Zayol (Verg26v)

Zayol (Verg26v)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This simplex Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Zayol (“A Fly”), attested here as a man’s name. This is a ¾ view of a fly with four visible legs (somewhat bent or curved), two wings, two eyes, and two antennae. The antennae have some curves to them. The oval-shaped wings have a mesh pattern.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Two fairly similar simplex glyphs of the name Zayol also appear in the Matrícula de Huexotzinco (below).

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

mrgs. çayul.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Marcos Zayol

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: 
simplex or element as logogram
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Animals: Insects/Bugs
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
checked, cross-hatched, or mesh
facing left
profile view
Other Cultural Influences: 
Spanish/European
Keywords: 

insecto, insectos, moscas, nombres de hombres, Zaol, nombres de hombres, men’s names

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

zayol(in), a fly, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/zayolin

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Mosca

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 26v, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f60.item.zoom, accessed 22 February 2026. The Vergara is associated with Tepetlaoztoc, in the larger region of Tetzcoco, c. 1539–1543.

Image Source, 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/.

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Zayol (MH642v)

Zayol (MH641v)