Mahuiz (Verg38v)

Mahuiz (Verg38v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Mahuiz (“A Person Deserving Fear, Awe, or Respect”), attested here as a man’s name. The compound has three elements. At the bottom is a hand (maitl), providing the phonetic syllable Ma- for the start of the name. Above that is a horizontal digging stick (huictli). This provides the phonetic -hui- syllable, which follows the Ma-. The third element, above the agricultural tool, might be a lightning strike (perhaps huitecoc), which would be a semantic contribution that points to awe or fear as well as a phonetic complement for the -hui- part of the name.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

One similar name (Mahuiztli) already appears in this digital collection (as of March 2026), but there are also some other names that contain -mahuiz-, which can point to miraculous or marvelous things.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

mīn. mahuiz.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Martín Mahuiz

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: hui (from huictli, digging stick)
syllable: ma or man (from maitl, hand)
Writing Features: 
compound fully phonographic
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Anatomy, human body parts
Emotions
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Personality, Behavior
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
3
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
upward
Keywords: 

rayo, rayos, relámpago, relámpagos, mano, manos, coa, coas, temer, respetar, fonetismo, nombres de hombres, men’s names

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

mahuiz(tli), awe, fear, or a person deserving respect, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/mahuiztli
ma(itl), a hand, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/maitl
huic(tli), a digging stick, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/huictli
huitecoc, a bolt of lightning, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/huitecoc
tlamahuizol(li), a miracle, wonder, or marvel, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tlamahuizolli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Persona Que Merece Respeto o Miedo

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 38v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f84.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: 
intrusive period
Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Mahuiztli (MH615v)

Mahuizcal (MH832r)

Tlamahuizol (MH661r)