 In fact, his hummingbird helmet was the one item that consistently defined him as Huitzilopochtli, the sun god, in artistic renderings.He is usually depicted as holding a shield adorned with balls of eagle feathers, an homage to his mother and the story of his birth.He also holds the blue snake, Xiuhcoatl, in his hand in the form of an atlatl, or spear thrower.