mizquitl (Mdz2v)

mizquitl (Mdz2v)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This simplex glyph for the place name Mizquic derives from the plant or tree, mizquitl), to which this entry is devoted. The tree has a red and white vertically striped trunk, red roots, red thorns on the trunk, a leader and two branches with two-toned green foliage and, protruding from the foliage, red and yellow seed pods.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The mizquitl tree is called mesquite in Spanish today. The term mezquite (also spelled mesquite) has also entered English from the Spanish. It is a small leguminous tree from the genus Prosopis, and it has straight, robust spines. The red color of the spines here may suggest that they were used for bloodletting in auto-sacrifice.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Date of Manuscript: 

c. 1541, but by 1553 at the latest

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Syntax: 
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

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

mizqui(tl), mesquite tree or bush, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/mizquitl

Additional Scholars' Interpretations: 

mezquite tree

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el mesquite

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 
Image Source, Rights: 

The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, hold the original manuscript, the MS. Arch. Selden. A. 1. This image is published here under the UK Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0).

See Also: