ahuiliztli (Mdz48r)

ahuiliztli (Mdz48r)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This standing man has been carved from a compound glyph, Ahuilizapan, which originally included a water channel (apantli). We see only the upper half of his body, as the other half was originally under the water. We see no clothing, but we cannot be sure that he was totally nude. His face is in profile, looking to our right and slightly upward. His haircut is that of a male. His arms are raised.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The slightly lifted head and raised arms appear to be a sign of rejoicing or pleasure. A comparison of this pose to the pose of the ball player on folio 70 recto seems worthwhile. The ball player may have his hands raised because he is hitting the ball with his hip, but there may be some additional joy expressed in this position.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Date of Manuscript: 

c. 1541, but by 1553 at the latest

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Syntax: 
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Shapes and Perspectives: 
Keywords: 

emotions, pleasure, joy, men

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 
Additional Scholars' Interpretations: 

pleasure, joy

Whittaker's Transliteration: 

Mexico City

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el placer, la alegría

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Codex Mendoza, folio 48 recto, https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/2fea788e-2aa2-4f08-b6d9-648c00..., image 106 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).