Xochmitl (Verg44v)

Xochmitl (Verg44v)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description:

This compound Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Xochmitl (perhaps Flower-Arrow), attested here as a man’s name. This compound has two elements, and the first is a flower (xochitl). It is actually an upright flowering plant with a stem, a leaf, a flower base, and three visible petals. Second, an arrow (mitl) pierces the bulb-shaped base of the flower. The arrow has a segmented shaft, fletching, and its black point faces toward the viewer’s right.

Description, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis:

In this digital collection (as of March 2026) there are four other examples of the name Xochmitl (below). It is very typical to have the arrow piercing the flower, although in various ways. One other motif is to have the flower as part of the fletching.

Added Analysis, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image:

Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription:

damia. xochmitl.

Gloss/Text Normalization:

Damián Xochmitl

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

Syntax:

noun(s)

Writing Features:

compound fully logographic

Cultural Content & Iconography:

Feathers

Flowers

Gender (male)

Names (personal and/or theonym)

Plants, Flora

Weapons, Shields, Armor

Cultural Content, Credit:

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors:

black & white drawing (no color)

Shapes and Perspectives:

segmented

tripartite

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation):

Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation):

inward (from outside in)

Keywords:

flechas, flores, plantas, plumas, nombres de hombres, men’s names

Glyph or Iconographic Image:

Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s):

xoch(itl), flower, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xochitl
mi(tl), arrow, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/mitl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation:

posiblemente, Flor-Flecha

Spanish Translation, Credit:

Stephanie Wood

Image Source:

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 44v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f96.item.zoom, accessed 25 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:

dropped "n"

intrusive period

Historical Contextualizing Image: