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the left hand; also seen as mapoch, nopoch, etc.; the left side
a deity; "The Left" was one of the deities associated with rain and fertility, one of the the Tlaloque (Tlalocs)
Opochtli was the deity of those who lived on the water. (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
"There seems to be a morpheme in ichpo:ch- 'young woman' and telpo:ch- 'young man' that may also occur in the deity names o:po:ch- and hui:zilo:po:ch-. It forms its plural by reduplication: po:po:ch-; cf. telpo:po:chtin 'young men' rather than simply tel.po:chtin."
See an image that represents opochtli in the Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, ed. Stephanie Wood (Eugene, Ore.: Wired Humanities, 2020-present).
Opochtli was the patron deity of the Atlaca, those specializing in fishing and other aquatic subsistence activities, and was credited with the invention of the fishing net, the atlatl (spear-thrower), the minacachalli, the three-pronged fishing harpoon, the pole for propelling canoes, and the snare for catching aquatic birds. (Sahagún 1970: 37).
The Atlcahualo (ceasing of water, rain), was the name of the first festival of the year. The ceremonies practiced at this time were meant to ensure the rains would come again. They included the sacrifice of small children, preferably children with two cowlicks in their hair, considered like whirlpools, and sometimes called "banderas humanas." The children would be sacrificed atop hills or mountains associated with the tlaloque (Tláloc deities). Other tlaloque are Nappatecuhtli, Opochtli, Tomiyauhtecuhtli (one of the four hundred rabbits that were deities of pulque), and the tepictoton, small legless figures.
Opochtli, one of the tlaloque, was the patron of the people of the boats and the fishing people. During celebrations of this deity, tobacco, copalli, and yauhtli were made in offerings.
Un "indio casado" con el nombre de "Diego Opochi" fue un gañán y "laborio" que ganó un salario y una "ración de maíz, chile, y sal en cada semana", y no gozó de tierras en el pueblo. (Atlacomulco, 1693)