Yaotl (MH486r)

Yaotl (MH486r)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This simplex glyph for the personal name Combatant (Yaotl)] is similar to the glyph for warfare (yaoyotl), a war shield. The shield is rounded on the sides, but has depressions on the perimeter at top and bottom. The shield is divided into four sections with an X-shaped cross. Inside each section is what appears to be a u-shape.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Yaotl is an extremely common name in the Matrícula de Huexotzinco. The early Nahuas lived in a warrior culture, which probably valued being brave and fierce. While "enemy" is the literal translation of yaotl, the name has more the sense of valiant combatant. The man bearing the name Yaotl also has a baptismal name, Antonioo. Putting Yaotl second to the baptismal name probably eventually led to it being seen as a surname (as a result of European influence). But today Yaotl is used more as a given name, and many people equate it with Warrior.

This shield can be compared to other graphic styles from other tlacuilos, below. The traditional Indigenous shield is round with feathers coming off the bottom. This one shows European influences.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Huexotzinco, Matrícula de (MH)
Date of Manuscript: 

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla

Semantic Categories: 
personal name
Syntax: 
noun(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
War or Conflict
Weapons, Shields, Armor
Cultural Content, Credit: 

José Aguayo-Barragán and Stephanie wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
circle, circular or rounded
cross (x)
quincunx or quatrefoil
U-shapes (any direction)
Other Cultural Influences: 
Spanish/European
Keywords: 

warriors, wars, warfare, combatants, combatientes, guerreros, armas, shields, escudos, coats of arms

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

yao(tl), enemy, combatant, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/yaotl
yaoyo(tl), warfare, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/yaoyotl

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

El Combatiente

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 483r, World Digital Library. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=51&st=image

Image Source, Rights: 

This manuscript is hosted by the Library of Congress and the World Digital Library; used here with the Creative Commons, “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License” (CC-BY-NC-SAq 3.0).