Xiuhtli (MH649r)

Xiuhtli (MH649r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing with some added color is the compound glyph for the personal name Xiuhtli ("Comet"), attested here as a man's name. This comet has a central arrow pointing downward. The arrow has a red arrowhead with a point. On either side of this central shaft are two additional long strips, joined at the top of the central shaft. At the lower end of the strips are two small squares, tesserae for creating turquoise (xihuitl) mosaics. These are phonetic complements, given that xiuhtli and xihuitl are near homophones.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

This popular name, Xiuhtli, is linked to the religious calendar of years, because it was a name given to boys born during the time of the binding ceremony at the end of every fifty-two year cycle. The stem (xiuh-) for both xiuhtli (comet) and xihuitl (year, turquoise, etc.) is the same.

Comparing this glyph with other glyphs for Xiuhtli, it combines familiar elements, such as turquoise–xihuitl–tesserae, but also contributes something new with the descending arrow. The red (bloody?) point of the arrow, in fact, draws attention to that detail. While some comets appear to ascend, this one seems to descend.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Gloss Diplomatic Transcription: 

peo xiuhtli

Gloss Normalization: 

Pedro Xiuhtli

Gloss Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

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

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla

Semantic Categories: 
calendrics
homophony, rebus
personal name
phonetic dimensions
Syntax: 
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Celestial Phenomena
Gender (male)
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Religion (Indigenous)
Time, Calendar, Frequency
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
red
white/neutral
Shapes and Perspectives: 
circle(s) (small, often concentric)
frontal view
rectangular
triangular
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
2
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
inherent/internal/merged
Keywords: 

cometas, estrellas, flechas, rojo, teselas, mosáicos, turquesa, nombres de hombres

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

xiuh(tli), a comet, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/xiuhtli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Cometa

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 649r, World Digital Library, https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=380&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).

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Xiuhtli (MH576v)

Xiuhtli (MH577r)

Xiuhtli (Verg9r)

Xiuhtli (MH619v)

xiuhtli (TR39v)

Xiuhtli (MH775r)

Xihuitliztac (MH759r)