The 'Five Suns' (Cinco Soles) is the central creation myth of Aztec civilization. According to this cosmological system, the world has undergone four cycles of creation and destruction, each era ruled by a different deity and ultimately ended by a specific catastrophe. Our current world is the Fifth Sun, called 'Nahui Ollin' (4-Movement/Earthquake).
The physical evidence of this myth is embodied in the Aztec Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol) — a basalt disk 3.6 meters in diameter weighing 24 tons, carved approximately between 1502 and 1521. The center of the Sun Stone depicts the face of the Fifth Sun, surrounded by symbols of the four previous suns' destructions. It is now housed in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
The Five Suns narrative is recorded in several colonial-era codices, most importantly the Legend of the Suns (Leyenda de los Soles, c. 1558) and the Codex Chimalpopoca. These documents were written by Aztec descendants in Nahuatl, preserving pre-Columbian oral traditions.
Core Message
"The Fifth Sun shall end in earthquakes. The earth shall crack apart, famine shall descend, and the monsters of the sky (Tzitzimimeh) shall come down to devour humanity."
First Sun: 4-Jaguar (Nahui Ocelotl) — Ruled by Tezcatlipoca, ended by jaguars devouring allSecond Sun: 4-Wind (Nahui Ehecatl) — Ruled by Quetzalcoatl, ended by hurricanesThird Sun: 4-Rain (Nahui Quiahuitl) — Ruled by Tlaloc, ended by a rain of fireFourth Sun: 4-Water (Nahui Atl) — Ruled by Chalchiuhtlicue, ended by a great floodFifth Sun: 4-Movement (Nahui Ollin) — Our current era, destined to end in earthquakesThe Sun Stone (c. 1502–1521) — The Five Suns cosmology carved permanently in basalt
Prophecies compiled primarily from the Legend of the Suns (Leyenda de los Soles, c. 1558) and the Codex Chimalpopoca (Codex Chimalpopoca )
Sun Stone information from the National Museum of Anthropology and academic literature (Wikipedia: Aztec Sun Stone )
Five Suns mythology reference (Wikipedia: Five Suns )
Verification based on archaeological findings, geological records, and historical documents
Editorial opinions do not represent academic consensus
Site icon: Ollin (movement/earthquake) symbol — the core day-sign of the Fifth Sun, prominently featured at the center of the Sun Stone
Aztec Fifth Sun Prophecy All Prophecies 14 Q&A entries in total
First Sun: 4-Jaguar (Nahui Ocelotl)
阿兹特克文明: The First Sun was ruled by Tezcatlipoca. The humans of this era were giants who lived on acorns. The sun eventually fell, plunging the world into darkness, and jaguars emerged from the shadows to devour all the giants.
Second Sun: 4-Wind (Nahui Ehecatl)
阿兹特克文明: The Second Sun was ruled by Quetzalcoatl. The humans of this era lived on pine nuts. A catastrophic hurricane ultimately swept the world, and the survivors were transformed into monkeys.
Third Sun: 4-Rain (Nahui Quiahuitl)
阿兹特克文明: The Third Sun was ruled by Tlaloc, the rain god. The humans of this era ate aquatic plant seeds. A rain of fire eventually consumed the world, and the survivors were transformed into birds (or turkeys, or butterflies).
Fourth Sun: 4-Water (Nahui Atl)
阿兹特克文明: The Fourth Sun was ruled by Chalchiuhtlicue, the water goddess. Humans of this era ate a wild grain similar to maize. A great flood lasting fifty-two years engulfed the entire world, and the sky collapsed. The survivors were transformed into fish.
Creation of the Fifth Sun: 4-Movement (Nahui Ollin)
阿兹特克文明: The gods gathered at Teotihuacan, and Nanahuatzin leaped into the sacred fire to become the Fifth Sun. But the sun stood still, and the gods had to offer their own blood to set it in motion. So Ehecatl, the wind god, slew all the gods and used their blood to propel the sun across the sky.
Prophecy of the Fifth Sun's End
阿兹特克文明: The Fifth Sun (Nahui Ollin) is destined to end in earthquakes. The earth will crack apart, and the Tzitzimimeh — skeletal star demons — will descend from the sky to devour all humanity. The Fifth Sun will rise no more.
Human Sacrifice to Sustain the Sun
阿兹特克文明: The Fifth Sun requires continuous nourishment of human blood to keep moving. If sacrifices cease, the sun will stop, and the world will plunge into eternal darkness and destruction. This cosmological belief formed the foundation of the Aztec Empire's practice of large-scale human sacrifice.
New Fire Ceremony (Xiuhmolpilli)
阿兹特克文明: Every fifty-two years (one complete calendar cycle), the Aztecs held the New Fire Ceremony. On the eve of the ceremony, all fires were extinguished and the city plunged into darkness. Priests kindled new fire in the chest cavity of a sacrificial victim — if the new fire ignited successfully, the Fifth Sun would continue for another fifty-two years; if it failed, the world would end forever.
The Sun Stone's Cosmic Map
阿兹特克文明: The Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol) carved the complete Five Suns cosmology into a massive basalt disk. At the center is the face of the Fifth Sun, Tonatiuh. The four surrounding panels represent the destruction of each previous sun: jaguars, wind, rain of fire, and flood. The outermost ring features two fire serpents (Xiuhcoatl), symbolizing the cyclical nature of time.
Quetzalcoatl's Departure and Promised Return
阿兹特克文明: After being deceived by Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl departed from Tollan (Tula), sailing eastward on a raft of serpents. He promised to return in a 'One Reed year' (Ce Acatl) to reclaim his kingdom.
Omens Before the End of the Fifth Sun
阿兹特克文明: Before the end of the Fifth Sun, a series of ill omens would appear: continuous earthquakes, celestial phenomena, lakes boiling without cause, and temples spontaneously catching fire. These omens foretell the imminent descent of the Tzitzimimeh.
Prophecy of Toltec Downfall
阿兹特克文明: After Quetzalcoatl's departure, the city of Tollan (Tula) would fall into decline and ruin. The dark forces of Tezcatlipoca would rule the land until a new cycle begins.
The Sacred Origin of Maize
阿兹特克文明: At the beginning of the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl transformed into an ant and entered 'Food Mountain' (Tonacatepetl) to steal maize seeds for humanity. Maize became humanity's staple food, and humans themselves were said to be fashioned from maize dough.
Recreation from Bones in the Underworld
阿兹特克文明: Between the Fourth and Fifth Suns, Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld (Mictlan) to steal the bones of previous humans from Mictlantecuhtli, the death god. He sprinkled his own blood upon the ground bones to create the new humans of the Fifth Sun.
Prophecy Verification Evaluating predictions against reality for expired time points
First Sun: 4-Jaguar (Nahui Ocelotl)
阿兹特克文明: The First Sun was ruled by Tezcatlipoca. The humans of this era were giants who lived on acorns. The sun eventually fell, plunging the world into darkness, and jaguars emerged from the shadows to devour all the giants.
At the end of the Pleistocene (c. 11,000 BCE), the Americas did experience mass extinction of megafauna (mammoths, saber-toothed cats, etc.). The jaguar (Panthera onca) was among the few surviving large cats. However, directly mapping myth to geological events is disputed; scholars generally view these as symbolic narratives rather than literal records.
Second Sun: 4-Wind (Nahui Ehecatl)
阿兹特克文明: The Second Sun was ruled by Quetzalcoatl. The humans of this era lived on pine nuts. A catastrophic hurricane ultimately swept the world, and the survivors were transformed into monkeys.
Mesoamerica is indeed one of the world's most hurricane-prone regions, with a history of devastating storms. Archaeological evidence shows ancient Mesoamerican settlements were sometimes abandoned due to extreme weather events. However, the 'humans turned into monkeys' narrative is a classic transformation myth and should not be taken literally.
