coatl (MH490v)

coatl (MH490v)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing of the element for snake or serpent (coatl) has been carved from the compound personal name or title Cihuacoatl. This serpent was drawn around a woman's head, which is why it has this capital C shape. Its head is at the bottom and its rattler is at the top. Its body has spots. It appears in a profile view, facing toward the viewer's right. Its visible eye is open, and its bifurcated tongue slightly protrudes.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Huexotzinco, Matrícula de (MH)
Date of Manuscript: 

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzinco, Puebla

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Animals, incl. Birds, Bugs, Insects, Reptiles, etc.
Tongue Protruding/Noticeable
Cultural Content, Credit: 

José Aguayo-Barragán

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
spotted or mottled
curving, curvy, curved
bifurcated
profile view
facing right
Keywords: 

snakes, serpents, cohuatl, serpientes

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

coa(tl), snake/serpent, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/coatl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el serpiente

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 490v, World Digital Library. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=60&st=image

Image Source, Rights: 

This manuscript is hosted by the Library of Congress and the World Digital Library; used here with the Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SAq 3.0).

See Also: 

coatl (Mdz17v)