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‘Codex Corner’: writing the place name Aztlan

28th Feb 2023

‘Codex Corner’: writing the place name Aztlan

Aztlan as drawn in the Codex Boturini, p. 1

The name of the mythical homeland of the Aztec people, Aztlan, is often translated as ‘Place of Whiteness’ or ‘Place of the White-feathered Heron’. How was it drawn in the codices? (Compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

Gordon Brotherston explains: ‘The promise of glory [for the Azteca-Mexica on their great migration journey] is made by a... bird, the heron of Aztlan (the Annals show only its feathers, plus the a- sound of atl, water)’ (Painted Books of Mexico, 1995, p. 48).
Note, the Nahuatl word for heron is aztatl.

FURTHER NOTE: There is actually longstanding disagreement about the origin and meaning of the term ‘Aztlan’. Follow the link below for a scholarly discussion and analysis...

Image scanned from a hand-drawn facsimile of the Codex Boturini, private collection.

‘Who were the Mexica?’‘What significance did heron feathers have?’‘Return to Aztlan: A glyph reconsidered’

Comments (1)

g

gabriel

13th Apr 2023

how old is the artifact

M

Mexicolore

The Codex was painted between 1530 and 1541.

‘Codex Corner’: writing the place name Aztlan

Aztlan as drawn in the Codex Boturini, p. 1

More Aztec Writing