A pre-Hispanic codex (sacred text) identifies Quebrantahuesos or the Northern Caracara as Mexico's National Bird. Locally, the bird is known as the Golden Eagle even though technically a Caracara is actually a type of falcon and not an eagle. The Royal Eagle (as it is also known) and snake symbols have been very important historically in the ancient culture of Mexico as far back as the Aztecs but their meanings have been interpreted in different ways over the course of centuries.
The coat of arms of Mexico depicts a Golden Eagle perched on a prickly pear while devouring a snake. For the Spanish that came to Mexico, the bird eating the snake represented the victory of good over evil. Historically however, the bird and snake themes had important religious meaning to the Tenochtitlan people. Although meanings have become muted and/or shifted both are still very important today and the seal of the United Mexican States also uses this image from the coat of arms emblem.
At one time Mexico City was called Tenochtitlan and images from before and after the arrival of Cortez were created with and without a snake. Some old versions of the image have an eagle devouring a precious bird while perched on a cactus, while in other images an eagle was depicted clutching the Aztec "burning water" symbol of war (also known as the Atl-Tlachinolli glyph).
The eagle historically represented the sun god Huitzilpochtli and the Mexicas considered themselves "People of the Sun". Amazingly, the prickly pear cactus represented the island of Tenochtitlan that Mexico City sprang up from. In pre-Hispanic traditions the snake is a symbol of the god Coatlicue and is the personification of earth and the mother of Huitzilopochtli. Because of this relationship between the two sacred symbols, the Aztecs wouldn't have depicted the Golden Eagle devouring a snake. The earth god could not have attacked or killed the sun god.
Today new interpretations are attributed to these pictorial elements. The Eagle is thought to represent the Mexican people ready to protect their homeland and face the challenges of daily life. On the other hand, the snake is seen to represent the possible adversaries of Mexico including their armies. It is thought that the snake is an icon of Mexico's eternal victory over any potential enemies that she may face in the future.
The coat of arms of Mexico depicts a Golden Eagle perched on a prickly pear while devouring a snake. For the Spanish that came to Mexico, the bird eating the snake represented the victory of good over evil. Historically however, the bird and snake themes had important religious meaning to the Tenochtitlan people. Although meanings have become muted and/or shifted both are still very important today and the seal of the United Mexican States also uses this image from the coat of arms emblem.
At one time Mexico City was called Tenochtitlan and images from before and after the arrival of Cortez were created with and without a snake. Some old versions of the image have an eagle devouring a precious bird while perched on a cactus, while in other images an eagle was depicted clutching the Aztec "burning water" symbol of war (also known as the Atl-Tlachinolli glyph).
The eagle historically represented the sun god Huitzilpochtli and the Mexicas considered themselves "People of the Sun". Amazingly, the prickly pear cactus represented the island of Tenochtitlan that Mexico City sprang up from. In pre-Hispanic traditions the snake is a symbol of the god Coatlicue and is the personification of earth and the mother of Huitzilopochtli. Because of this relationship between the two sacred symbols, the Aztecs wouldn't have depicted the Golden Eagle devouring a snake. The earth god could not have attacked or killed the sun god.
Today new interpretations are attributed to these pictorial elements. The Eagle is thought to represent the Mexican people ready to protect their homeland and face the challenges of daily life. On the other hand, the snake is seen to represent the possible adversaries of Mexico including their armies. It is thought that the snake is an icon of Mexico's eternal victory over any potential enemies that she may face in the future.
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