icnocihuatl (Verg33v)

icnocihuatl (Verg33v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the social status of a woman, icnocihuatl (widow). Her first name is Ana. Her face is painted dark to indicate that she has died. The compound has two elements, including something that looks much like a cocoon, but with legs, perhaps like a centipede. Shooting out from behind this object, on both the left and right are what appear to be flames. This compound requires further research to identify connections between the visuals and the gloss.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

Other examples of this hieroglyph and the gloss, Ana Icnocihuatl, appear on folio 35r and folio 37r. On 35r, the cocoon-like shape has an added head, perhaps a baby animal head. Might this be the cocoon (tecilli) of a tlepapalotl (fire moth)? On 37r the head is a little bit less well defined. The usual iconography for a widow tends to show an older woman and/or a teary woman, apparently sad over the loss of her husband. Such a woman usually has her hair in the style of an adult, wearing the neaxtlahualli coiffure, also called the axtlahuilli.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

ana. ycnocihuatl.

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Ana Icnocihuatl

Gloss/Text Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript:

Vergara, Codex (Verg)

Date of Manuscript:

1539

Creator's Location (and place coverage):

near Tepetlaoztoc, near Tetzcoco

Semantic Categories:

personal name

Syntax:

noun(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Animals: Insects/Bugs

Death, decay, decomposition

Family, Kinship, even Friendship

Fire, Tobacco, Incense, Smoke

Gender (female)

Names (personal and/or theonym)

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Shapes and Perspectives:

shading and parallel line hatching

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

undetermined as yet

Keywords:

capullo, capullos, viudas, mujer, mujeres, lágrimas, arrugas en la cara, tletl

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

icnocihua(tl), a widow, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/icnocihuatl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

la viuda

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 33v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f74.item.zoom, accessed 1 March 2026. The Vergara is associated with Tepetlaoztoc, in the larger region of Tetzcoco, c. 1539–1543. “Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF.” We would also appreciate a citation to the Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, https://aztecglyphs.wired-humanities.org/.

Image Source, Rights:

Image 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.” We would also appreciate a citation to the Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, https://aztecglyphs.wired-humanities.org/

Orthography:

"y" for i

intrusive period

Historical Contextualizing Image: