The Aztec myth of the creation of the world, known as the Legend of the Fifth Sun, is a complex belief system in which the history of the universe is divided into five epochs, each culminating in a catastrophe and succeeded by a new one. These myths were passed down through oral tradition and recorded after the Spanish conquest, including in sources such as the Florentine Codex and the Legend of the Suns.
In the beginning, there was a primary god, Ometekutli/Omesivatl, who possessed both male and female characteristics. He gave birth to four children representing the sides of the world: Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Huitzilopochtli, and Sholotl .
The first epoch, the Sun of Jaguar (Naui Ocelotl), was destroyed by the Jaguars. The second epoch, the Sun of Wind (Naui-Ehecatl), was ended by hurricanes. The third, the Sun of Rain (Naui-Kiaowitl), ended in a rain of fire. The fourth, the Sun of Water (Naui-Atl), was destroyed by a flood .
The fifth epoch, the Sun of Motion (Naui-Ollin), began in the ancient city of Teotihuacan. The gods gathered to create a new sun. The god Tecucistecatl refused to sacrifice himself, while the humble and ulcer-covered Nanahuatl threw himself into the fire, becoming the sun. Tecusistecatl followed him, becoming the moon .
The sun required energy to move, so the gods decided that humans should make sacrifices. Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld to collect the bones of previous generations. He sprinkled them with his blood, creating the first humans.
Thus, the Aztec myth of the creation of the world reflects the cyclical perception of time and the importance of sacrifice in maintaining cosmic order.