The Ancient Giants of the Aztecs

The Ancient Giants of the Aztecs

Giants are mentioned all over the world, not just in Western cultures. While ancient giants such as Og, Goliath and the Nephilim have a greater notoriety, there are several documents depicting giants who breathed, fought and died in Central and South America.

One such document is the Codex Ríos, also called Codex Vatican A. It is the Italian translation of an older manuscript written during the Spanish colonial era. The codex features an interesting illustration of Aztec warriors subduing and killing a giant. Text adjacent to the illustration tells us that the giant’s name wasQuinametzin, which means ‘One of the Old Ones’.

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived, they encountered more than just legends. Some of them were greeted by actual giants.

Aztec accounts of the Spanish invasion translated by Miguel Leon-Portilla in his book The Broken Spears tell the story of the giant Aztec hero Tzilacatzin. As the conquistadors attempted a hostile takeover of Tenochtitlán, they were promptly dismissed by Tzilacatzin’s intervention. The giant kept them at bay by throwing large stones ripped from the city wall. Needless, to say, this feat exceeds the capacity of regular human beings.

According to the text, the giant was a great captain known for his bravery and strength. Naturally, the Conquistadors made him their number one enemy. While they were unable the conquer the city that day, it eventually fell and it is likely that Tzilacatzin also fell with it.

source: http://locklip.com/