In Aztec culture, snakes held significant symbolic meaning, primarily associated with rebirth, fertility, and the connection between the underworld and the sky. The snake's ability to shed its skin was interpreted as a symbol of transformation and renewal. Additionally, snakes were linked to gods like Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), Coatlicue (She of the Serpent Skirt), and Huitzilopochtli, the principal Aztec god. The ability of snakes to move freely between water, earth, and the forest canopy led to them being seen as intermediaries between the different layers of the cosmos, including the underworld, earth, and sky. Coatlicue, the earth goddess and mother of Huitzilopochtli, was often depicted with a serpent skirt, further emphasizing the snake's connection to the earth and fertility. Serpents were also used in architecture, with a wall of serpents (coatepantli) often marking out sacred spaces within a ceremonial area.

An Aztec carving of a coiled snake. To the ancient Aztecs, the snake was a symbol of rebirth and transformation.

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