visorrey (Osu15r)

visorrey (Osu15r)
Compound Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This compound glyph for the title visorrey (viceroy, vice-king) comes from the Codex Osuna, folio 15 recto (or Image 32). It contains three elements. One is a speech scroll, which may provide the semantic meaning of tlatoani (ruler, literally the one who speaks). Up from there is an eye (ixtli), which may provide the phonetic “ix” for the “is” in visorrey. Finally, the bean (etl), supplies the “e” sound for the ending of the word, “ey.” This entire glyph is connection to a seated figure by a dotted line.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

The viceroy indicated by this compound glyph, as shown in the contextualizing image, is don Luis de Velasco. He is seated in a curule chair, which is something like a throne. He is gesturing, which is another indication of his authority, along with the speech scrolls that make him into one who speaks (a tlatoani in the estimation of the tlacuilo who painted this apparent portrait). Sometimes glyphs for Spaniards will attempt a phonetic rendition of their surnames (such as Mendoza, as shown below). Here, it appears that it is his title that is being captured in the glyph, as the reading of the compound points more to visorrey than to Velasco.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss Image: 
Source Manuscript: 
Osuna, Codex (Osu)
Date of Manuscript: 

1551–1565

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Mexico City

Semantic Categories: 
title/office
Syntax: 
line connecting elements
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
compound of phonogram(s) & logogram(s)
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Gestures with hands
Occupations
Politics, Power, Governance
Scrolls (Speech, Song, etc.)
Speech, Speaking, Oral Tradition
Textiles, Clothing, Hats, Regalia
Weapons, Shields, Armor
Wood, wooden things
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
facing right
profile view
volute(s)
Parts (compounds or simplex + notation): 
3
Reading Order (Compounds or Simplex + Notation): 
upward
Other Cultural Influences: 
Spanish/European
Keywords: 

ojos, volutas, frijoles, autoridades, virreyes, Velasco

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

visorrey, viceroy (a loan from Spanish), https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/visorrey

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

el virrey

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Library of Congress Online Catalog and the World Digital Library, Osuna Codex, or Painting of the Governor, Mayors, and Rulers of Mexico (Pintura del Gobernador, Alcaldes y Regidores de México), https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_07324/. The original is located in the Biblioteca Nacional de España.

Image Source, Rights: 

"The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse." But please cite the Biblioteca Nacional de España and this Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs if you use any of these images here or refer to the content on this page, providing the URL.

Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Mendoza (TR46r)

visorrey (Osu1v)

visorrey (Osu10v)