itztli (Mdz51r)

itztli (Mdz51r)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This element of an itztli (obsidian blade) has been carved from the compound sign for the place name, Itztepec. This black blade is curved, pointing toward the viewer's right.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

For examples of knapped blades with a curve to them, see these blades from Guatemala.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Mendoza/Mendocino, Codex (Mdz)
Date of Manuscript: 

c. 1541, or by 1553 at the latest

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
simplex or element as logogram
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Religion (Indigenous)
Stones, Rocks, Lapidary, Masonry
War or Conflict
Weapons, Shields, Armor
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Shapes and Perspectives: 
curving, curvy, curved
vertical, upright
Keywords: 

hojas de obsidiana, cuchillos

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

itz(tli), obsidian blade, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/itztli

Additional Scholars' Interpretations: 

obsidian blade

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

una hoja de obsidiana

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Codex Mendoza, folio 51 recto, https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/2fea788e-2aa2-4f08-b6d9-648c00..., image 112 of 118.

Image Source, Rights: 

The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, hold the original manuscript, the MS. Arch. Selden. A. 1. This image is published here under the UK Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0).

See Also: 

Itztepec (Mdz51r)

Itzcoloco (MH626v)

Itzcahua (MH627r)