Tōnatiuh
Aztec deity of the sun and of the cardinal direction of east
Tōnatiuh ▸ Facts ▸ Comments ▸ News ▸ Videos

In Mesoamerican culture, Tonatiuh is an Aztec sun deity of the daytime sky who rules the cardinal direction of east. According to Aztec Mythology, Tonatiuh was known as "The Fifth Sun" and was given a calendar name of naui olin, which means "4 Movement". Represented as a fierce and warlike god, he is first seen in Early Postclassic art of the Pre-Columbian civilization known as the Toltec. Tonatiuh's symbolic association with the eagle alludes to the Aztec belief of his journey as the present sun, travelling across the sky each day, where he descended in the west and ascended in the east. It was thought that his journey was sustained by the daily sacrifice of humans. His Nahuatl name can also be translated to "He Who Goes Forth Shining" or "He Who Makes The Day." Tonatiuh was thought to be the central deity on the Aztec calendar stone but is no longer identified as such. In Toltec culture, Tonatiuh is often associated with Quetzalcoatl in his manifestation as the morning star aspect of the planet Venus.
0 shares | ShareTweetSavePostSend |
![]() Tonatiuh Shares His Journey From Immigrant Roots to Co-Starring With JLo | Spirit Awards 2025 Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 03:06Published | |
You Might Like
No news matches foundSorry, we were unable to find any results in our database for your queryFree news archive accessDid you know? You are eligible to search our news archive with millions of news references free of charge. To do this, please sign in first at the top of the screen. • Information about free access to our news archive Search this site and the web: ![]() |