tlacoquixtia (TR21r)

This iconographic example of a man drawing blood from his ear is meant to provide comparisons for hieroglyphs that have similar details. What is shown here is a man, probably a priest, standing in profile, looking to the viewer's left. He is wearing a loincloth (a signature garment for a man). His bangs are short, but he has long hair at the back of his head (probably a tzontli) wrapped with a red (perhaps leather) tie, of the sort worn by priests. A turquoise earplug (perhaps a nacochtli) is just visible in his left ear. He also has a feathered headdress that includes long green quetzal feathers in a spray that seems rooted in a heron (aztatl) feather device that has many white down feathers and a red wrap. In his right hand he carries a white xiquipilli bag and perhaps a yellow shell; another yellow shell(?) appears behind him. In his left hand he has a sharp instrument seemingly made of bone and decorated with more feathers. With this, he is piercing his ear for the purpose of ritual bloodletting, and a spurt of red blood is visible.