Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Nahuatl

Nahuatl words for particular motifs, as gleaned from Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico by Jorge Enciso.

Xicalcoliuhqui: stepped-fret design and variations thereof
Xochitl: flower
Xonecuilli: the "blue worm", appears as an S spiral or similar
Papalotl: butterfly
Michin: fish
Tamacolin: frog or toad
Cuetzpallin: lizard
Cuautcuetzpallin: gila monster
Coatl: serpent
Quetzalcoatl: plumed serpent, also a major god
Xiucoatl: double-headed fire serpent (Xiuhcoatl?)
Chicahuastli: wooden rattle used in rituals
Itzcoatl: flint serpent, often appears in the comb form
Cipactli: alligator
Tzopilotl: buzzard
Cozcacuautli: king buzzard
Tecolotl: owl
Cuauhtli: eagle
Huitzizillin: humningbird
Huitziloxochitl: hummingbird-and-flower design
Hueitotollin: bird's head motif, which is calendar ruler for 20 days
Cojolite: "shouting pheasant" motif, likely representing the chachalaca bird
Aztatl: heron (Aztatla?)
Canauhtli: duck
Quetzalli: quetzal (bird)
Mazatl: deer
Itzcuintli: dog
Ocelotl: jaguar
Mixtli: puma head motif
Izquilpatli: skunk
Cuauhpezotli: badger
Tzinacantli: bat
Ayotochtli: armadillo
Tlachatotl: squirrel
Toxtli: rabbit
Ozomatli: monkey, also the God of Dance and ruler of the 11th day (Oxomatli?)
Ehecatl: Wind God
Tlaloc: Rain God
Ueueteotl: Old Man God
Mictlantecutli: "place of the dead"
Maitl: human hand
Patolli: ancient game similar to parchesi
Olin: the concept of movement, as a ritual design (Ollin?) - related to Xolotl
Tenamitl: turreted wall pattern
Tlalliostoc: "cave of the earth"
Macuilxochitl: "Five Flowers", a god
Xolotl: twin of Quetzalcoatl, a god with dog-like features

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