Two long-held views in Mesoamerican research, the Mexican origin of the god Tezcatlipoca and the insinuation of Toltec iconography into the artistic format of Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, emanating from Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico conditioned this research. Considering Tezcatlipoca to be a Mexican god imparts both a foreign origin for and the preexistence of that god in Central Mexico prior to its manifestation in the sculptural repertoire of Chichen Itza, a Maya city. However, this thesis demonstrates that no conclusive evidence of a Mexican origin for Tezcatlipoca exists. This work rejects the near dogmatic assumption of that godas Mexican pedigree, and asserts the iconographic primacy of Tezcatlipoca imagery at the Maya city of Chichen Itza, Yucatan over the Toltec city of Tula, Hidalgo. It also suggests the possible derivation of Tezcatlipoca from the Maya God K - K'awil.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2009. / Adviser: Arlen Chase. Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-110).