In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl is the feathered serpent god associated with wind and knowledge.
The Nahuatl name Quetzalcoatl combines quetzal, a brilliantly feathered bird, with coatl, meaning “serpent.” He was linked with wind, wisdom, learning, priests, arts, merchants, and the planet Venus. In his wind aspect, Ehecatl, he was often shown with a distinctive circular wind-jewel ornament.
Quetzalcoatl was not simply an animal-like monster. He was a major deity whose associations varied across Mesoamerican traditions. In some creation stories, he helped restore humanity and obtain the bones from which people were made. Later legends also connect the name with Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, a culture hero or priestly ruler associated with the Toltec city of Tula.
A common mix-up is Kukulkan, the Maya feathered-serpent deity of Yucatán. The figures are related in theme and are sometimes treated as regional counterparts, but Kukulkan is not the standard Aztec answer. Tezcatlipoca, by contrast, was a rival and fellow major deity, commonly associated with night, conflict, and fate.