Totec (FCbk9f49v)

This iconographic example, featuring the divine or sacred force called Xipe Totec (or, here, just Totec, “Our Lord”), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with any potential, related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the text on the same page as the image and the scene title chosen by the team behind the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss, per se. This example shows an especially large, male, anthropomorphic figure (the divine force, Xipe Totec) that is surrounded by people, some bringing offerings. The deity-like figure appears in a ¾ view, and, in the contextualizing image, he is facing a woman who is offering him two ears of corn. He might be wearing the skin of a slain and flayed sacrificial victim; it is the circles around his eyes that suggest this. Normally, the extra skin would also be visible where it ended on his arms and legs, and where an incision across the chest had been sewn closed. The sacred force and his ixiptlatl were supposed to wear the flayed skin through the length of the festival. The contextual text suggests this scene was nearing the conclusion of the religious period, when skins were to be removed and thrown in a cave. In this scene Totec carries what may be a purple club over his left shoulder and a very tall staff (tlacotl or cuahuitl?) in his right hand. It seems to be decorated with four, evenly spaced, tapachtli shells in white and purple.