Xiuhnel (Verg41r)

Xiuhnel (Verg41r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Xiuhnel ("Incapable," "Morning Star," or "Cloud Serpent"), which is attested here as a man's name. The element at the bottom is a mosaic made of turquoise (xihuitl), whose stem (Xiuh-) is a phonetic syllable at the start of the name. The bowl–perhaps a xicalli–could also be a complementary phonetic syllable for the start of the name, Xi-. What is in the bowl, is apparently a liver (elli), provisioning a phonetic syllable -el for the end of the name (-nel). Thus, this compound is fully phonographic.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Hieroglyphs for the name Xiuhnel very often include pieces of turquoise mosaic. Sometimes they also have herbs that are also called “xihuitl.”

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

albino. xiuhnel.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Albino Xiuhnel

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
phonetic dimensions
Syntax: 
noun(s)
syllable: el/nel (from elli, liver)
syllable: xi/xiuh (from xihuitl)
Writing Features: 
compound fully phonographic
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Celestial Phenomena
Containers, Dishes, Eating Utensils
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Turquoise or Jadeite/Nephrite
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
circle, circular or rounded
frontal view
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
3
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
upward
Keywords: 

incapaz, lucero del alba, turquesa, teselas, mosaicos, estrella, estrellas, nubes, serpientes, nombres de hombres, men’s names, fonetismo

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

Xiuhnel, a personal name with various meanings, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xiunnel
xihui(tl), turquoise https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xihuitl
xical(li), cup or bowl, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xicalli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Incapaz, La Estrella de la Mañana, o La Serpiente de las Nubes

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 41r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f89.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: 
intrusive period
Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Xiuhnel (MH772v)

Xiuhnel (MH614v)

Xiuhnel (MH648v)

Xiuhnel (Verg46v)

Xiuhnel (Verg53v)