name used at present for the vasiform granaries in the 
States of Tlaxcala and Morelos, aspecial study was made 
of the town glyphs in the Codicis. Those for Cuezco- 
matly yacac (Cuezcomatl iyacac), Cuezcomayxtlahuacan, 
Cuezcomahuacan and Cuezcomatitlan all consist of a 
dominant vasiform figure with the following characteris- 
tics: a) the structure seems to rest on a rectangular 
foundation built on top of roundish stone corner sup- 
ports, b) the vasiform figure is divided by several hori- 
zontal lines suggesting a structure made of several sec- 
tions, and ¢) the top of the structure is shown as an open 
circular mouth except in Cuezcomatlyyacac in which a 
sort of round lid is indicated. 
Wherever interpretations of the town glyphs are made, 
cuezcomatl is translated as trove, granero or granary. For 
instance, Clark (1988) gives the following meanings in 
his analysis of the Codex Mendoza: 
Cuezcomahuacan: place of granaries 
Cuezcomayxtlahuacan: place of the plain of bins 
Cuezcomatitlan: amongst the granaries 
Cuezcomatliyacac: in the beginning of the granaries 
It seems then that the farmers of the Mexican central 
plateau at the pre-Conquest period were using a vasiform 
maize granary which is related to the archaeological re- 
mains of the Tarahumara and to the present day cuez- 
comatls of Tlaxcala and Morelos. 
Sahagun (1529-1590) suggests the use of this type of 
granary when he writes: 
“*De algunos zazamiles de los muchachos que usa esta gente mexi- 
cana, que son los “que cosa y cosa de nuestra lengua’ (Acertijos).? 
Que cosa y cosa una vieja que tiene los cabellos de heno, y esta cerca 
de la puerta de casa? Es la troje de maiz.”’ 
Torquemada (1723) also seems to refer to this type of 
granary when, in speaking of the custom of punishing 
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