Article suitable for Top Juniors and above

Aztec bathtub brush?

2nd Dec 2024

Mexica-Aztec incense ladle, Codex Aubin fol.9

What looks to us unusually like a plain and simple bathtub brush is in fact an important Mexica-Aztec artefact - an incense ladle (follow the link below to learn more, we have a short feature on it!). It appears, rather oddly, ‘out on a limb’ on page 9 of the Codex Aubin which tells the story of the legendary migration of the Aztec people from Aztlan to the Basin of Mexico... (Compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

The only text on the page (see pic 1) refers to the journeying of the Mexica tribe, stating that they travelled to, and stayed five years at, Tlemaco. All makes sense, however, on realising that tlemaco in Nahuatl means ‘Place of the Fire Hand’ - ie Incense Ladle Place. So the glyph is what’s called a toponym, representing the name of the place in question.