The most prominent Classical Mesoamerican city, Teotihuacan (100-500 AD) reveals cultural aspects in common with succeeding Mayan and Aztec civilizations. This city with around 150.000 population had a central sacred precinct with pyramids dedicated to sun, moon and the feathered serpent and secure dwelling compounds for rich people. Building walls are embellished with colorful decoration on lime plaster made of crushed sea shell. We see sea shells on relief decoration of the pyramid dedicated to the feathered serpent, which is called Quetzalcoatl in later Nahuatl language. In Aztecan representations of Quetzalcoatl, the deity wears a conch shell necklace (in Codex Barbonicus).
I believe that tides had the main role in formation of representation of the feathered serpent, which had a significant place in religious beliefs of Teotihuacanos and the later Mayan and Aztec people. It is a well-known fact that just after high tide, when sea water retreats, is the best time for collecting sea shells. The tidal effect reaches its top when earth, moon and sun get in the same line. The highest tide is formed by co-effects of gravitational forces of sun and moon on earth.
On the feathered serpent pyramid / temple in Teotihuacan a creature / deity with totally circular eyes is also represented besides the feathered serpent. It could be surmised that it represents the sun and moon aligned in the same line with earth.
In zoomorphic representations of Quetzalcoatl, curvature of
the serpent presents perpendicular undulation. Maybe that natural event that
has undulation in its trajectory led it to be represented by a serpent. It is
also probable that fluctuating seasonal changes inspired that representation as
well.
Mayan representations of Feathered Serpent.Yaxchilan Lintel (left) and outer decoration of the Temple of Feathered Serpent at Xochicalco
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