The Feathered Serpant

The Feathered Serpant, originally uploaded by The Stranger.

Most beliefs include cycles of worlds. Usually, our current time was considered the fifth world, the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. Quetzalcoatl allegedly went to the underworld, and created fifth world-mankind from the bones of the previous races, using his own blood, from a wound in his penis, to imbue the bones with new life.

One story claims Quetzalcoatl was seduced into becoming drunk and sleeping with a celibate priestess, and then burned himself to death out of remorse. His heart became the morning star.