday to dusk on the western horizon. As such, these malevolent spirits were regarded as the female counterparts of warriors who had perished on the battlefield and who were thought to escort the sun through the underworld to its rise each morning. The Cihuateteo descended to the earth on five specific days in the Aztec calendar: 1 Deer, 1 Rain, 1 Monkey, 1 House, and 1 Eagle. During these times, they were known to haunt crossroads—places associated with evil and disease—in hopes of snatching the young children they were never privileged to have. The figure seen here has been inscribed on top of her head with the name "Ce Calli" (1 House), thus indicating her prescribed day of descent. Four nearly identical goddesses are housed in the collection of the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City—each being differentiated only by the date glyph engraved on its head—and, along with the one seen here, may have originally formed a set. Evidence suggests these five sculptures would have been placed in a shrine dedicated to the Cihuateteo, perhaps in the main temple precinct of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Elsewhere in Postclassic art (ca. 1100–1521), the postpartum female body is depicted with pendulous breasts and a creased, flaccid stomach. Here, however, the figure’s taut belly and exposed, youthful breasts serve to underscore her unrealized potential as a mother, as she died before having the opportunity to bear and nurse her newborn child. Examples of female supernatural figures with similar overtones of death (and eventual resurrection) are found in a number of Mesoamerican traditions, from Classic Veracruz statuary (ca. 7th–10th century) to Aztec and Mixtec codices (ca. 13th–16th century). Such a broad distribution indicates that the Cihuateteo were important, long-lasting features of indigenous religious practices. William T. Gassaway, 2014–15 Sylvan C. Coleman and Pamela Coleman Fellow ----- Resources and Additional Reading Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel. Handbook to Life in the Aztec World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Boone, Elizabeth H. Cycles of Time and Meaning in the Mexican Books of Fate. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2007. Diel, Lori Boornazian. "Clothing Women: The Female Body in Pre- and Post-Contact Aztec Art." In Woman and Art in Early Modern Latin America, edited by Kellen Kee McIntyre and Richard E. Phillips, 221–45. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2007. Johansson K., Patrick. "Mocihuaquetzqueh: ¿Mujeres Divinas O Mujeres Siniestras? (Mocihuaquetzqueh: Divine Women or Sinister Women?)." Estudios de Cultura Náhuatl37 (2009): 193–230. Key, Anne. "Death and the Divine: The Cihuateteo, Goddesses in the Mesoamerican Cosmovision." PhD diss., California Institute of Integral Studies, 2005. Klein, Cecelia. "The Devil and the Skirt: An Iconographic Inquiry into the Pre-Hispanic Nature of the Tzitzimime." Ancient Mesoamerica 11 (2000): 1–26. Miller, Mary E., and Karl Taube. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1993. Nicholson, Henry B., and Eloise Quiñones-Keber. The Art of Aztec Mexico: Treasures of Tenochtitlan. Catalogue of an Exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1983. Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 1983. Pasztory, Esther. Aztec Art. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1983. Sahagún, Fray Bernardino. Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. 12 vols. Translated by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble. Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research and University of Utah Press, 1950–82.  

The Met

[themonsterblogofmonsters]

Civatateo / Cihuateotl

Turned of Coatlicue, this sub-bloodline is much rarer than it once was but persists nonetheless, in part thanks to their Original’s fierce persistence in the face of the eradication and driving unto hiding of other North American Vampire bloodlines. This bloodline came to light in the 1400s, shortly after it’s founding, and remained prominent in local belief even beyond the Statute of Secrecy. Indeed, Civatateo are regularly accused of breaching the Statute, whether they actually do remains hotly debated. As it is, this is known: the Civatateo bloodline is believed to have no one place of origin, but rather several; a Coatlican acting as a midwife apparently turned a number of individuals who otherwise would have died in childbirth. Some of these people were even prepared for funeral, while in the transitory stage of transformation, and thus their return to life was a great shock. These individuals were both magical and non-magical, and due to their turning on the cusp of giving birth, some of their offspring were also turned… and yet were able to age at a reasonable, if slowed rate.

It is due to this that the debate rages on as to whether they break the Statute. While the line’s founding happened long before the Statute was ever established, many Civatateo remain proud of their origins (as death in childbirth was considered to be on par with dying in battle; a noble way to end) and respectful of their Coatlican dam. Indeed, some Civatateo work as midwives themselves, using their razor sharp claws to aid in childbirths where Cesarean is the only option. While largely Civatateo only work with expectant wixes, in this day and age, there are a few exceptions. Further, as a Civatateo may tend to the offspring while the parent completes the transformation that may save their life, they are sometimes accused of kidnapping the children - and when the child does not survive, of eating them. Whether this is true is hard to ascertain, certainly older Civatateo have attested to it occurring in the past under certain circumstances.

Despite being regular and willing midwives, most Civatateo stay among themselves until such a time as they wish to emerge to interact with wixes. When they elect to do so they will often be vetted by their elders before being allowed out, and traditionally join wixen society on one of five days. This being said, there are sometimes exceptions, who bypass this and emerge on their own; these Civatateo are often scorned and shunned by the rest. Those Civatateo who have joined the wixen world will often indicate so by wearing white chalk on their hands; this is only washed off when they are working, which is also the only time they will spend any time active during the day, otherwise remaining solidly nocturnal. At present there are Civatateo of all genders, though due to their long female-centric tradition, female-identifying Civatateo remain the majority, and midwifery is a common profession regardless.

Civatateo by verreaux

(Read about these creatures in lore Here, Here, Here and possibly Here. The latter uses a different spelling and makes no note of the same gods but there remain a number of similarities, so for now I am combining the two. I hate that I have to include this but PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THE IMAGE SOURCE OR MY CAPTION.)

[theoldstone]

Continuing this month’s spooky theme, here’s another good find over @met-africa-oceania (don’t let their name fool you, this collection also includes archeological finds from the Americas too!)

This stone sculpture depicts a “Cihuateotl,” a kind of wraith that descended to the earth on 5 specific days on the Aztec calendar in the hopes of snatching away young children. This particular sculpture depicts this one as having a skull-like face and fierce, raised, talons, as if she is ready to snatch away the first toddler she spies.

[religions-of-the-world]

Cihuateotl

c. 1500

Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico

According to the Aztecs a woman who died in child birth was awarded the honor as those warriors who died in battle.

[met-africa-oceania]

Cihuateotl, Metropolitan Museum of Art: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Museum Purchase, 1900 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Medium: Stone

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/307634

[legendsofmexico-blog]

http://lecturasennewyorkcity.blogspot.com/2010/11/dia-de-muertos-escultura-mexicana-en-el.html

[dwellerinthelibrary]

An Aztec cihuateotl, literally a woman-god, the destructive spirit of a woman who died in childbirth. A woman who died in childbirth died a warrior. This statue is in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico.

[expedientesinico]

Peças pré-hispânicas leiloadas em Paris. México protesta

Peças pré-hispânicas leiloadas em Paris. México protesta

Apesar dos protestos do México, a casa Christie’s realizou na terça-feira, em Paris, um leilão de peças pré-hispânicas, incluindo uma estátua da deusa Cihuateotl, arrematada por meio milhão de euros. A venda de “Quetzalcóatl, serpente emplumada”, o conjunto de 40 peças, de acervos particulares europeus, arrecadou um total de 2,53 milhões de euros, que é “a maior soma para um leilão de arte…

[auroracastromakeup-blog]

CIHUATEOTL

Proyecto final maquillaje fotográfico Durante cientos de años, las religiones como el cristianismo nos han dicho que solo nos reyna un solo Dios, dando “cuerda” a los principios machistas de la actualidad, que si por algo Dios es hombre y no mujer. Pero ¿que nadie se acuerda ya que antes de eso existían múltiples deidades? Y esto no va de una protesta contra el cristianismo y sus derivados. Si, si es un acto de protesta, pero es más bien en contra del machismo. A mi parecer, la principal 2causa” del machismo ha sido la iglesia, sobreponiendo sus leyes y mandatos que, perdón por la palabra, me perecen estúpidas y sobre todo innecesarias. Algo que se me hace muy curioso es que, en las diferentes culturas como en la griega, nórdica, egipcia, los aztecas, etc. Sus creencias son muy parecidas, y todas ella incluían dioses y DIOSAS eran, por decirlo así, equitativos respecto a esto. Ahora me enfocare solo en la cultura azteca, ya que, a mi parecer, los mismos mexicanos hemos ido olvidando nuestra historia. Me enfocare en las diosas de la vida y de la muerte: Coatlicue y Mictecacihuatl respectivamente. COATLICUE En la mitología mexica es la representación de la fertilidad. Era venerada como la madre de los dioses y estaba representada como una mujer que usa una falda de serpientes. Tiene los pechos caídos, que simbolizan la fertilidad y un collar de manos y corazones humanos que representan la vida. Era madre de los Centzon Huitznáhuac cuatrocientos surianos, dioses de las estrellas del sur, así como de la diosa Coyolxauhqui, que regía a sus hermanos. Estaba viviendo en el cerro de Coatepec, donde hacía penitencia; tenía a su cargo barrer. Una vez, mientras barría, cayó del cielo un hermoso plumaje, que ella recogió y colocó en su seno. Cuando terminó de barrer, buscó la pluma que había guardado, pero no la encontró. En ese momento, quedó embarazada del dios Huitzilopochtli. MICTECACIHUATL  a veces conocida como Chalmecacihuatl.  en la mitología mexica es la reina de Mictlán, el 9o. y último nivel del inframundo. Su propósito es vigilar los huesos de los muertos. Ella presidía los festivales mexicas hechos en honor de los muertos, es conocida como la "Dama de la Muerte", ya que se cree que murió al nacer.  A veces se la representa trabajando en conjunto con Mictlantecuhtli, y a veces en conflicto. El propósito de esto es resaltar como, al menos en la cultura azteca, las mujeres regían por casi todas las cosas, por ejemplo, en la cultura griega, el padre de todos los dioses era Cronos, pero en la azteca fue Cuatlicue, una mujer. Y no, no busco poner a la mujer como lo más importante del universo, si no, más bien mi punto es hacer ver que hombres y mujeres podemos ser y convivir juntos como sociedad sin ser nadie más que nadie ni nada, ser equitativos. Mis modelos fueron: Mariana Cuautli y Sandra García Las escogí a ellas por sus rasgos, ya que resaltarían las características de la belleza de las mujeres mexicanas nativas con las que me gustaría trabajar la estética de mi proyecto. Utilice maquillaje normal (sombras, labiales, etc.) y de fantasía. Comencé con el de mictecacihuatl, que solo fue un amquillaje comun de calavera, empece preparando la piel con primer y aplique una base mas clara al tono de la piel, luego aplique lapiz negro en lo que sería la cuenca de los ojos y selle con spmbra negra. luego hice el boceto de la madibula y los dientes y lo rellene de lapiz negro y selle con sombra. hice lo mismo con la nariz para coatlicue prepare la piel igual que en el primer maquillaje y para hacer la “piel de serpiente” utilice una wigcap y sobre ella iba aplicando sombras, esto lo hice en las partes donde iria el contorno, comence con un vede neutro como base, despues puse uno mas oscuro para dar profundidad y al final aplique uno aperlado para dar brillo. Para los ojos hice un smokey eye en tonos verdes, deline solo hasta la mitad del papado para dar “forma” de ojo de serpiente y aplique un poco de rimel en las pestañas. para finalizar puse iluminador en los pomulos de las dos modelos y en las clabiculas y hombros. utilicé luz artificial ya que realice las fotografias en interior. 

[lanuevaeradeacuario]

LOS ELEMENTALES

Nuestra Divina Madre Tonantzin es la Serpiente ígnea de nuestros mágicos poderes ascendiendo victoriosa por el canal medular espinal del organismo humano.

Coatlicue es la serpiente del abismo, Kali, Hécate, la Proserpina infernal, la diosa de la Tierra.

Cihuacoatl es otro nombre terrible de la diosa de la Tierra y la Patrona bendita de las famosas cihuateotl que de noche gritan y braman…

[tlatollotl]

figure

School/style: Mexico

Cultures/periods: Aztec

Production date: 1400-1521

Provenience unknown, possibly looted

Carved stone figure of a cihuateotl in kneeling position. Figure wears a long skirt fastened by a knot with bare breasts and delineated nipples. The hair is tightly bound and interwoven in a pattern of concentric circles along the hairline. The crown of the head is inscribed with a glyph indicating the day "1-monkey" in the Aztec calendar.

British Museum

[the-met-art]

Cihuateotl via Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Medium: Stone

Museum Purchase, 1900 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/307634