matl (T1871:1)

matl (T1871:1)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This element is a land measurement, (matl), involving the length of an arm and showing a hand (maitl). The (left) hand is upright. All five fingers are visible, with the thumb on the left. The color of the hand is slightly lighter than the color of the paper, so either white or neutral.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Matl is often associated more with measurements of an arm's length than a literal "hand." Similarly, the term maitl could mean hand or arm. In the context of the manuscript here, this hand is paired with a red banner, which would refer to 20 matl, and there are another 10 ones nearby, for a total measurement of 30 matl.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

matl

Source Manuscript: 
AGN Tierras 1871, exp. 1
Date of Manuscript: 

1558

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Cuauhtla, Morelos

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
simplex or element as logogram
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Anatomy, human body parts
Measurements, Quantities
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Colors: 
white/neutral
Shapes and Perspectives: 
vertical, upright
Keywords: 

medidas

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

ma(tl), hand or arm, a measurement, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/matl
ma(itl), hand/arm, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/maitl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

la braza

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Single-page codex, Archivo General de la Nación, México, Ramo de Tierras, vol. 1871, exp. 1, fol. 28r.

Image Source, Rights: 

The Archivo General de la Nación (AGN), México, holds the original manuscript. This image is published here under a Creative Commons license, asking that you cite the AGN and this Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs.