xochitenacal (FCbk11f22r)

This iconographic example, featuring a keel-billed toucan (xochitenacal), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the Nahuatl text near the image in the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss, per se. This example shows a colorful bird with an unusual beak. The name xochitenacal refers to a beak that is like a flower and concave. The image shows a red and yellow beak with a double hook on the upper part of the beak. The feathers are dark green with some white, and the head is yellow. The bird’s legs are mainly red with some yellow undertones. The left leg is raised, suggesting movement. A faint red shadow appears under each foot, giving the bird a grounding that suggests European artistic influences.