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| Reconstructing a Pre-Columbian Quetzalcoatl |
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 The evidence from the
analysis of the first critical time layer of the Quetzalcoatl tale indicates that virtually all of the elements
which make Quetzalcoatl appear to be Christian are directly the result of distortions effected by the Spaniards
upon the native material. On the eve of the Conquest, the reconstructible Quetzalcoatl appears as thoroughly native
as do Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca. Perhaps Huitzilopochtli might even have a greater claim to a "Christian"
heritage as a virgin birth was actually part of his mythology.Our hypothesis that Quetzalcoatl might be a distorted memory of Christ was based upon finding similar sets of elements which corresponded to each person immediately prior to the Conquest. They simply do not exist. Since they do not exist on the eve of the conquest in the best textual evidence available, searching for any connection earlier begs the question. If we can find no clear connection on the eve of the Conquest, on what could we base our search for such a connection on an earlier level? All of the pre-conquest data are harder to read and interpret than the textual data. However, preliminary analysis of the iconographic information about the Quetzalcoatl complex indicates that there is a general continuity of symbology over time, but that none of it can be isolated as Christian. There is simply no evidence that any known Nahua deity is a remembrance of Christ. |
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| by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998 |