Third Sun: 4-Rain (Nahui Quiahuitl)
阿兹特克文明: The Third Sun was ruled by Tlaloc, the rain god. The humans of this era ate aquatic plant seeds. A rain of fire eventually consumed the world, and the survivors were transformed into birds (or turkeys, or butterflies).
Mesoamerica has a rich history of volcanic activity. Popocatépetl is just 70km from Tenochtitlan and has erupted massively multiple times. Volcanic ashfall could be described as 'rain of fire.' The Xitle volcano eruption (c. 100 BCE) directly buried the ancient city of Cuicuilco. However, mapping 'rain of fire' to a specific volcanic event cannot be verified conclusively.
Fourth Sun: 4-Water (Nahui Atl)
阿兹特克文明: The Fourth Sun was ruled by Chalchiuhtlicue, the water goddess. Humans of this era ate a wild grain similar to maize. A great flood lasting fifty-two years engulfed the entire world, and the sky collapsed. The survivors were transformed into fish.
Global flood myths exist in virtually every ancient civilization (Mesopotamia, Biblical, Indian, Chinese, etc.). Geologically, sea levels rose approximately 120 meters after the last Ice Age (c. 10,000–8,000 BCE), inundating vast coastal lowlands. Mesoamerica also has sedimentological evidence of flood events. However, the specific duration of 'fifty-two years' cannot be verified.
Creation of the Fifth Sun: 4-Movement (Nahui Ollin)
阿兹特克文明: The gods gathered at Teotihuacan, and Nanahuatzin leaped into the sacred fire to become the Fifth Sun. But the sun stood still, and the gods had to offer their own blood to set it in motion. So Ehecatl, the wind god, slew all the gods and used their blood to propel the sun across the sky.
Teotihuacan is indeed one of the most important ancient cities in Mesoamerica, with a peak population over 120,000 (c. 1–550 CE). The Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon are named in direct connection to Aztec solar mythology. Archaeological finds of extensive sacrificial remains echo the narrative of 'gods sacrificing themselves.' However, the Aztecs arrived in the central highlands centuries after Teotihuacan's abandonment.
Prophecy of the Fifth Sun's End
阿兹特克文明: The Fifth Sun (Nahui Ollin) is destined to end in earthquakes. The earth will crack apart, and the Tzitzimimeh — skeletal star demons — will descend from the sky to devour all humanity. The Fifth Sun will rise no more.
Human Sacrifice to Sustain the Sun
阿兹特克文明: The Fifth Sun requires continuous nourishment of human blood to keep moving. If sacrifices cease, the sun will stop, and the world will plunge into eternal darkness and destruction. This cosmological belief formed the foundation of the Aztec Empire's practice of large-scale human sacrifice.
Archaeology has extensively confirmed the Aztec Empire's large-scale human sacrifice practices. The Huei Tzompantli (skull rack) excavated in Mexico City (2015–2018) revealed hundreds of skulls, corroborating Spanish colonial accounts. The Aztecs did view sacrifice as essential to maintaining cosmic order. However, whether the sun 'kept moving' because of this belongs to religious belief and cannot be empirically verified.
New Fire Ceremony (Xiuhmolpilli)
阿兹特克文明: Every fifty-two years (one complete calendar cycle), the Aztecs held the New Fire Ceremony. On the eve of the ceremony, all fires were extinguished and the city plunged into darkness. Priests kindled new fire in the chest cavity of a sacrificial victim — if the new fire ignited successfully, the Fifth Sun would continue for another fifty-two years; if it failed, the world would end forever.
The last recorded New Fire Ceremony was held in 1507 on Mount Huixachtlan, presided over by Moctezuma II. Archaeological remains of the ceremony have been found at the hilltop. Previous ceremonies were held in 1455 and 1403. The historical authenticity of this ceremony is well-established through archaeological and documentary evidence.
The Sun Stone's Cosmic Map
阿兹特克文明: The Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol) carved the complete Five Suns cosmology into a massive basalt disk. At the center is the face of the Fifth Sun, Tonatiuh. The four surrounding panels represent the destruction of each previous sun: jaguars, wind, rain of fire, and flood. The outermost ring features two fire serpents (Xiuhcoatl), symbolizing the cyclical nature of time.
The Sun Stone was rediscovered on December 17, 1790, beneath the Zócalo (main plaza) of Mexico City. The disk is 3.6 meters in diameter, weighs approximately 24 tons, and is carved from basalt. It is now housed in the National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología). The symbols on the stone have been extensively studied and interpreted by scholars, making it an iconic artifact of Mesoamerican archaeology.
Quetzalcoatl's Departure and Promised Return
阿兹特克文明: After being deceived by Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl departed from Tollan (Tula), sailing eastward on a raft of serpents. He promised to return in a 'One Reed year' (Ce Acatl) to reclaim his kingdom.
In 1519 — which happened to be a 'One Reed year' in the Aztec calendar — Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived on Mexico's eastern coast. Multiple colonial-era sources record that Moctezuma II suspected Cortés might be the returning Quetzalcoatl, a hesitation that may have delayed Aztec military resistance. However, recent scholarship debates the authenticity of the 'Moctezuma mistook Cortés for a god' narrative, with some scholars arguing it was a post-conquest explanatory framework constructed by colonizers.
Omens Before the End of the Fifth Sun
阿兹特克文明: Before the end of the Fifth Sun, a series of ill omens would appear: continuous earthquakes, celestial phenomena, lakes boiling without cause, and temples spontaneously catching fire. These omens foretell the imminent descent of the Tzitzimimeh.
According to multiple colonial-era sources (Florentine Codex, etc.), Tenochtitlan did experience anomalous events between 1509–1519 that the Aztecs interpreted as ill omens, including unusual flooding of Lake Texcoco, the Great Temple catching fire spontaneously, and strange lights in the sky (possibly comets or aurora). The historicity of these events is confirmed, but whether they 'foretold the end' is a matter of cultural interpretation.
Prophecy of Toltec Downfall
阿兹特克文明: After Quetzalcoatl's departure, the city of Tollan (Tula) would fall into decline and ruin. The dark forces of Tezcatlipoca would rule the land until a new cycle begins.
Archaeology confirms that Tollan (modern Tula in Hidalgo, Mexico) was indeed destroyed and abandoned around 1150–1200 CE. The site shows evidence of large-scale burning and deliberate destruction. The fall of Toltec civilization aligns with the mythological narrative, though the actual causes were a combination of drought, internal strife, and invasion by outside groups.
The Sacred Origin of Maize
阿兹特克文明: At the beginning of the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl transformed into an ant and entered 'Food Mountain' (Tonacatepetl) to steal maize seeds for humanity. Maize became humanity's staple food, and humans themselves were said to be fashioned from maize dough.
Maize (Zea mays) did originate in Mesoamerica, domesticated from wild teosinte approximately 9,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence of the earliest maize domestication has been found in the Oaxaca and Tehuacán valleys. Maize was the absolute core of Aztec diet, accounting for over 80% of caloric intake. Multiple Mesoamerican civilizations (including the Maya) share the 'humans made from maize' creation narrative.
Recreation from Bones in the Underworld
阿兹特克文明: Between the Fourth and Fifth Suns, Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld (Mictlan) to steal the bones of previous humans from Mictlantecuhtli, the death god. He sprinkled his own blood upon the ground bones to create the new humans of the Fifth Sun.
The Aztecs did practice complex funerary customs including ritualistic treatment of bones. Archaeological excavations at Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan have uncovered extensive evidence of secondary burials and bone rearrangement, reflecting deep beliefs about the role of bones in the cycle of life. The belief in Mictlan is well-documented in pre-colonial sources. However, 'creating humans with blood' is symbolic creation mythology.