huictli (FCbk10f28v)

This iconographic example, featuring a man using an agricultural tool (huictli), is included in this digital collection for the purpose of making comparisons with related hieroglyphs. The term selected for this example comes from the keywords chosen by the team behind the Digital Florentine Codex. There is no gloss or text sample. This example shows a man next to a tall maize plant, using his huictli to dig into the soil. This huictli has a notably large flat, triangular blade. The point of the triangle is down, and the flat part of the triangle is where the man puts his foot, applying pressure to help the point go into the soil. The man working the land wears a loincloth and a cloak, typical of the rural farmer. His clothing shows shading for three-dimensionality, revealing European artistic influences. This is true, too, of the other men in the contextualizing image. That context gives another view of the huictli with the large triangular blade. Whether this suggests a regional variation on the tool or the effect of European influence are questions to pursue further.