xicalpapalotl (FCbk11f100r)

xicalpapalotl (FCbk11f100r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This is a compound glyph two-tailed tiger swallowtail butterfly (xicalpapalotl). It has two parts, the lower part is a xicalli, in this case a cup with a stem and three visible circular designs. This provides the phonetic start (xical-) to the name of the butterfly. The swallowtail hovers in a frontal view above the cup. Its wings are yellow, gray, and black. It has a segmented body. It has two gray eyes, two antennae, a curling proboscis, and two forelegs. This compound hieroglyph glyph is set in a landscape setting, which suggests European artistic influence. The text explains that this is a rare butterfly and much sought-after.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

This is the first xicalpapalotl to enter this digital collection, although there are many butterflies of various kinds and two examples of Xochiquetzal. There is one yellow papalotl from the Matrícula de Huexotzinco, where most glyphs are simple black line drawings. In that case, effort was taken to add yellow paint. A quick search for papalotl will bring up more than we can fit in the “see also” field. Some of these are drawn in a profile view, and some show the butterfly with its wings spread. The curling proboscis is almost a diagnostic feature, and reflects the Nahuas’ interest in coiling and swirling things around them. While this is not a traditional compound hieroglyph, it is a late expression of that form of writing.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

Xicalpapalotl

Gloss/Text Normalization:

xicalpapalotl

Gloss/Text Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript:

Florentine/Florentinus, Codex (FC)

Date of Manuscript:

1577

Creator's Location (and place coverage):

Mexico City

Syntax:

noun(s)

Writing Features:

compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Animals: Insects & Bugs

Technology (all types), plus Tools

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Shapes and Perspectives:

dotted, granular, textured

frontal view

spotted or mottled

striped

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

upward

Other Cultural Influences:

Spanish/European

Keywords:

taza, tazas, copa, copas, mariposas

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

xicalpapalo(tl), a yellow swallowtail butterfly, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xicalpapalotl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

una mariposa llamadora, “Xochiquetzal”

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Digital Florentine Codex/Códice Florentino Digital, edited by Kim N. Richter and Alicia Maria Houtrouw, "Book 11: Earthly Things", fol. 100r, Getty Research Institute, 2023. https://florentinecodex.getty.edu/en/book/11/folio/100r/images/0 Accessed 16 October 2025.

Image Source, Rights:

Images of the digitized Florentine Codex are made available under the following Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International). For print-publication quality photos, please contact the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana ([email protected]). The Library of Congress has also published this manuscript, using the images of the World Digital Library copy. “The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse.”

Historical Contextualizing Image: