nauhcampa (FCbk7f10r)

This iconographic example, featuring the cardinal directions (nauhcampa), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making potential comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the companion text found in the Digital Florentine Codex. This example shows a very Europeanized visual of the four “winds”--nevertheless called ehecatl (Nahuatl for wind) in the text. Inside a square, in the four corners, cherub heads blow wind in toward the center. They have golden hair, rosy cheeks, and red and pink wings. Farther inside the square is a circle with a yellow border and internal divisions of yellow, too. This is what is called a T-O map in European terms (Orbis Terrarum), as the team at the Digital Florentine Codex point out. One division, a half, appears on the bottom of the circle, and the upper half is divided farther into two, creating two quarters. Inside these three sections of the circle are landscapes and cloudy skies. The bottom half and the upper left quadrant have churches, trees, and mountains. The upper right quadrant has only a tree and some peaks. In all sections, the clouds are gray and white, with a three-dimensionality. The two churches are also drawn in a way that shows three-dimensionality. The artistic styles definitely express a strong European influence.