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   The volcanoes Iztaccihuatl and Popocatépetl from Mexico City Photograph by M. Gaxiola, 2015 On the left sits Iztaccihuatl (Nahuatl, 'white woman'), a dormant volcanic mountain with an elevation of 5,230 m/17,160 ft. On the right is Popocatépetl (Nahuatl, 'the smoking mountain'), an active volcano with an elevation of 5,426 m/17,802 ft. They are situated between the State of Mexico and Puebla. Popularly called 'the sleeping woman', Iztaccihuatl is a princess in Aztec mythology who was in love with the warrior Popocatépetl. Her father promised that she would marry him if he returned victorious from war. Before he returned, a jealous rival told her that Popocatépetl was killed in battle, and she died from grief. On his return, Popocatépetl carried Iztaccihuatl to her grave on a great mountain, where he knelt before her until he himself died from grief. The gods covered them with snow and transformed them into mountains. |
