Fifth World (Native American mythology)

The Fifth World is the present world as interpreted by several Native American peoples, including the Aztec and the Navajo.

Aztec mythology

In Aztec mythology, our age (Nahui-Ollin), the fifth age, or fifth creation, escaped destruction due to the sacrifice of Nanahuatl (the smallest and humblest of the gods) who transformed himself into the Sun by leaping into a fire.^[1] Another god, known as Tecuciztecatl, originally boasted that he would become the Sun but was fearful of the pain. Humiliated by Nanahuatl's sacrifice he too leapt into the fire and became the Moon. This myth is associated with the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which was abandoned but still extant when the Aztec arrived.

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