yaotlatquitl (FCbk12f11r)

This is an iconographic example that features a black and white sketch of a decorative element in the Nahuatl text, one symbolic of the Nahua-Spanish conflict that was expected in memories of 1519 and featuring the sword and macuahuitl, weapons of both sides (yaotlatquitl). It is a heavily Europeanized medieval graphic. It is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the text near the image in the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss, per se. This example shows three-quarter views of a Mexica warrior on the left and a Spaniard on the right. Between them is a war shield and, crossed behind the shield, are an iron sword (called, at that time, a tepoztli) and an obsidian-blade embedded club (macuahuitl), or what came to be called a macana in Spanish. The shield is decorated with a skull and two cross-bones, symbolizing death. The Mexica has a wrapped clump of hair standing up on his head (what is often called a tzontli). The Spaniard has a stylized helmut of armor on his head. Each of these opponents has one arm that is more like a fin, but the other arm ends in something like a hand that grasps the end of his corresponding weapon. Curling elements appear to give them tails, like mermen can have. The bare chest on the Spaniard supports the idea of a merman, too. Inside each of these curls are small shields, one for each figure and seemingly corresponding to shields each might have carried into war. The Mexica figure has some additional, indistinguishable, dark shape near or as a part of his tail.