chalchihuitztli (TR9v)

chalchihuitztli (TR9v)
Iconography

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This example of iconography from the Telleriano-Remensis Codex is a thorn [huitztli decorated with a jade bead (chalchihuitl) that, here, is painted a turquoise blue. It also has feathers at the top. The point is downward. The thorn has a red tip and red and green body.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

This decorated thorn, which is likely a ritual item, is very much like the thorn that appears as a central shaft to one of the olin glyphs from the same codex (see below). The red tip may relate to blood-letting, an act of offering and of self-sacrifice.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

chalchihuiztli

Gloss Normalization: 

chalchihuitztli

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Telleriano-Remensis, Codex (TR)
Date of Manuscript: 

ca. 1550–1563

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Blood (human/animal/plant)
Family, Kinship, even Friendship
Gifts, Offerings, Sacrifice
Jewelry, Crowns, or other Adornment
Metaphors, Proverbs, Riddles
Religion (Indigenous)
Stones, Rocks, Lapidary, Masonry
Turquoise or Jade
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
blue (turquoise)
green (light)
red
white/neutral
Shapes and Perspectives: 
frontal view
pointed (see also spiky)
Keywords: 

thorns, spines, espinas, chalchihuites, plumas

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

chalchihuitl, a precious stone, especially a precious green or blue stone, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/chalchihuitl
huitztli, a thorn; a spine, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/huitztli

Image Source: 

Telleriano-Remensis Codex, folio 9 recto, MS Mexicain 385, Gallica digital collection, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8458267s/f44.item.zoom

Image Source, Rights: 

The non-commercial reuse of images from the Bibliothèque nationale de France is free as long as the user is in compliance with the legislation in force and provides the citation: “Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France” or “Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF.”

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

olin (TR8v)