Amaxtlan (Mdz13r)

Loincloths were worn by men, in front of their genitals. A waist belt held them on. The maxtlatl here appears in white with black lines, something like the ones seen in the Codex Magliabechiano. More colorful loincloths appear in the Codex Ixtlilxochitl, for example, and they appear appear elsewhere in the Codex Mendoza, such as we show below and to the right. The differences in design probably related to social status (loincloths for the lower social strata were made from maguey fiber according to Henry B. Nicholson and ‎Eloise Quiñones Keber in the Art of Aztec Mexico, 1983, p. 183), and perhaps also ethnicity and/or occupation. On some occasions, symbolic loincloths were carried in religious processions, such as those described by Kay Read, Time and Sacrifice in the Aztec Cosmos, 1998, p. 81, and Eloise Quiñones Keber in Representing Aztec Ritual, 2002, p. 124. Sometimes only a loincloth was worn (when the climate was warm), and at other times, the loincloths were accompanied by a tunic or a sleeveless cape.

Karttunen recognizes the maxtla- in the visuals, but suggests maxal- (something forked) for the intended morpheme. The resulting meaning is to refer to a forked river. If so, it is a reminder that we cannot take the meaning of all glyphs at face value.