Tozcuecuex (Verg30r)

Tozcuecuex (Verg30r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Tozcuecuex (attested here as a man’s name). The name begins with Toz- which is the starting sound for toztli, the yellow-headed parrot, which must be the bird in the compound. Likewise, the (vertical) feather alone can represent the bird. The parrot and the feather are standing on a cord to which two (possibly gold) bells are attached, hanging down. The cord with the bells represents the part of the name that is -cuecuex, which can refer to a bracelet, but more often is an anklet worn by dancers. The cord can vary between carrying beads or bells (or both), but this example would seem to be about hanging toztli feathers and golden bells around the ankle. The name Macuex refers to a bracelet with stone beads.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

Another example of the compound hieroglyph for Tozcuecuex also appears in this manuscript on folio 32 verso. Necklaces, bracelets, and anklets could all have cords with stone beads and golden bells strung on them. The -cuex- part of the terms for these kinds of jewelry could appear in the language for both anklets and bracelets.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

Simō. tozcuecuex.

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Simón Tozcuecuex

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

Syntax:

noun(s)

reduplication (in gloss/text)

reduplication (visual)

Writing Features:

compound fully logographic

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Animals: Birds

Feathers

Gender (male)

Jewelry, Crowns, or other Adornment

Metals, Minerals, Mining

Music, Song, Dance

Names (personal and/or theonym)

Technology (all types), plus Tools

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Shapes and Perspectives:

facing right

frontal view

profile view

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

multidirectional

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

toz(tli), a yellow=headed parrot, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/toztli
tecuecuex(tli), an anklet with beads or gold bells, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tecuecuextli
cuecuex(tli), a cord with beads, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/cuecuextli
macuex(tli), a beaded bracelet, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/macuextli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

posiblemente, una tobillera con plumas de loro amarillo

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 30r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f67.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/

Historical Contextualizing Image: