Tzapa (MH735r)

Tzapa (MH735r)
Simplex Glyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This black-line drawing of the simplex glyph for the personal name Tzapa (“Small Person”) is attested here as a man’s name. The glyph shows a nude, standing man, with both elbows bent, one arm turned down and one rising. It may give a suggestion of someone with a handicap. The size of the person is not particularly small, contrary to what the name conveys.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

Tlacatoncatl (small person) could be another way of saying tzapa. The use of nudity to show human beings sometimes seems to suggest frailty, vulnerability, or a small size.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

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

1560

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

Huejotzingo, Puebla

Semantic Categories: 
personal name
Syntax: 
noun(s)
Writing Features: 
simplex or element as logogram
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Anatomy, human body parts
Gender (male)
Health, Medicine
Movement
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Nudity
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Shapes and Perspectives: 
facing right
profile view
Keywords: 

enanos, persona pequeñas, nombres de hombres

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

tzapa, a dwarf or small person, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/tzapa

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

Enano

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Matrícula de Huexotzinco, folio 735r, World Digital Library, https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl_15282/?sp=548&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: 
intrusive overbar
Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

Tlacatoncatl (MH641v)

Tenapalo (MH551r)

Xoxopehualoc (MH713v)

Tecuanitzin (MH532r)

Malteotl (MH832r)

Huilan (MH509r)