Maya and Aztec Mythology

For thousands of years, cultures rose and disappeared in Mesoamerica, until the arrival of Spanish conquistadors changed their history. In tonight's episode, we explore Maya and Aztec mythological tales. I tell you about the sources we have about their legends, their cosmology, and cultural traits that existed across the entire Mesoamerica, like ball games, advanced astronomical knowledge, or the cult of a feathered serpent (Kukulkan for the Maya, Quetzalcoatl for the Aztecs...). We also explore the Aztec pantheon and I tell you about Huitzilopchtli, Tlaloc, or Tezcatlipoca. Under surprising forms, this heritage can sometimes resurface in contemporary culture, for example with the cult of Santa Muerte.