Tzinhuitzquilocan (Mdz30r)

The representation of land at the base of the glyph does not appear to play a role in the phonetic reading of the place name, which could be -tlal-, -mil-, -chinam-, or -ixtlahua-. It might be a semantic complement that provides some sense of the place (the "where" of the -can locative suffix).

The Tzin- and -hui[tz?]- syllables at the beginning of the place name (and as supported by the gloss) are not adequately represented by the visuals. The line over the i in Tzi, seems indicate Tzin-, and the itztli may suggest we add the -tz- after the -hui-, therefore Tzinhuitzquilocan. The contemporary spelling of the place name leaves out the "qui" syllable that may have once been important (especially if quilitl or huitzquilitl is key to the place name).

Very similar to the herbs that appear here are the edible, medicinal herbs called huitzquilitl, such as those that appear in the compound glyph for the place name Huitzquilocan. See below, right, for examples of the huitzquilitl along with the more generic quilitl (called quelites in Mexican Spanish today).

The syllable -o- here is read by Frances Karttunen as the -yoh that means "invested with the quality of." This could mean that this place is known for having lots of whatever herb (quilitl) or huitzquilitl) this compound glyph is meant to indicate.

Various sources, such as Charles Gibson and Hubert Howe Bancroft, provide the spelling that is used in this collection for this particular town name. According to Pedro Carrasco (Estructura político-territorial del imperio tenochca, 2016) Tzihuinquilocan was a pueblo founded by Nezahualcoyotl. He says that today the town name is spelled Singuilucan, and it is in the state of Hidalgo.