Miton (Verg39r)

Miton (Verg39r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Miton (“Little Arrow”), attested here as a man’s name. There are two elements. On the left is a vertical, barbed, and fletched arrow (mitl) with the point down. To the right of that is a profile view of a bird (tototl) with its beak tipped up slightly. This bird provides the phonetic syllable -ton-, which here refers to something small (-tontli). Another very similar Miton compound hieroglyph appears on folio 40v.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Another hieroglyph for Miton already appears in this database; it is from the Matrícula de Huexotzinco, crossing regional boundaries. A great many additional names have mitl as a component, revealing how arrows were important in naming patterns, possibly coinciding with a strong interest in warrior culture. A Quick Search for mitl will return many examples. Xochmitl is a name with four attestations in this collection (as of March 2026).

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

franco. miton.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Francisco Miton

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: to/ton (from tototl)
Writing Features: 
compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Animals: Birds
Feathers
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Weapons, Shields, Armor
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
facing left
profile view
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
2
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
left to right
Keywords: 

flechas, arma, armas, plumas, punta de púas, pájaro, pájaros, fonetismo, nombres de hombres, men’s names

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

mi(tl), arrow, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/mitl
-tontli, little, small, diminutive, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tontli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Flecha Pequeña

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 39r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f85.item.zoom, accessed 10 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: 

Miton (MH843v)

Xochmitl (MH663r)

Miton (Verg45v)