Teocaltitlan (Verg27v)

Teocaltitlan (Verg27v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the place name Teocaltitlan (“Near the Temple”). The drawing of the building would be enough to make the town name clear, but various phonetic elements are added to ensure the reading. The chin and lips (tentli) provide the Te- start to the name. The footprinted road (otli) adds the -o- to Te- for Teo-. The two front teeth (tlantli) provide for the suffix (-tlan). The architecture of the teocalli is interesting for what appear to be ramparts on the roof, and the dark, arched entryway shows some colonial artistic influence. Another Teocaltitlan, from folio 30 recto, has a rectangular opening to the temple. Otherwise, that compound is much like this one.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

Nahua hieroglyphic representations of temples typically have stepped pyramids with a small structure on top, often with a thatched roof, as a Quick Search in this collection for the term teocalli will show.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

teocaltitla

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Teocaltitlan

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:

phonetic dimensions

place name

Syntax:

noun(s)

syllable: o (from otli, road)

syllable: te, teo, tel, or tetl (from tetl or tentli)

syllable: tla, tlan, or tlal (from tlantli)

Writing Features:

compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Anatomy, human body parts

Architecture, Construction, Buildings

Footprint(s), human

Names (places)

Religion (Indigenous)

Transportation, Travel, Roads

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

multidirectional

Keywords:

nombres de lugares, templos, iglesias, puerta arqueada, fonetismo

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

teocal(li), a temple, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/teocalli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

Cerca del Templo (nombre del pueblo)

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 27v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f62.item.zoom, accessed 22 February 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:

dropped "n"

Historical Contextualizing Image: