Ixtliltzinco (TK206v)

This painted compound Nahuatl hieroglyph represents the place name Ixtliltzinco, which may refer to a spin-off community or a “lesser” or “lower” place originally called Ixtlilco. The “Ixtlil” part of the name likely refers to the divine force called “Ixtlilton,” “Little Black Face.” This compound place name reads downward. It starts with a human head in profile, facing right, and it has a black (tlilli) swath across its forehead, eye (ixtli) and down its cheek. Below the head is a red and white circular eye (ixtli), of the type called starry eye, given that the same sign could appear in the sky as a star. This extra eye complements the black face and eye above; it is not really required for the proper reading. Below the extra eye is a human rear end (tzintli) in profile, also facing right. This element supplies the -tzin- phonetic syllable. The -co locative suffix is not shown visually.