ehecatl (TR46v)

ehecatl (TR46v)
Iconography

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This example of iconography shows the dotted lines of swirling wind (ehecatl) that were extracted from an image of a tree that broke due to the strong winds (see the contextualizing image and the cuahuitl). We have chosen to label this iconography with the Nahuatl term ehecatl, because that seems the likely choice for translating "ayres grandes" (big winds) mentioned in the gloss. Also, winds tend to swirl, as we see coming out of the "beak" or wind tube of Ehecatl, the divine force of the wind (below).

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The high volume of swirls could also support the reduplication of the first syllable, and the quantity of swirls suggests the greater force of wind (ehecatl) or air or breath (ecatl).

Another example of dotted volutes in this collection is a tlacuilo's representation of death by starvation (mayanalo, "there is starvation"). See below.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

ayres grandes

Gloss Normalization: 

aires grandes

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

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

1578

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico

Semantic Categories: 
deity name/theonym
Syntax: 
noun(s)
visible movement
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Movement
Religion (Indigenous)
Weather, Climate
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
dotted, granular, textured
spiraling, swirling, coiling, curling
Keywords: 

aires, viento, winds

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

eheca(tl), wind, breeze, movement of the air, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/ehecatl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el viento

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

The Codex Telleriano-Remensis is hosted on line by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8458267s/f118.item. We have taken this detail shot from the indicated folio.

Image Source, Rights: 

This manuscript is not copyright protected, but please cite Gallica, the digital library of the Bibliothèque nationale de France or cite this Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, ed. Stephanie Wood (Eugene, Ore.: Wired Humanities Projects, 2020–present).

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Ecatl (CQ)

Itzehecatl (MH544r)

mayanalo (TR32r)