Imacaxoc (Verg34r)

Imacaxoc (Verg34r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Imacaxoc (perhaps “He Was Feared”). It is attested here as a man’s name. The compound has four parts. First, on the far right, a mouth drinks water, providing the syllable -i- (from the verb to drink). Then, in the upper left, is a hand (maitl), which provides the phonetic syllable (-ma-). Perhaps the mouth (camatl) also provides a -ca- syllable, and the water could provide the phonetic syllable -a- for the middle of the name. Finally, below the hand is a pottery jug (xoctli), providing the -xoc- syllable. If all this is definitely in play, then some elements are complementing parts of other elements. Another similar compound hieroglyph for Imacaxoc appears on folio 37v.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Given how none of the visuals seem to represent fear, the elements all seem to be phonetic. This is the first example of this name to enter this digital collection, so there is very little with which to compare it.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

mrs. ymacaxoc.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Marcos Imacaxoc

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
phonetic dimensions
Syntax: 
noun(s)
syllable: i (from the verb to drink)
syllable: ma or man (from maitl, hand)
syllable: xoc (from xoctli, jug)
Writing Features: 
compound fully phonographic
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Anatomy, human body parts
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Pottery, Earthenware
Water
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
facing left
profile view
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
4
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
multidirectional
Keywords: 

temor, temer, miedo, respetar, respeto, mano, barro, jarra, boca, agua

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

imacaxoa, to be respected or feared, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/imacaxoa
imacaxoni, worth of being feared, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/imacaxoni
cama(tl), mouth, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/camatl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

posiblemente, Temido

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 34r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f75.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: