The High-Flying God


The Aztecs and Mayans celebrated a god named Quetzalcoatl (sounds like ket-sahl-koh-aht-l). He was regarded as the god of winds and rain and as the creator of the world and mankind. His name is a combination of the Aztec words quetzal— the emerald- plumed bird— and coatl, which means serpent. He was pictured as a mix of bird and snake. He wore a headdress made from the quetzal’s feathers.


A Crown of Feathers To the Mayans and Aztecs, the quetzal's tail feathers were more valuable than gold. That’s why they created elaborate headdresses made from the feathers and wore them like crowns. These prized possessions were


handcrafted by master weavers. Only nobility were allowed to wear them. Quetzals were so cherished in Mayan civilization, that killing one was forbidden. The penalty for doing so was death.


ADVENTURER 7


Quite a lot of Quetzals To this day, Guatemala reveres the quetzal. It's the national bird. Its image appears on the country’s coat of arms, its fl ag, and on some postage stamps. The country’s currency is even known as the “quetzal.”


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