This ceramic vessel shows Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god. It is from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan in Mexico.
Click on image for full size
Image courtesy of the Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico.

Related links:

Arts and Culture about Clouds, Weather, and Climate

More Earth Mythology

Weather Mythology

Cultures around the world have often credited wild weather events to mythological figures. Whether it is wielding thunder and lightning or creating storms at sea with anger, gods from many different cultures have power other weather. Explore stories about these gods at the links below to learn more about their talents with the weather.

Last modified November 7, 2008 by Lisa Gardiner.

You might also be interested in:

Science, Evolution, and Creationism

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable....more

Njord

Njord was the god of the sea and winds in Norse mythology. He is the father of Freyr (Lord) and Freya (Lady) and leader of the Vanir. Njord married the giantess Skadi when he visited Asgard, the home of...more

Shango, Yoruba God of Thunder and Lightning

Shango was the fourth king of the ancient Oyo Empire, the West African center of culture and politics for the Yoruba people. The Oyo Empire thrived from the fifteenth century until 1835. Today, there are...more

Susanowo

Susanowo was the god of the sea and the storms according to the ancient Japanese religion Shinto, which means "the way of the gods". Susanowo was born from the nose of the primeval god Izanagi. He had...more

Tawhiri, Maori God of Wind and Storms

Tawhiri was very angry with his brothers. They disagreed about whether their parents, Rangi (the sky) and Papa (the Earth), should be separated.  His brothers won, sky and Earth were separated, and Tawhiri...more

Tlaloc

Tlaloc was an important deity of rain and fertility in the Aztec mythology. Aztec people were living in Mexico during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Tlaloc was depicted as a man wearing a net of...more

Xib Chac

Xib Chac was the rain god according to the Mayan pantheon. The rain god was a benevolent deity, and was depicted with different colors. Numerous sacrifices were offered to the rain god. During the religious...more

Weather Mythology

Cultures around the world have often credited wild weather events to mythological figures. Whether it is wielding thunder and lightning or creating storms at sea with anger, gods from many different cultures...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA