Verovanja staroselskih ljudstev Mezoamerike: Quetzalcóatl : diplomsko seminarsko delo

Praprotnik, Liza (avtor), Osredkar, Mari Jože (mentor)

Mezoamerika je kulturno definirano območje Srednje Amerike, kjer so se razvile civilizacije, kot so Olmeki, Tolteki, Maji in Azteki. Vsem tem starodavnim kulturam je skupno gojenje koruze kot njihov glavni vir prehrane, uporaba koledarja oziroma dokaj natančno merjenje časa, izvajanje obrednih človeških žrtvovanj, arhitekturni elementi najbolj vidni v stopničastih piramidnih strukturah ter mitologija, katere skupni imenovalec je prav gotovo Quetzalcóatl ali Pernata kača. V mezoameriškem pogledu na svet so človek, narava in vremenski pojavi tesno povezani, kar se kaže tudi v njihovih verovanjih, religiji. V naravi so videli delovanje bogov in vse kar jih je obdajalo, je predstavljalo določen vidik svetega. Ta naturalističen pogled na svet razloži tudi nastanek božanstva, ki je bil skupek ptice in kače – ena pripada nebu in duhovnemu, druga zemlji in materialnemu. Od svojih začetkov so Pernato kačo povezovali z rodovitnostjo – po eni strani s padavinami, ki prihajajo z neba in po drugi strani z rodovitnostjo zemlje. To prvotno poljedeljsko božanstvo so upodabljali v svoji arhitekturi, z njim so si razlagali nastanek sveta, človeških bitij in koruze. O Quetzalcóatlu so v 16. stoletju pisali prvi kronisti, ki so kot prvi prišli v stik s temi starodavnimi staroselskimi kulturami. Od takrat je bilo to božanstvo predmet številnih interpretacij, znanstvenih raziskav in razprav. Miti ga namreč enkrat omenjajo kot božanstvo, spet drugič kot dokaj verjetno zgodovinsko osebnost. Prav tako se izkaže, da so si mnogi vladarji, duhovniki in vojskovodje nadeli ime Quetzalcóatl in tudi prevzeli podobo Pernate kače kot simbol kraljeve vladarske rodbine. Tako preučevanje več stoletij starih besedil kot tudi novejših znanstvenih raziskav o tem božanstvu, prinaša v slovenski prostor temeljitejše razumevanje mezoameriškega pogleda na svet in nagnjenja starodavnega človeka k ustvarjanju prav takšnih mitov, ki so lastni področju Mezoamerike.

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: Mezoamerika, Quetzalcóatl, Pernata kača, Maji, Azteki, stvarjenje, mitologija, predkolumbovske civilizacije, verovanja starodavnih ljudstev
• Vrsta gradiva: Diplomsko delo/naloga
• Tipologija: 2.11 - Diplomsko delo
• Organizacija: TEOF - Teološka fakulteta
• Kraj izida: Ljubljana
• Založnik: [L. Praprotnik]
• Leto izida: 2020
• Št. strani: II, 33 str.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-121775
• UDK: 258(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 34508035
• Datum objave v RUL: 28.10.2020

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Naslov: Beliefs of the indigineous peoples in Mesoamerica: Quetzalcóatl

Izvleček

Mesoamerica is a culturally defined area of the Central America where civilizations such as the Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayans and Aztecs have evolved. All these ancient cultures share the cultivation of corn as their main source of food, the use of a calendar or quite accurate measurement of time, performance of ritual human sacrifices, architectural elements most visible in stepped pyramid structures and mythology whose common denominator is certainly Quetzalcóatl or Feathered Serpent. In the Mesoamerican view of the world man, nature and weather phenomena are closely connected. This is also reflected in their beliefs and religion. They witnessed the actions of the gods in nature and everything that surrounded them represented a certain aspect of the sacred. The naturalistic view of the world also explains the origin of the deity, a synthesis of a bird and a snake - one belongs to sky and the spiritual and the other to the earth and the material. From its beginnings, the Feathered Serpent has been associated with fertility - on one hand with rainfall coming from the sky and on the other with fertility of the earth. They depicted this original agricultural deity in architecture as to explain the origin of the world, human beings and corn. The first writtings about Quetzalcóatl were made by chronists who first came into contact with these ancient indigenous cultures in 16th century. Since then this deity has been the subject of numerous interpretations, scientific research and debates. Myths mention him once as a deity and at other times as a quite probable historical figure. It also turns out that many rulers, priests and generals took over the name Quetzalcóatl and also adopted the image of the Feathered Serpent as a symbol of the ruling royal family. Studying of centuries-old texts as well as recent scientific research on this deity brings to Slovenia a more thorough understanding of the Mesoamerican view of the world and the inclination of an ancient man to create such myths that are specific to Mesoamerica.

• Ključne besede: Mesoamerica, Quetzalcóatl, Feathered Serpent, Maya, Aztecs, pre-Columbian civilizations, creation, mythology, beliefs of ancient peoples