Matlaccuauh (MH506r)

Matlaccuauh (MH506r)
Simplex Glyph
Notation

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing of the combined simplex glyph for eagle (cuauhtli) and notation for the number ten (matlactli) is not only a personal name but also a date. The eagle was a day sign in the calendar of 260 days called the tonalpohualli, and calendrics were an important part of Nahuas' religious views of the cosmos. The eagle consists of a head only, in profile, looking toward the viewer's left. The feathers on its head and neck are spiky or wispy. Its visible eye seems to be open, as is its beak. Above the head of the eagle are a cluster of black dots (actually eleven dots, rather than the expected ten, if we trust the gloss).

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The cuauhtli day sign could have a companion number between 1 and 13, depending upon which day in the 260-day cycle one was considering. The divinatory calendar (tonalpohualli) could be consulted to learn the potential fate of a baby born on that day.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

antonio
matlaguauh

Gloss Normalization: 

Antonio Matlaccuauh

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Date of Manuscript: 

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico

Syntax: 
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
Keywords: 

números, águilas, fechas, calendarios, días, tonalpohualli

Glyph or Iconographic Image: 
Relevant Nahuatl Dictionary Word(s): 
Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Diez Águila, 1-Águila

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 506r, World Digital Library, https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=91&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).

Orthography: 
Historical Contextualizing Image: