ilacatztli (MH485r)

ilacatztli (MH485r)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This black and white drawing of the simplex noun for a spiral (ilacatztli) looks a lot like a cutaway or section view of a shell. The spiral is in the upper half. The edges are somewhat scalloped. Hash marks give the shell texture and perhaps an undulating character.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

The Gran Diccionario Nahuatl has a vocabulary term much like this one, ecailacatzcozcayo, and Wimmer (2004) translated it (into French) to the effect of "that which bears the spiral pattern of the wind." It may be a stretch, but there are conch shells that, when put up to the ear, one can hear what sounds like wind or ocean waves. The wind is a divine force (Ehecatl) that is recalled by swirls in shells.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript:

Huexotzinco, Matrícula de (MH)

Date of Manuscript:

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage):

Huejotzingo, Puebla

Semantic Categories:

personal name

Syntax:

noun(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Movement

Religion (Indigenous)

Shells

Cultural Content, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Shapes and Perspectives:

dotted, granular, textured

cross-sectioned object

scalloped edges

spiraling, swirling, coiling, curling

Keywords:

spirals, espiroles, conchas, caracoles, conches, shells

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

ilacatz(tli), something rolled up, spiral, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/ilacatztli
ecailacatzcozcayo, "that which bears the spiral pattern of the wind" (Wimmer 2004, Gran Diccionario Náhuatl)
ilacatzoa, to roll up, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/ilacatzoa
tlamamatla ilacatztli, spiral staircase, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tlamamatla-ilacatztli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

El Caracol

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 485r, World Digital Library, https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=45&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)