acalli (FCbk8f13r)

acalli (FCbk8f13r)
Iconography

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This iconographic example, featuring a ship (acalli) carrying two Spaniards is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making potential comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the text on the same page as the image. This example shows the European invasion in 1519, with two Spaniards wearing armor (painted light blue) aboard the wooden ship (with horizontal boards painted in two tones of brown). The ship has one mast with a furled white sail that is tied on to the boom. Two rope ladders run at angles up to the sail area.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

The Nahuatl word acalli was originally primarily a canoe. See some examples below. Spanish ships captured the attention of tlacuilos, who typically drew and painted them with considerable detail, apparently interested in the technology.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image:

Gloss Diplomatic Transcription:

in acalli

Gloss Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript:

Florentine/Florentinus, Codex (FC)

Date of Manuscript:

1577

Creator's Location (and place coverage):

Mexico City

Syntax:

noun(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Encounters, Greetings

Gender (male)

Marine, Maritime, Lacustrine

Technology (all types), plus Tools

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

blue (turquoise)

brown

white/neutral

Shapes and Perspectives:

tied, bound, or bundled

Other Cultural Influences:

Spanish/European

Keywords:

navíos, barco, barcos, españoles, invasores, armadura, velas

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

acal(li), boat or ship, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/acalli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

el navío

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Digital Florentine Codex/Códice Florentino Digital, edited by Kim N. Richter and Alicia Maria Houtrouw, "Book 8: Kings and Lords", fol. 13r, Getty Research Institute, 2023. https://florentinecodex.getty.edu/en/book/8/folio/13r/images/0 Accessed 7 August 2025.

Image Source, Rights:

Images of the digitized Florentine Codex are made available under the following Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International). For print-publication quality photos, please contact the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana ([email protected]). The Library of Congress has also published this manuscript, using the images of the World Digital Library copy. “The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse.”

Historical Contextualizing Image: