xilotl (Verg15r)

xilotl (Verg15r)
Element from a Compound

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This element of a xilotl, a small tender ear of maize before it solidifies, comes from the compound personal name Cuauhxilotl. The cob of corn is unwrapped, revealing the segmentation of the kernels. A tassel of corn silk comes off the top and bends to the right. Quite a bit of this vertical corn stalk and several of its leaves are visible. It is shown in a frontal view.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Perhaps it is a coincidence, but the corn silk is reminiscent of the way the tzontli (hair lock), when worn at the top of the head, tips over. See below.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Vergara, Codex (Verg)
Date of Manuscript: 

1539

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Tepetlaoztoc, near Tetzcoco

Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Corn, Maize
Food, Eating, Cooking
Plants, Flora
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
curving, curvy, curved
frontal view
segmented
vertical, upright
Keywords: 

maize, maíz, corn, mazorcas, elotes, granos de maíz

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 

xilo(tl), small, tender ear of green maize, before it solidifies, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xilotl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

la mazorca tierna, el jilote, el elote

Image Source: 

Codex Vergara, folio 15r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f37.item.zoom

Image Source, 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/.

See Also: 

Cuauhxilotl (Verg15r)

xilotl (Mdz44r)

xilotl (Mdz31r)

xilotl (TR26r)

Xilotl (MH507v)

Xilotl (MH524v)

xilotl (MH487r)

Temilo (MH513v)