Quetzon (MH897v)

Since this glyph was added to the head of the tribute payer himself, perhaps it was easier to add a tzontli (atop his head) than to add the long hair on the neck to the hair that was already pre-drawn. In the comparisons, below, the added hair on the neck can look a little awkward. In the end, one might say that the tzontli (hair, or a lock on top of the head worn by warriors) is a phonetic indicator for quetzontli (long hair on the neck). The start to this name, Que- or Quetz-, seems to come from quechtli, throat or neck, which is then combined with tzontli, hair. Long hair on men could be associated with semi-sedentary Chichimecs and warriors. Sometimes priests had long hair. For more information on hair length, see Justyna Olko, Insignias of Rank in the Nahua World (2014), 35. The lock of hair called a tzontli was often bound with a leather strap and it acted as a kind of ponytail or top knot at the top of the head. This hairstyle can be found on priests and warriors. A bundle of hair called a tzontli could also stand for the number 400. Glyphs for this number can also look like grass or have a tree shape.