Michapan (Mdz46r)

This compound glyph for the place name Michapan has two elements, a fish (michin} and, behind that, a cross-section of a canal or water channel (apantli), which provides the phonetic value for the locative suffix, "on the water" (-apan). This apantli has a yellow, trapezoidal liner giving it some structure, and it is filled with the typical turquoise blue water with wavy black lines of varying thickness, possibly meant to show movement or currents. The water typically has white water droplets/beads splashing off the top. The fish is shown in profile view, facing to the viewer's right. It is either a light purple or a gray and white, with a split tail, a side fin, bottom fin, and a top fin. This fish has no scales, unlike some of the other examples of michin (see below, right).