Tepanonoc (MH869v)

Tepanonoc (MH869v)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing of the simplex glyph for the personal name Tepanonoc (“Infamous” or perhaps “A Known Gay Person”) is attested here as a man’s name. The glyph shows two apparently nude men very close together and semi-reclining (onoc), face downward. One is practically on top of the other (tepan).

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

See the various dictionary terms that may come into play in interpreting this sign and its gloss. Molina uses “persona infame” (infamous person) to describe tepan onoc. The implication of infamous is negative, and since Molina was a friar, this may be a veiled term for a gay man who is “out” about his sexuality, something that would offend a friar in that time and place.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

melchiol . tepanonoc

Gloss Normalization: 

Melchior Tepanonoc

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Date of Manuscript: 

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla

Semantic Categories: 
Syntax: 
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Shapes and Perspectives: 
Keywords: 

cercanía personal, sexo, sexualidad, homosexualidad, fama, acostados, nombres de hombres

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 
Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

posiblemente, Persona Infame u Homosexual

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 869v, World Digital Library, https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=811&st=image.

Image Source, Rights: 

This manuscript is hosted by the Library of Congress and the World Digital Library; used here with the Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SAq 3.0).

Historical Contextualizing Image: