teopan (Chav1)

teopan (Chav1)
Simplex Hieroglyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing of the simplex glyph for the noun teopan or teopantli (“church”) is mentioned in the Nahuatl text. The glyph shows a Christian church that was built in honor of the Virgin Mary in Huexotzinco (Huejotzingo, today). The building has a domed roof with a cross on top. It appears to be round, with an arched doorway, two tiny windows, and a triple-layered foundation. Shading on the right side creates three-dimensionality, showing European stylistic influence.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Like the tecpan (governing palace), which typically lacks an absolutive, the teopantli was often just called teopan.

Juan José Batalla points out how the curving arched doorway, sometimes called tecololli in Nahuatl (and notes how perhaps tolcalli would be more appropriate), is a European architectural introduction. See: "Análisis de elementos gráficos de contenido occidental en los glifos de los códices coloniales del Centro de México: el caso de los antropónimos nahuas," in El arte de escribir. El Centro de México: del Posclásico al siglo XVII, eds. Juan José Batalla Rosado and Miguel Ángel Ruz Barrio (Zinacantepec, Estado de México: El Colegio Mexiquense, A. C., 2018), 84.]

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

teopan

Source Manuscript: 
Chavero, Codex (Chav)
Date of Manuscript: 

1578

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
simplex or element as logogram
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Architecture, Construction, Buildings
Religion (Christian)
Religion (Indigenous Christianity)
Religion (Indigenous)
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
circle(s) (small, often concentric)
curving, curvy, curved
frontal view
shading and parallel line hatching
symmetry
vertical, upright
Other Cultural Influences: 
Spanish/European
Keywords: 

iglesias, capillas, arquitectura religiosa

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

teopantli, church, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/teopantli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

la iglesia

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

The Codex Chavero of Huexotzinco (or Códice Chavero de Huexotzinco), https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_03246_001/?sp=1

Image Source, Rights: 

The Codex Chavero of Huexotzinco (or Códice Chavero de Huexotzinco) is held by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, México. It is published online by the World Digital Library and the Library of Congress, which is “unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection.”

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

teopantli (Mdz52r)

teopantli (Mdz42r)

teopantli (Mdz8r)

teopantli (Mdz37r)

calyahualli (FCbk11f244v)

cruz (TK227r)