Coatlicue

Drawing from a monumental stone sculpture of the goddess Coatlicue. Click on image for full size (146K GIF)

She also had sharp claws in her hands and feet. Coatlicue was a goddess thirsty of human sacrifices. Her husband was Mixcoatl, the cloud serpent and god of the chase.

Coatlicue gave birth to Huitzilopochtli after a ball of feathers fell into the temple where she was sweeping and touched her. This weird pregnancy greatly offended her existing four hundred children who were encouraged by Coyolxauhqui to kill their dishonored mother.

However, Huitzilopochtli emerged from the womb of his mother fully armed and saved her. Huitzilopochtli cut off the head of his sister, Coyolxauhqui and threw it into the sky to become the Moon.