Giants of Ancient México

“Death of a Tzocuilicxeque at the hands of the Cholutecas”

Legends of a forgotten prehistory

Much of what we know regarding giants come from an array of indigenous mythology throughout the Americas. These stories are found virtually everywhere throughout North, Central and South America. Before proceeding, I would like to note that this just an open look at specific indigenous mythology of these so-called giants from Central Mexico, both from present-day Mexico and the state of Aguascalientes. Likewise, though this mythology is rich in cultural significance and played deeply into the beliefs of indigenous people of the region, there in no way is evidence to support the existence of these beings. I have written extensively on the subject of giants before, as within my book The Ancients, however, in almost every instance the facts or actual so-called physical remains of giants have been completely disproven or fraudulent. Many of these remains have been purposefully distorted or over-exaggerated to match the political views of the time. In some instances, these reports of giant remains were used to match biblical descriptions and further religious views. Likewise, in other instances these archaeological findings were exaggerated to gain public attention to accrue more private funding.  

Once again, this article will focus on the legends and myths of giants of central Mexico. There are several wonderful indigenous legends of beings that were said to once exist from the north valley of Mexico and once inhabited a vast portion of the land. North of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec city built on top of a lake. Similarly, we find adaptations and variations of these stories of these giant beings extending as far north as Aguascalientes in the middle of Mexico. Within the mythological perspective we find that these giants occupied a time long before the present-day and were considered ancient by even Aztec standards. As the Aztecs were among the last (and most recent) indigenous to occupy this territory, the old megalithic structures left in ruins by previous indigenous groups must have seemed to have been constructed by giants or other advanced God-like beings. Even the Toltecs, who predated the Aztecs, perpetuated this mythology and even claimed to have evidence of these giants existence.

There are several theories regarding the possible origins of these giants. One of which could have been a result of megafauna which existed in prehistoric times at the entry into the continent during the Late Plasticine (which would include such animals as giant ground sloths, mammoths, etc). Perhaps an ancestral memory of their existence along with fossil remains could have further added to the mythology of these giants. Without context many of these remains could have been explained within reference of their cosmological world view at the time, e.g., giant creator gods from their mythology.

Brief Aztec history of Central Mexico

The Aztecs (also known as Mexica) were originally a nomadic tribe that entered into Mesoamerica around the early part of the 13^th century from what is now present-day Utah, according to anthropologists. The Aztecs held two simultaneous mythological homelands which consists of two distinct locations; one Aztlan, as described to the far north and west, and the other Chicomoztoc, described as a place within present-day central Mexico where there existed seven caves of which the seven different tribes sprung out of. From Chicomoztoc, this collection of tribes was referred to as the Chichimeca, which would ultimately be used to describe many of the other nomadic tribes that occupied northern territories. 

These Chichimeca would encounter many advanced civilizations during the time of perpetual wandering, unable to find a refuge. During this time many previous civilizations would have already come and gone, and they would be awestruck with many of the massive constructions left behind by many of these civilizations. A branch of Chichimecas would ultimately settled on the shore of Lake Texcoco, an uninhabited place where no other indigenous group even bothered settling. There in the middle of the lake, as prophesized, they witnessed an eagle with a snake in its beak perched upon a prickly pear cactus. This was where they were to create their massive empire of Tenochtitlan (meaning Among the Stone-Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit). Wanting to construct the foundation of a powerful empire they looked upon the Toltecs for inspiration. The Toltecs were seen as almost god-like based on their working knowledge of agriculture and engineering. At this point they incorporated many of their mythology into their own, and ultimately brought together Toltec royalty, who they believed were descendent of the god Quetzalcoatl, and would later form the new ruling class of the Aztecs. 

The Aztecs weren’t the only societies that existed within that region of Mexico.  As many civilizations had already been left in ruins, such as the Olmecs and Toltecs, the nearby Otomi were also among the original settlers of this region long before the Nahuatl-speaking tribes who later occupied the area. Stories became exchanged between these new populations and they began speculating who had constructed the massive structures that were left in ruins, such as in Teotihuacan. Using Teotihuacan as a primary source of inspiration, the Aztecs used that type of construction for their own pyramids within the center of their city of Tenochtitlan. When they asked the remaining Toltecs (now in decline) who had constructed these massive pyramids in Teotihuacan they replied, giants! 

The Uemas

Legends state that a race of giants known as the Uemas were ancestors of the Otomi. These mythical giants were described as almost god-like and left behind many teachings, such as engineering and agriculture. The Otomi described them as a peaceful people, who built large cities, and were incredibly advanced. There was only peace among them and their culture thrived. This race of people lived for so countless generations until one day a great cataclysm brought their civilization to an end.

Some of these Otomi elders describe them as being advanced in the art of pottery making, architecture and agriculture. Their primary diet consisted generally of rabbits, however, they were known to eat other animals as well, and would use the skin of those animals to create their clothing. In other descriptions they were described as being nomadic and would move place to place. And due to their constant movement, they never had time to properly sow enough seeds for food and were always lacking in enough food. 

They preferred to travel to the west as they felt that was where the sun started its journey into the underworld. They had incredible strength and were able to lift massive stones effortlessly. They were said to be able to build massive temples in the course of one night. Despite being so powerful, they were also delicate as one fall would make them shatter into pieces as if made of obsidian glass.

These gentle giants became extinct when the world disappeared during a great flood that devastated both humans and animals. Since then, they are said to have a great fear of water. According to some, they still exist and are still watching over us. Discontent with what humans are doing they cast spells on us, while others may in fact aid us humans. Bones of these giants were said to be found throughout the region and some believe if you ground up the bones and added water, it could be used as a medicine as it was believed their bones held extraordinary healing powers.

Other variations of the Uemas are described as being small beings, called uemalitos. similar to that of the Mayan Aluxes or Aztec Chaneque which are seen as mischievous creatures that lurk around old ruins and remote areas.

The Aztec narrative 

The Aztecs maintained several variations of giants within their legends each with a separate function or story behind them. The most interesting of these being a race of giants known as Quinametzin (spelled also Quinametin), or Tzocuilicxeque (spelled also tzocuillicxeque or tzocuilhicxime), through which the Aztecs learned from the Toltecs. According to Fernando Alvarado Tezozómoc, these giants are one and the same despite the differences in spellings. Similar comparisons can be drawn upon the Otomi’s Uemas, which seem to be the basis for the Aztec mythological perspective. These Quinametzin were said to stand over 10 feet tall and weigh over 650 pounds. They occupied a period in time known to the Aztecs as the Sun of Rain (or Nahui-Quiahuitl). Because these giants did not worship the gods they were punished with cataclysms that ultimately destroyed their great civilization. It is believed that the massive pyramid at Cholula and great city of Teotihuacan were constructed by them. In book 10 of the Florentine Codex, Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún stated that, “they built these great Mounds for the Sun and Moon, as if they were mere hills. It is unbelievable that they were made by hand, but giants still lived there then.” Many similar legends of these giants can also be found within other regions as far away as Guadalajara, which speak of the Teotihuacan people as giants (Chronicler Tello, 1891).

Furthermore, in Diego Durán’s The History of the Indies of New Spain, these giants were said to occupy the territories around Tlaxcala, Cholula, and Huexotzinco. As these incoming tribes began occupying the region they began aggravated and began defending their land. They then fought against the Cholutecas until they were killed or left the region. In their description they were seen as barbaric and as savage as the wild Chichimecas. Once they were annihilated by the Cholutecas they began building towns and cities over the areas these giants once occupied. 

“…at the time of the flood these giants lived on the earth. Many of us lived submerged in the waters, but only seven brothers were saved in the caves of the Tlalocan mountain. Xelhua, the giant, went to the site that was later named Cholollan and built large adobes in Tlalmanalco and led from hand to hand in a line the men who began to build the pyramid in the memory of the mountain where he was saved. Irritated, Tonacatecutli, the father of all gods, threatened their construction upon reaching the clouds and hurled down celestial fire and stones in the shape of a toads which killed many of the builders… dispersing the others and did not destroy the construction…the artificial mountain still survives attesting to the power of Xelhua…”

–Mariano Fernández Echeverría y Veytia, Historia de México

In Anamaría Ashwell’s ‘Cholula: su herencia es una red de agujeros’ the author draws upon various sources and breaks down a chronological order to these Aztec narratives regarding giant beings. These stories expand on the seven brothers that were saved in caves and furthermore include the various epochs in which these events took place:

“…this was the first age they say, in which the water reigned until it came to destroy the world that had multiplied those first two men who possessed the great trinity in the beginning. According to his account, that age lasted four thousand and eight years, until a great flood came and they said that men became fish. The big fish they call tlacamichin, which means man fish. The oldest people in Mexico who escaped this flood say: one man and one woman survived, of whom the human race was later descended. The tree they escaped on is called aueuete; and they say that this flood came in the letter ten, according to their computation, which they represent with the same sign of water, which, for greater clarity, we will put into their calendar. During the first age they say that they did not eat bread, except for a certain kind of wild corn that is called atzitziutli. They called this first conitzal…which this first age is referred to as ‘white head.’”

Ashwell continues: And then they enter the mythical and ancient era of giants, a ‘captain’ by the name of Xelhua in the Historia Tolteca Chichimeca (1545-1565) who is referred to as the ruler of the Nonoalca-Chichimecas. The Historia Tolteca Chichimeca explains that after the fall of Tula, in a year 1 tecpal, that is, in 1116 [A.D.], Xelhua emigrates with his people to the region of Tehuacán Teotitlán and Coztcatlán. The Ríos Codex describes as the following:

“…others say that not only did those two escape the flood by a tree, but seven others were hidden in certain caves and that, after the flood, they came out and repaired (repopulated) the world, and those who then succeeded them, worshiped them as gods, each one in their nation. Thus, the Tepaneca worshiped the one who called himself Ueueteotl, and the Chichimecas worshipped Quetzalcoatl and the Colua [Cholula] worshipped Ciuacouatl, because their generations came out of them, and for that reason they took the lineage very much into account, and where they were they said: ‘I am such lineage’ and that first founder of his they worshiped and made sacrifices to him and said that this was the heart of the people…There were, in this first age, giants in this country, whom they called tzocuilicxe that was of such disproportionate greatness that a religious man from the order of Santo Domingo, named fray Pedro de Ríos, who is the one who compiled the most of this painting, saw with his own eyes a molar tooth from the mouth of one of them, which the Indians of Amecamecan found walking with adorning along the streets of Mexico in the year 1556…One of those seven, who say escaped the flood, say that by multiplying…they went to Cholula and there they started building a tower that is the one from which the brick base now appears. The name of this captain was Xelua. He edified it so that, if the flood came again, he could escape in it. The base is 1800 feet long. And being already in great height, lightning fell from the sky and destroyed it killing many people. And because of that the Mexicans, of whom a certain Uemac as a patron, fear and deliberated together to seek advice from their god…who ordered them to fast for eight years…And during the fasting they witnessed…the earth swallow them. And those of who remained prophesized the destruction of Tula, which came shortly after…”

Lastly, Ashwell draws comparisons between these seven survivors to another Chichimeca legend, that of the seven caves. The first reference to a ‘Captain Xelhua’ of Cholula, which is referred within the Ríos Codex, mentions various aspects their history. These seven beings mentioned that survived the great flood within the Historia Tolteca Chichimeca, can also be found referenced within the Chichimeca legend of the seven caves, or seven founding villages, which also mentions Xelhua as one of the four Nonoalca rulers (the others being, Ueuetzin, Quauhtzin, and Citlalmacuetzin). These rulers traveled from Tula to the Valley of Puebla at the beginning of the 12^th century. Within the text we read that at the command of a Huemac high priest, the Nonualcas migrated 15 years prior to the Chichimeca Toltec Cholula who later entered Cholula in 1168 and whose migration took 36 years to complete. These ethnic groups were also mentioned by Friar Toribio de Motolinía in his Memoriales from 1543: 

“…these Indians of New Spain say they brought forth the beginning of a town called Chicomoztoc, which in our Spanish language means “seven caves.” The subsequent counting of time originates from this old man from who occupied a beginning period called Iztacmicoatl. His first wife was named Ilancueitl, and together they had six children. The first one called Gelhua…or Xelua…who populated Cuauhquechulan (Huaquechula) and Itzucan (Izúcar), Tzepatlan (Epatlán), Teopantlan and later Teoacan (Tehuacán), Cuzcatlan (Cozcatlán), Teutitlan (Teotitlán), etc…”

Similar to fray Pedro de Ríos account of coming across a gigantic molar belonging to that of a giant, one of the earliest mentions of physical evidence pertaining to a giant in the Americas can be found among the pages written by Bernal Diaz del Castillo. Diaz del Castillo, a soldier under Hernan Cortes during the conquest of Mexico wrote the following:

“They said their ancestors had told them that very tall men and women with huge bones had once dwelt among them, but because they were a very bad people with wicked customs they had fought against them and killed them, and those of them who remained had died off. And to show us how big these giants had been they brought us the leg bone of one, which was very thick and the height of an ordinary sized man, and that was a leg bone from the hip to the knee. I measured myself against it, and it was as tall as I am, though I am of a reasonable height. They brought other pieces of bone of the same kind, but they were all rotten and eaten away by the soil. We were all astonished by the sight of these bones and felt certain there must have been giants in that land. And Cortes said that we ought to send the leg bone to Castile so that His Majesty might see it, which we did by the first agents who went there.” –Bernal Diaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain

Hernan Cortes sent this bone back to King Charles I on a ship from Veracruz along with a lot of other treasure. Cortes after the conquest began amassing a vast collection of these giant bones within his estate. Other descriptions by Spaniards in Mexico, such as Jose de Acosta, Antonio Herrera y Tordesillas, and Joseph Torubia, mention seeing many of these remains including giant teeth shown to them by Tlaxcallan indigenous. 

Cerro del Muerto, Aguascalientes

Another story of giants can be found directly north of Mexico City within the state of Aguascalientes. As before with the Otomi and Aztec mythologies, this perspective comes from the Chichimecas themselves, or at least, from their descendants. On the outskirts of the Valley of Huejúcar (Nahuatl for Place of the Willows) near what is now the town of Calvillo, there is a story about a geographical formation consisting of vast hills which resembles that of a sleeping giant. In this account, similar to those from before, we read that these giants were seen to be very advanced in both architecture and agriculture. They were seen as very peaceful and as a result lived for countless centuries. This era was the closest thing to a paradise that could ever be known.

The earth began to shake and their entire world was destroyed. Of the giants who survived the great cataclysm, there was a couple by the names of Verlé and Kirle. Verlé was a prince of the northern territories whose name mean ‘Warm Spring’. And Kirle was a princess of a southern city whose name translated to ‘Crystal Waters’. They were chosen to talk to the God. And before God he responded to them:

“Even though I’ve come, I want to hear it from your lips. Our cities have been destroyed and we are the now very few survivors. You will have to travel to other lands since what happened can happen again. But the giants replied, “but we love our land! we want to continue living here!”

To which God said, “if you stay, you will all perish due to lack of adequate conditions.”

The giants replied, “sir; we do not want to rebel in any way, but we want to stay. Is it possible? God replied, “yes, but it will stay for all eternity.”

The giants afterwards returned back to the valley. Verlé returned to the land which he adorned so much and laid his head down towards the south. Kirle placed her head on top of her husband and inclined her body more towards the Southwest. From the distance many other giants settled into their positions to wait for the eternity that was to come. 

Of those giants, there were four men by the names of Galfo (meaning Good Earth), Talt (meaning Clear Water), Kilse (meaning Clear Sky), and Máchi (meaning Good People), who with their heads down kneel to the end of time. 

A long eclipse overtook the night sky and the earth became dark. Seven hours later the sun returned without a trace of any living being. Where the giants stood there now lay great rolling hills. From the village of Pedregal Primero along the Sierra of Guajolotes, which leads into present-day Calvillo, you can now see the outlines of the giant princes. From the city of Aguascalientes you can still see Verlé and Kirle now known as the Cerro del Muerto (or Hills of the Dead). 

The four male giants now lay in the four positions around the land; from the south, Talt, in the area known as Cerro de los Gallos. To the north, Kilse, which is now the hill of San Juan, the massive mountainous area of Tepezalá.One kilometer from there is Máchi, now known as the Cerro de Altamira, and beyond to the west in the area of Calvillo is Galfo along the area known as the Cerro del Laurel.

