atemoztli (TR5v)
This colorful example of iconography shows the signs relating to the month of twenty days named atemoztli. A curving flow of turquoise blue water with black lines of current and alternating droplets and turbinate shells curves around the left side of the painting of the divine force or spirit of rain, Tlaloc. Tlaloc has the diagnostic, protruding fangs, goggle eye (with a starry eye inside it), green feathers in his headdress, and lip that curves like the cloud in the glyph for Mixtlan. Tlaloc is shown in profile, facing toward the viewer's right, and turquoise blue is the predominant color in his clothing and headdress.
Stephanie Wood
In the festivals associated with this month, the Nahuas performed activities meant to encourage rain to fall. Tlaloc was associated with rainfall, which further underlines the use of turquoise blue in the regalia. The water in this scene could serve as a phonetic indicator for the start of the month's name, A-, but it also has semantic meaning.
Stephanie Wood
atemoztli
ca. 1550–1563
Jeff Haskett-Wood
nombres de meses, calendarios, Tlaloc, tlaloqueh, lluvia, agua, water, feathers, plumas, shells, conchitas
a(tl), water, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/atl
Atemoztli, month name, https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/atemoztli
nombre de un mes de veinte días, cuando se pide la lluvia
Stephanie Wood
Telleriano-Remensis Codex, folio 5 recto, MS Mexicain 385, Gallica digital collection, https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8458267s/f36.item.zoom
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.”
