Tlacochin (Verg29v)

Tlacochin (Verg29v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Tlacochin (attested here as a man’s name). It shows the fletching on the upper end of a projectile (a tlacochin, which is a lance, spear, or javelin). The fletching consists of a wing feather and a down feather. Below the down feather are two front teeth (tlantli), which serve as the phonetic complement for the Tla- start to the name. Another similar example of this compound hieroglyph for Tlacochin also appears in this manuscript on folio 32 verso.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

Tlacochin is a popular name in Huexotzinco, crossing regional boundaries. It can appear much like this example, with an emphasis on the fletching at the top of the projectile. Or, it can be a bundle of tlacochin, two projectiles crossed, or four intersecting ones, forming a square (this latter formation being more connected to the title Tlacochcalcatl). Sometimes the term is spelled tlacochtli.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

di^o. tlacochi.

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Diego Tlacochin

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:

personal name

phonetic dimensions

Syntax:

noun(s)

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

Writing Features:

compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Anatomy, human body parts

Feathers

Gender (male)

Names (personal and/or theonym)

Weapons, Shields, Armor

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Shapes and Perspectives:

frontal view

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

upward

Keywords:

arrows, flechas, lanzas, jabalinas, plumas, nombres de hombres, proyectil, proyectiles, fonetismo, nombres de hombres, men’s names

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

tlacochin, lance, spear, or javelin, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tlacochin

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

posiblemente, Flecha o Lanza

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 29v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f66.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: