Tepetl Xoloc (FCbk12f48v)

This iconographic example, featuring a black and white sketch of Mount Xoloc (Tepetl Xoloc), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the text near the image in the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss, per se. This example shows seven bald and naked Nahuas hiding from advancing Spaniards on horseback during the battles for power in the early sixteenth century. These vulnerable men are behind and next to the dog’s head that represents Xolotl (a divine force). They had an excellent view of the maneuvers of the Spanish forces from this peak. In this rendition, Xolotl’s black head has squared-off ears and a line of tattoo that runs vertically, curving across the animal’s face, right through his eye. The animal also has a large, teardrop earring. The contextualizing image shows how the Spaniards had set an Otomí temple on fire at the base of the mountain.