Shield of Coatepec: Serpent Hill And Huitzilopochtli Illustration By elocal.gob.mx [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CCBYSA3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons Clifford C. Richey September 2011 (Revised November 2016) It would be helpful to refer to: academia.edu/Ancient-Depicted-Sign-Language when reading this paper. It explains the use of Form, Imagery, Gesture Signs, Stance, allusion, and position as used in composing glyphs. For a direct application of the gesture signs to a composition (with illustrations of the gestures) please see: https://www.academia.edu/13193557/The_Mimbres_Bat_Bowl “Coatepec, also known as Cerro Coatepec or Serpent Mountain and pronounced roughly "coe-WAHteh-peck", was one of the most sacred places of Aztec mythology and religion. The name is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec language) words coatl, serpent, and tepetl, mountain. Coatepec was the site of the main Aztec origin myth, that of the violent birth of the Aztec/Mexica patron deity Huitzilopochtli...”1 “Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POSHT-lee and meaning "Hummingbird on the Left") was one of the most important of the Aztec gods, the god of the sun, warfare, military conquest and sacrifice, who according to tradition, led the Mexica people from Aztlan, their mythical homeland, into Central Mexico. According to some scholars, Huitzilopochtli could have been an historical figure, probably a priest, who was transformed into a god after his death.”2 At this time it is unlikely that all the principles used in ancient compositions have been determined. Hopefully enough of the principles are known for the reader to gain a general idea of the composition's meaning. For the present, it appears that the following rules were used in organizing and composing the composition. Layered Organization. Gesture signs were depicted by motions made in the air and relied on the reader's memory to retain the message from one sign to the other. The same system could not have been used in written sign language because writing signs on top of one another would have resulted in a hopeless tangle of signs. Thus signs were separated by spatial organization, such as the grouping of Forms into patterns, or discrete Images. Form, Imagery, and Gesture elements are all considered signs. Generally they appear to have been read from the largest sign to the smaller. One layer's information does not carry over to the next layer otherwise the rationale for the layers would be defeated. The Initial or Total Form (shape). This could be considered the title or subject of the composition. It has not yet been learned how one should determine Total Form. At times it seems that one should just visually trace the outline to gain the Form. At other times this seems to result in an incoherent shape or perhaps unrecognizable shape. Perhaps it was intended that one only look at the overall Form and not include every detail such as minor indentations. Sub-forms. Found within other Forms or Forms with a comparative reduction in size. Also small groupings of forms separate from the major Form. Imagery. Usually imagery was composed of elementary gesture signs that held an association (the essence of the depicted subject) value. Such imagery was often the equivalent of a phrase in English. An example would be an Image of a Frog to representing the concept, the one that leaps or jumps up out of the water. Such animal and other Imagery expresses its spirit-essence. The major behavior associated with the animal or other object. upward. Basic Gesture Signs. Literally hundreds of such signs have been historically documented, in texts on sign language, and can used to assist in learning the meaning of the association imagery through context. These signs were drawn leaving out the depiction of the hands. The resultant lines and the form they took was what was considered important. For example, a large “X” shaped sign 1 2 http://archaeology.about.com/od/Aztec-Religion/a/Coatepec.htm Ibid was based on the gesture of two arms crossing each others in the act of a trade. This sign was also used for an exchange, trade, or a transformation depending on its context. See http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/native/sign/index.htm for a compilation of the signs. Position. The signs are position-ally sensitive. Relative direction as well as unwritten signs can be determined by their position. For example, the position of a sign on a face or body can represent that part without it needing to be shown. The part not depicted is incorporated into the message along with the sign that occupies the position. This could result in some bizarre forms and imagery. A Leg and Foot might appear where an Arm and Hard would be expected. Because the Leg and Foot hold the meaning of a long journey and the Arm and Hand hold the meaning of a warrior and steward or priest the resultant, combined, message would be, the long journey of the warrior priest. This also explains why one often sees imagery of severed limbs, fingers, even heads in the compositions. Compounding of Signs. Form, Imagery, and Gesture signs could all compounded. This often resulted in odd appearing Forms such as a Serpent's Body with the Head of a Fox, etc. Compounded Gesture signs are sometimes difficult to recognize because of their simplicity or lack of Imagery. Compounded Form is also difficult as the shapes were often blended one into the other and some imagination is needed to ferret out the individual shapes. Stance. Examples would be of a Figure sitting meaning, waiting. A Figure on Bended Knee might represent, the one arising etc. Stance might also include such things as Facial Expression. Written sign language was a skeletal language and therefore