acalli (Mdz4v)

acalli (Mdz4v)
Iconography

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This is an iconographical image of a tribute item. The Spanish-language gloss, "canoa," clarifies that it is a canoe. It is included in this database for the support it provides in understanding the glyphic elements for the Nahuatl term, acalli. It is an orange-tan color, indicative of being made of wood. Both ends curve upward.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The term acalli is comprised of the word atl) (water) and calli (house, building). Thus, it is a structure on water, or a boat. It resembles a canoe, but it appears to have a flat bottom and a squared off bow, much as we see in the long, narrow boats still used in Xochimilco. See, for example, this image of xochimilco_gardens_in_mexico_city.shtml.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

canoa

Gloss Normalization: 

canoa (Spanish for canoe)

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Mendoza/Mendocino, Codex (Mdz)
Date of Manuscript: 

c. 1541, but by 1553 at the latest

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Architecture, Construction, Buildings
Marine, Maritime, Lacustrine
Transportation, Travel, Roads
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Colors: 
orange/terracotta
Shapes and Perspectives: 
horizontal
Keywords: 

boats, launches, canoes, lanchas, canoas, barcos

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 

acal(li), boat, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/acalli
a(tl), water, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/atl
cal(li), house or building, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/calli-1

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

la canoa

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Codex Mendoza, folio 4 verso, https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/2fea788e-2aa2-4f08-b6d9-648c00..., image 19 of 188.

Image Source, Rights: 

The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, hold the original manuscript, the MS. Arch. Selden. A. 1. This image is published here under the UK Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0).

See Also: 

Acalhuacan (Mdz17v)

acalli (Mdz17v)