These giants have not died but have watched over us. And we have inherited their spirituality, love of family and love of our land. This is why the city of Aguascalientes is named in remembrance of these four princes that protect the state. So long as these giants remain, the earth will never perish.

Another legend regarding these same hills involve Chichimecas, the Chalcas, and the Nahuatlacas, all indigenous tribes from the region. According to legend, there were three majestic and extremely tall priests each belonging each of the indigenous tribes who found themselves in the location of La Cantera. As the sun was setting one of the priests wanted to bathe in the hot springs and jumped in…and disappeared. The indigenous exclaimed that this watering hole was created by another tribe who occupied the area previously. They said that three years prior they have created a hole, put half a basket of salt, poured water from their gourds and finally covered it which later formed a large spring. 

They searched frantically for the missing priest and believed he might have been taken hostage by the Chalca tribe. As a result the next day they went to war with the Chalcas and a bloody battle ensued. During the climax of the battle the missing priest appeared and seemed to have been shot by an arrow. Blood flowed outwards which stained the earth red, and still remains to be so to this day. There he fell dead and the Chichimeca buried him which later formed the surrounding Hills of the Dead. 

To this day there are many rumors of secret caves and tunnels existing throughout these hills which stretch throughout the entire region. Other legends claim that these tunnels were filled with treasures hidden away by the indigenous Chichimecas. These vast tunnel systems are known but have never been explored due to lack of proper equipment and many of these entrances have become covered up. They are extremely dangerous, and many people have gone in never to come out. Likewise, there are rumors to be toxic spores that grow inside, and upon inhalation will cause the person to lose consciousness. And lastly, there are other claims of ghosts and perhaps remnants of an extinct race that still occupy the hollowed earth underneath the giant priest. 

To this day, every November countless people gather in the area and have a procession called ‘Ilumínale los Pies al Muerto’ where people walk up the mountain side in a long candle-lit procession to the ‘feet’ of the dead.

Final thoughts

Similar to legends surrounding the creation and destruction of giants by Kontiki-Viracocha in South America, we find many parallels between Aztec and Incan mythology. We see comparable stories about giants being destroyed during a great flood and survivors surviving inside caves high up in the mountains. As previously mentioned, I do not want to try and completely dismiss these mythological accounts as purely fictional nor attempt to explain them. They were truths that were meant for the people at the time. We are merely modern-day observers peering into another world. 

I will mention, however, that several of these bones around Mexico City have been found to be of extinct mammoths, more specifically the Rhynchotherium, whose bones found are found around Tlaxcala.  These mammoths went extinct long before the arrive of humans into the New World. Despite these scientific explanations, we must understand that these mythological accounts serve as general guidelines and sacred lessons for the people. For example, the tower that was built so high that it reached the heavens and god struck them down as a result. This story can be interpreted symbolically as a lesson to not achieve beyond one’s limits and to remain humble because creation beyond true understanding has consequences. 

Sources:

1. Ramírez Durán, J. Jesús. Leyendas de Aguascalientes : lecturas para primaria, ciclo 1993-1994. 1a ed. Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes: Instituto de Educación de Aguascalientes, 1993. 91 p. ISBN 9686943102.
2. Códice Vaticano A (3738)
3. Meza, Otilia. El Mundo Mágico de los Dioses del Anáhuac 
4. Ashwell, Anamaría. Cholula: su herencia es una red de agujeros PARTE I
5. Diaz del Castillo, Bernal. The Conquest of New Spain
6. El oscuro misterio del Cerro del Muerto Una Leyenda más de nuestro México: Aguascalientes (https://www.debate.com.mx/mexico/El-oscuro-misterio-del-Cerro-del-Muerto–20170702-0235.html)
7. Durán, Diego. The History of the Indies of New Spain
8. García, Jaime Echeverría. De monstruos y fenómenos naturales. Historia cíclica, presagios y destrucción de imperios en el Altiplano Central durante el Posclásico (Of Monsters and Natural Phenomena. Cyclical History, Omens and Destruction of Empires in the Central High Plateau in the Postclassic Period)