Tetzcocapan (Chav13)

This black-line drawing of the compound glyph for the place name Tetzcocapan shows a frontal view of a much-contoured hill (probably a tetzcotl, or small hill). The hill has stones that are shaded--providing a three-dimensionality and European stylistic influence--and outlined. On the top is a human arm, reaching toward the viewer's right. Perhaps the arm is meant to conjure up the acolli that is usually translated shoulder, but can refer to a bend, providing the "co" phonetic element. Some grasses also grow on the hill. The -ca part of the place name may refer to the people of Tetzcoco (the Tetzcoca). The -pan (locative suffix), which means "on," may come from the arm being "on" the hill, but there is no logogram or phonogram to cover the -pan.