Article suitable for Top Juniors and above

Ancient Mexican wheelie bin on steroids?

18th Jun 2020

Maize grain store, Codex Vaticanus 3773 pl. 51

No, in fact it’s an ancient form of Mesoamerican grain store standing on stones! Called a cuezcomate, it’s one of two traditional shapes of storage bins found in Mexican codices and still used today in rural Mexico. (Written by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

This particular depiction, in the Codex Vaticanus 3773 (detail from plate 51) is unusual: most are shown more bulbous and globular in shape, with a roof at the top. The ‘eye’ shown here could well be a ventilation window. The vertical glyph on the left appears to be the chalchihuite symbol for something ‘precious’. We know these stood on stones to avoid contact with rodents and water on the ground. Conserving foodstuffs was and is a vital task in agricultural economies.

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