THE AZTECS 



203 



names, including the names of gods, to months, days. 

 numbers, objects of commerce and a few objects or 

 ideas of ceremonial import. Some of the signs are in no 

 degree realistic and have a definite meaning by common 

 consent alone, such as the symbol for gold (Fig. 71 J. 



£3 



a 'pacta 



Crocodile 



Miquiztli 



Death 



Ozomatli 



Monkev 



Aztecan Day Signs. 

 ( 'all/ Cuezpattin 



Mazatl 

 Deer 



House 



Tochtli 



Rabbit 



MalinaM Acail 

 Herb Reed 



Cozcaquauhtli Olin Tecpatl 



Vulture Movement Stone 



Lizard 



Ail 



Water 



Ocelotl 

 Jaguar 



Quiahiuil 



Rain 



Coatl 



Snake 



Itzcuintli 



Dog 



Quauhth 



Eagle 



Xochitl 

 Flower 



Others are abbreviated and conventionalized pictures of 

 objects. Thus the head of a god or of an animal fre- 

 quently appears as the sign of the whole. But the most 

 important and interesting word signs are rebuses in 

 which separate syllables or groups of syllables are 



