picietl (FCbk10f70r)

This iconographic example, featuring tobacco leaves (picietl), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the Nahuatl text near the image in the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss, per se. This example shows a basketful of some gray matter that is for sale. That these are tobacco leaves is suggested by the few leaves that have fallen onto the grass below the basket. Also, the contextualizing image shows a man holding what may be a leaf in his hand. This man is the purchaser. A woman is the vendor, even though Anderson and Dibble used male pronouns write about this salesperson. So many market vendors are, in fact, women, and their prominent role is diminished by the regular use of male pronouns in the translation text. The Nahuatl term for tobacco seller (picienamacac) is not gendered. The text is interesting to read for the physical effects of tobacco smoking, including making one “drunk,” dispelling fatigue, and aiding in digestion.