could be used by people speaking a variety of different languages with different grammars. The eloquence of the translation was dependent on the reader and the manner in which the signs were paraphrased . At the present time it is unknown whether there was more than one system of written sign language. While many of the compositions of different cultures may, initially, appear quite different these differences seem to be one mainly of style and artistic taste. These stylistic differences may have been intentional, as a matter of pride, and as a means of “branding” a culture. Illustration 1: Serpent Hill Glyph Illustration 2: Form, The Frog The Initial Form (green) is in the, rather crude, shape of a Frog. The Form is an association in relation to the spirit or essence of the Frog as, the one that leaps or jumps up out of the water. Illustration 3: The Vessel, The Earthen Container Within the Frog's Form is the Image of a Vessel. The Vessel was a metaphor used to indicate the earth as a container (probably visualized as the Stomach of the Female-earth)l. Clay vessels were quite appropriate for this metaphor as they were really an earthen (clay) vessel. Illustration 4: The Hidden Cave Within the Vessel-earth we see the sign for a Cave (green) and within it, the sign (light green) for a horizontal-place. The Cave sign is Double Lined indicating, between something, hidden or, unseen. Within the unseen cave, a horizontal-place. The horizontal-place indicates that it stretches across the the earth horizontally as opposed to a vertical-place which would indicate, height and depth. The Cave of the underworld was often used as a metaphor of the ovaries or womb of the Female-earth because the earth was viewed as female while the sky was viewed as male. It is significant that the Serpent has one Head within the Vessel Image while the other Head is above the Mouth of the Vessel. The stream, above and below, the Mouth of the Vessel, the water-source. Illustration 5: The Two Headed Serpent The Double Headed Serpent (blue green) in a sense gives us the Headings of the Serpent (meaning, a stream). The stream has one half below, positional, and within positional) the Vessel-earth and the other above, positional, the Mouth of the Vessel. A Mouth (any mouth) indicates, a source of water. Thus there is water within the Vessel-earth. The Body and Head of the Serpent within the Vessel is darker, in the darkness, The Serpent’s Face, her appearance, in the darkness, than the other half of the Serpent that is outside the Vessel-earth which is lighter (in the light). Illustration 6: The Spiral, The "Shepherd's Crook" Gesture Sign The Body (Double Line meaning, unseen) of the Serpent, the Body forms the “Shepherd’s Crook sign for, taken upwards, turning- around from below to above, This creates a Circle, the one, his location, at the center. Spring sites and other areas where sunterrean water appears on the surface were viewed as portals between the earth and sky. There could, of course, be many such centers and due to their cosmological connections with the deceased spirits of the culture. These were revered sites and often became a central focus for the culture, a center. The Serpent’s Face, her appearance at the surface. The surface is marked by a Straight Line on the side of the Serpent’s head and the Head/Face. The Serpent was considered female due to its being within the domain of the Female-earth. The (black) Circular signs form the Eyes of the Serpent along with the Mouth Form the Triangular (Form) sign for, the female-spirit, in the blackness or darkness. Thus the Serpent's, the stream’s Face protrudes through the ground's surface, at the Mouth. The water-source. This describes a spring site.3 3 http://www.archaeology.org/news/5025-161117-kukulkan-third-temple MEXICO CITY, MEXICO—According to a report by the Associated Press, archaeologists have detected what may be the original 30-foot-tall structure within the pyramid of Kukulkan with tri-dimensional electric resistivity tomography, or ERT3D. Previous research at the Maya site of Chichén Itzá had detected a 65-foot-tall “intermediate” pyramid beneath Kukulkan’s last construction stage, which dates to A.D. 900 and is now visible. The innermost pyramid is thought to date to between A.D. 500 and 800, before the Maya came into contact with other civilizations. The computer-generated image suggests the first pyramid is not perfectly aligned with the outer layers. Archaeologist Denisse Argote of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History explained that the pyramid may have been refurbished when new groups came to power, or as the building deteriorated. Minimal fill was used to cover the inner temple, however, perhaps out of respect for its sacred space over an underground water source. The new images could help scientists find a way into the inner temple. They may have to reinforce an unstable tunnel first opened in the early twentieth century, when the third platform was first found. Illustration 7: The Upper-Half, The Upper-World The Half Circle (light blue) above the Serpent is the sign for the upper half or the upper world. From the sides of the Mouth (the water-source) of the Vessel-earth the Curved Lines (red) read the Crook (taken upward). The “U” shaped signs, turning, the two, (the two turning signs on each side). In gesture signing the Left side indicates in the east while the Right side indicates, in the west, to the upper-world, positional, above. Illustration 8: The Owl Illustration 9: Mexican Striped Owl The Form of the Owl matches quite well with the Large Mexican Striped Owl that has large Ear Tufts. The Popol Vuh, a Mayan text, describes owls as messengers of Xibalba (the unseen place, the underworld). The Eyes of the Owl positional are location signs with the Pupils being the “+” shaped sign for, crossing through the surface. The Eye(s) represent, the Eye of the Sun, Venus. This is the reason for the references to the locations in the east and in the west that parallels the movements of Venus. The spirit-essence of the Large Owl is that it is, the great one, that flies in the darkness. This Owl sometimes roosts under foliage on the ground where it also nests. There may also be an additional association made with its, flying upwards from the surface. Illustration 10: The Fox, The Wonder, The Clever One Within the Form of the Striped Owl is the Image of a Fox (red brown) meaning, the wonder or something very clever. The wonder, the clever one, below, (the Vessel-earth). Illustration 12: The Ones, Their Locations Illustration 11: The Arising, The Blossoming The Count of the Three (pink) gesture signs for a Flower indicates, the blossoming, the many. Based on the context of many ancient compositions the Flowering appears to indicate a maturation of the plant. This was used as a metaphor referring to the growth and development (the Stems of the Flowers indicate, a sprouting. of the spirit. Thus the Blossoming (rebirth) of the Three, the many. The “U” shaped, turning, positional, below, the arising, the one on the Left, in the east, and the one on the Right, in the west and the arising at the center. It is the blossoming of the flower that was ,metaphorically, aligned to a rebirth of the spirit. Illustration 13: Bird Forms Illustration 15: Color Coded Forms Illustration 14: The Downward Flights in the East and West There are (blue) Forms of Two Birds on the lower sides of the composition. In gesture signing the sign for Bird and flying are the same. The Birds are Heading downward –below, positional, the Vesselearth. The Form of the Bodies of the Birds are not clear but seem to be a compound of the male-spirit sign, positional, under or below, the water. The signs can be further broken down into, the (blue-green) water, positional, below it, the (light blue) male-spirit, positional, in the east and west. The Bodies are composed of the (blue green) Saw-toothed, the water, sign. Positional. below it, is the (green) “Y” shaped sign that indicates, a scout, the one who opens up the way ahead. Next we find a (brown) Finger in the Form of the “U” shaped, turning, sign pointing a direction, upwards, positional, on the side. The Bodies are connected, by a Line, alluding to the Throat, a tunnel. to the Heads/Faces. The flights in the east and west. The Head/Face, his appearance, heading, of the Bird on the Left was made from a Finger, pointing a direction, downward, here. The Head on the Right is a compound of, The (green) Square, the house, the lineage, positional, on the side of the (red) Triangular, Female-earth. The (yellow) Finger signs, allude to the Bird's Feet (positional, a walk or journey, (Form of the Finger) arising, here, positional, on the side. The (black) Rectangular, horizontal-place-of darkness, sign alludes to the Eye, the Eye of the Sun, --Venus. Illustration 16: Hummingbird on the Left, Hummingbird on the Right In the above illustration we see, Huitzilopochtli, Hummingbird on the Left, hummingbird in the east, The Bird’s Stance is, heading-downwards. The Long curved Beak of some Mexican Hummingbirds is quite pronounced. The (yellow) Beak alludes to, the water-source. The Tip of the Beak, pictorially, enters into the (black) Saw-toothed sign for, the water. The (black and white) Circle with a Cross or “+” indicates, a crossing through the surface. This sign alludes to the Eye, The Eye of the Sun, Venus. The (dark blue, actually black) area around the Eye indicates, in the darkness. Illustration 17: The Wing, The Hand The Wing is the Hand of the Bird. It has the same Form as the (black and white) sign below it. The (blue green) Saw-toothed sign for, the water, positional, within or under it, the (green) “Y” shaped gesture sign, that means, the one who opens up the way ahead, -- the scout, the scout of the Sun. This is followed by the (light blue) “U” shaped sign, positional, below. Along side the length of the Hummingbird is the (light brown) Arm, the warrior, and Hand, the Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun. The Hummingbird on the Right, the west, makes the same statement as the Hummingbird in the east. The Hummingbird was also called, the little one, the little-flier, as compared to, the great one, the great flier, the Eagle, the daytime Sun. According to a Aztec/Mexica legend, Huitzilopochtli was born on Coatepec, or Snake Hill. The Glyph translated in this paper is the glyph presently used to represent the city of Coatepec. However we now know that this glyph is quite a bit more complex than simply meaning, “Snake Hill.” Huitzilopochtli (Hummingbird on the Left) as a representation of the Eastern star or Venus is represented, in this glyph, where Venus could be found within the cave of the underworld located below a hill. This was a cosmological statement and would have referred to any hillside where a spring gushed from its side. The Hummingbird as a metaphorical representation of Venus was probably based on the fact that a male hummingbird, during courtship, will fly in a “U” shaped formation to impress any nearby female. This is similar to the motion of the Venus, which rises in the east then falls below the earth only to rise again in the west and descend once again, –a “U” shaped movement. This glyph discussed in this paper concerns itself with the time period where Venus is not seen in either direction. The cosmological statement of the glyph is not the same as found in oral tradition but it does clarify the roles of the Serpent and the Hill as entities involved in the rebirth of Aztec warrior-priests and their ascension and merging with Venus.