Patli (Verg45r)

Patli (Verg45r)
Simplex Hieroglyph

Glyph or Iconographic Image Description: 

This simplex Nahuatl hieroglyph is a black-line drawing of the personal name Patli (possibly “Medicine”), attested here as a man’s name. The term for medicine can have a glottal stop: pahtli, and it can be a suffix to another term that refers to a certain type of medicine, such as cimapahtli, a remedy derived from a root. The Nahuatl hieroglyph for this name seems to be a simplex, but it could be a compound. As a simplex, it would be just a flag (pamitl), which stands for the phonetic syllable -pa-, at the start of the name. The other possible element, if this hieroglyph is a compound, is located at the bottom of the flag’s staff. Perhaps it is a bag, which could contain medicine or medical instruments.

Description, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Added Analysis: 

In the Matrícula de Huexotzinco, men with the occupation of tlama (physician) are thus indicated with a vessel holding their instruments. See below. Further research into this hieroglyph seems warranted.

Added Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Gloss or Text Image: 
Gloss/Text Diplomatic Transcription: 

jua. patli.

Gloss/Text Normalization: 

Juan Patli

Gloss/Text Analysis, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Source Manuscript: 
Vergara, Codex (Verg)
Date of Manuscript: 

1539

Creator's Location (and place coverage): 

near Tepetlaoztoc, near Tetzcoco

Semantic Categories: 
personal name
phonetic dimensions
Syntax: 
noun(s)
syllable: pa/pan/pal (from panitl/pamitl, flag)
Writing Features: 
compound fully phonographic
Cultural Content & Iconography: 
Flags, banners
Gender (male)
Health, Medicine
Names (personal and/or theonym)
Cultural Content, Credit: 

Jeff Haskett-Wood

Colors: 
black & white drawing (no color)
Keywords: 

bandera, banderas, medicinas, remedios, hierbas, raíces, médico, médicos, doctor, doctores, nombres de hombres, men’s names, fonetismo

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

pam(itl), flag, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/pamitl
pa(tli), medicine, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/patli

Glyph/Icon Name, Spanish Translation: 

posiblemente, Medicina

Spanish Translation, Credit: 

Stephanie Wood

Image Source: 

Available at Codex Vergara, folio 45r, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84528032/f97.item.zoom, accessed 25 March 2026. The Vergara is associated with Tepetlaoztoc, in the larger region of Tetzcoco, c. 1539–1543. “Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF.” We would also appreciate a citation to the Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, https://aztecglyphs.wired-humanities.org/.

Image Source, Rights: 

Image Rights: The non-commercial reuse of images from the Bibliothèque nationale de France is free as long as the user is in compliance with the legislation in force and provides the citation: “Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France” or “Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF.” We would also appreciate a citation to the Visual Lexicon of Aztec Hieroglyphs, https://aztecglyphs.wired-humanities.org/

Orthography: 
dropped "n"
Historical Contextualizing Image: 
See Also: 

tlama (MH843r)

tlama (MH828v)