chinamitl (T1735:2:109)

chinamitl (T1735:2:109)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This simplex glyph shows a chinamitl, a type of agricultural parcel that is built up with a wooden structure that captures the mud (soil) from the lake bottom. A fence-like structure (tenamitl), shown in what seems to be an elevation view, runs across the top of what appear to be two long, narrow, rectangular strips of land (seemingly painted brown). Water, painted a turquoise blue color, runs around and between the two strips of land, which are horizontal in this case. The strips of land seem to be from a bird's eye view, making the combination of perspectives unusual.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The fence at the top of this glyph could be an element, making this a compound glyph, but having posts around a chinamitl is historically authentic, so it is difficult to say if the fence (tenamitl) is playing a separate role, perhaps as a phonetic indicator, given that it nearly rhymes with chinamitl. Are the shared syllables "-namitl" significant? The word chinamitl can refer to a fence made from canes or it can refer to the agricultural parcel, whose name entered Spanish as chinampa. It can also refer to a subdivision of the altepetl, the primary socio-political unit, usually equated with pueblo or town. A helpful diagram showing chinampa construction can be found here. The construction of a chinamitl not only created agricultural parcels from mud at the bottom of the lake, the process might have served as a kind of dredging of the lake in places, opening up canals or deeper water ways.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
AGN Tierras 1735, exp. 2, f. 109
Date of Manuscript: 

1566

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Coyoacan

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Agriculture, Gardens, Stockraising
Dirt, Sand, Soil
Technology (all types), plus Tools
Water
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Shapes and Perspectives: 
horizontal
bird's eye view
elevation view
rectangular
Keywords: 

agriculture, agricultura, chinampas, construction, construcción

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

chinami(tl), chinampa, an agricultural parcel, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/chinamitl
tenami(tl), fence, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tenamitl

Image Source: 

Single-page codex, Archivo General de la Nación, México, Ramo de Tierras, vol. 1735, exp. 2, fol. 109. 

Image Source, Rights: 

The Archivo General de la Nación (AGN), México, holds the original manuscript. This image is published here under a Creative Commons license, asking that you cite the AGN and this Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs.