164 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 2S 



painted a head with the royal headband like Qiiauhtenioc, but that 

 this has been pasted over; that is, expunged. 



As for the hieroglyphs, there are two in division 5 with Tlacotzin, 

 Avhich, however, do not both refer to the name. The first one seems 

 rather to express the title and the second the name of the man. The 

 latter represents an implement, a sort of wooden shovel which was 

 used to work the ground, but also served to shovel earth, lime, etc. 

 (see t and v). The former is taken from the Mendoza codex. Above 

 is the tool, below the basket (chiquiuitl), in which the earth, lime, etc., 

 was transported, with the broad carrying strap (mecapalli) to be 

 placed over the forehead. In w, taken from the Osuna codex, is 

 shown the Mexican laborer using this tool, the name of which is 

 uictli, or coauacatl. In our manuscript it serves to express the 

 name Tlacotzin because it was the symbol of servitude or bondage, of 

 slave labor. The serf, the slave, was called tlacohtli. A tlacotl, 

 somewhat differently pronounced, with the vowel short in the first 

 syllable, meant the blossoming bough, an example of which is 

 depicted in the hieroglyph Tlacopan (Tacuba). As in the present 

 case the name Tlacotzin is expressed by a tool, we may conclude that 

 the first pronunciation (Avith the long a) and also the first meaning 

 belonged to it. 



The first hieroglyph shows the picture of a snake with open jaws 

 holding a human face. The snake is painted yellow, excepting the 

 rattles and belly, the human face brown, and on the cheek there seem 

 to be traces of the two stripes which are almost invariably drawn in 

 the hieroglyphs of the Mendoza codex when a female face is to be 

 expressed (see r, figure 37, the hieroglyph Ciuatlan, from the Men- 

 doza codex, volume 40, page 1). The first hieroglyph in division 5 is 

 therefore the exact reproduction of the word ciuacouatl, " female 

 snake ", the title, which it is stated by Chimalpahin and in the Saha- 

 gun manuscript was borne by the Tlacotzin mentioned here. The title 

 ciuacouatl belonged to the higliest dignitary in the realm, who was in 

 a certain sense the colleague or deputy of the king ( tlalitouani). This 

 fact is so often and emphatically rej^eated in Te/ozomoc's Cronica 

 mexicana that it is natural to suspect intention and to conclude that 

 the power claimed by the ciuacouatl was not always recognized l)y 

 the king. In general, the colleagueship was plainly and clearly 

 enough established. When in the narrative of the deeds of the elder 

 Motecuhzoma,Tlacaelel, ciuacouatl of that period, makes a suggestion, 

 Motecuhzoma answers that he agrees to everything, " for indeed I am 

 the master; but I can not order everything, and you, ciuacoatl, are as 

 much master as I am ; we must both govern the Mexican state ". The 

 name ciuacouatl has several meanings. It means " female snake ", 

 but it may also signify " female twin " or " female companion". The 

 name probably refers to the ancient earth goddess, w^ho, in different 



