Mural "Iztaccíhuatl & Popocatepetl"

This mural can be found on Campbell Street near Father Rahm Ave. It shows an Aztec mural by Felipe Adame from 1987 titled "Ixtlaccihuatl & Popocatepetl". Ixtlaccihuatl and Popocatepetl are two volcanoes close to Mexico City. The mural captures an Aztec mythology: Iztaccíhuatl was a princess who fell in love with one of her father's warriors, Popocatépetl. The emperor sent Popocatépetl to war, promising him Iztaccíhuatl as his wife when he returned. Iztaccíhuatl was falsely told Popocatépetl had died in battle, and believing the news, she died of grief. When Popocatépetl returned to find his love dead, he took her body to a spot outside Tenochtitlan and kneeled by her grave. The gods covered them with snow and changed them into mountains. Iztaccíhuatl's mountain is called "White Woman" (from the nahuatl iztac "white" and cihuatl "woman") because it resembles a woman lying on her back, and is often covered with snow. Popocatépetl became an active volcano, raining fire on Earth in blind rage at the loss of his beloved.

Area: Central / South Central

Source: Leo Miletich

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History