Tzapoicpal (Verg40v)

Tzapoicpal (Verg40v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Tzapoicpal (“Zapote Leaf Throne”). It shows a woven throne (icpalli) in profile, facing right. Sitting on the seat of the throne is a vertical plant with four leaves plus three fruits at the top. These are zapote fruits (tzapotl). Another, very similar Tzapoicpal hieroglyph appears in this manuscript on folio 53 recto.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

This fruit, which comes in different varieties, is still popular today in Mexico, typically found in smoothies and desserts. Besides having been used in woven thrones, the leaves have medicinal values as a sedative, pain killer, an anti-inflammatory, and for reducing high blood pressure. [See: “White Zapote,” Sierra y Cielo, 2022, and its bibliographic list.]

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

.t^o. tzapoicpal.

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Toribio Tzapoicpal

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)

Writing Features:

compound fully logographic

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Food, Eating, Cooking

Furniture

Gender (male)

Names (personal and/or theonym)

Plants, Flora

Politics, Power, Governance

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):

left to right

Keywords:

frutas, comida, medicina, tronos, silla, sillas, gobierno, autoridad

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

tzapoicpal(li) , a zapote leaf throne, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tzapoicpalli
tzapo(tl), sapota or zapote fruit, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tzapotl
icpal(li), a woven seat of authority or throne, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/icpalli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

Silla de Autoridad Hecha de Hojas de Zapote

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 40v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f88.item.zoom, accessed 14 March 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:

"y" for i

intrusive period

Historical Contextualizing Image: