Chicomecōātl, also known as Xilonen, is the Aztec goddess of agriculture. She is referred to as the goddess of nourishment and her counterpart is Centeōtl, God of Maize.
Her name means “Seven Serpent” and she has a bad side. When the maize harvest is poor Chicomecoatl is often blamed.
The number seven in her name symbolizes luck and generative power. That generative power is especially felt by young adults as they go out into the world to start productive lives. Chicomecoatl wants them to make the world a better place.
She wears a headdress and her face is painted with red ochre. She may be portrayed as a young girl holding flowers or a woman with a sun shield.
Chicomecōātl, as depicted in Codex Magliabechiano
Maize is seen in three stages the young crop, ripening ears, and harvest crop. Chicomecoatl is worshiped as this Tri-Deity. This idea is embodied in the three Aztec female deities of maize: Xilonen, Cinteotl, and Chicomecoatl.
Xilonen
She is known as Xilonen, pronounced Shi-LO-nen, when portrayed as a young girl representing the shoots of the maize plant.
The word Xilotl means tender ears of maize. In art representations, she is shown with corn tassels hanging from her headdress.
Xilonen was honored in June as the young corn plants emerged from the soil. Men and women danced and feasted. They enjoyed a corn-based beverage called chienpinolli.
This Tri Goddess is honored during the Huey Tozoztli festival where the Aztecs enjoyed music, dancing, and feasting They sang and danced to the music of drums, flutes, and conch shells.
During this ceremony, a slave girl was dressed as Xilonen and marched through the community. On the last day of the celebration, she was sacrificed to the goddess. It was also common for people to cut themselves and sprinkle their blood around their homes.
While we view human sacrifice as immoral the Ancient Aztec civilization saw it as a way of demonstrating the reciprocity between humans and nature. Thus ensuring balance in the world.
The festival is still celebrated throughout Mexico, starting on June 22 and lasting eight days.
Cinteotl
Centeotl represents the middle stage and also the gender duality of many Aztec deities. In their origin myth, Centeotl, was the God who entered the Underworld and brought back maize, sweet potatoes, and agave, which he gave to humans.
Centeotl is symbolic of Venus, the morning star, and his mother was the earth goddess.
Chicomecoatl
As an older woman, and mother figure, she is the mature harvested crop. Statues of her are shown holding two ears of corn in each hand. She represents fertility and abundance.
She is often shown with a sun shield at this stage representing her motherly warmth and power.
Numerous small statues of her have been located and it is felt she was a common household idol. It was popular to leave offerings of Amaranth bread for her.
Author, Katherine Fox is our editor and one of our writers. She is currently raising a pagan husband and three children. They love getting outside and exploring the natural world.
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