Yacatzontli
/ja.kaˈt͡son.t͡ɬi/noun
A deity in Aztec religion associated with merchants, travel, and roads.
Did you know?Yacatzontli is often linked with Yacatecuhtli, the prominent Nahua deity of merchants, whose worship involved ritual offerings and bundles of incense sticks symbolizing travelers.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Classical Nahuatl
yacatzontli
“Literally “nose hair”; a divine name associated with travel and commerce.”
16th Century
Classical Nahuatl
yacatzontli
“A deity recorded in Spanish-era descriptions of Nahua religious traditions.”
16th Century
Spanish
Yacatzontli
“A proper name retained in colonial accounts of Aztec religion.”
19th–20th Century
English
Yacatzontli
“A mythological name used in English-language studies of Aztec and Nahua religion.”
Modern English
English
Yacatzontli
“A specialized proper noun referring to the Nahua deity associated with merchants and travelers.”