An Aztec Shield

By

Clifford C. Richey

April 2009

Illustration 1: Aztec Shield

Illustration 2: Close Up Section

Photographs: Courtesy the British Museum

This paper uses the information learned from an earlier paper, The Hole In The Fairfield Gorget, to show how all the signs maintain their meaning even when applied to an Aztec artifact.

We will begin our translation with the circular form of the shield which means, a location. The predominant color of the shield is from the turquoise tiles that were glued to the shield with pine pitch. The reason for the blue color is that it represents water and the largest image in this composition is that of the Serpent

Illustration 3: Illustration of Aztec Shield Courtesy British Museum

which means a stream or current of water.

The center of the composition is that of a Square indicating a House. Within the Square is a Circle, again indicating a location. Another locational circle with the four (compound) triangular signs showing the four directions as well as meaning taken upward to a distant point. Internal to the circle is another House sign in the center. Thus the message is something like, The House - The Center - of the Four Directions, The House of Ascension.

The lower part of the Serpent's body forms the imagery of a Mouth with many teeth. The Serpent's body is broken here to show that this is an opening. As has been demonstrated the earlier paper a Mouth means a source of water or moisture such as a spring or a well. The teeth are rounded at their edges in order to form the sign for male-spirits. The last tooth on the right touches a vertical place sign while the Serpents body at this spot is in the form of the Crook which means taken in the upward direction of the Serpent.

The other, lower, Crook has feathers on it and the feathers form the signs for openings. The feathers also indicate that the Serpent is feathered. This means that Parts of the Serpent (a Stream of Water) are taken in flight from the openings. In other words the Feathered Serpent imagery is a compound glyph meaning evaporation.

Behind the Serpent imagery is the partially hidden imagery of a Plant. It Roots or Feet indicate a walk or journey. The black Vertical Rectangles mean a vertical dark and/or deep place. These place signs divide the feet into the signs for male-spirits. The Plant's top or Head appears above the Serpent in the form of flowers or blossoms. These blossoms, four on each side are in the shape of Tumi Knives so as to indicate, metaphorically, the opening up or the blossoming of the warrior-spirits. An analogy with how flowers open when touched by the rays of the morning sun.

The two branches of flowers divide to form the Flat Line which indicates the ground's surface. It is at this point that the division of the branches forms the opening sign. Right above the opening sign is the form of a Drop of Water. The water drop's double outline means something within it is hidden or unseen. What is unseen is the Face (meaning, his appearance) looking upward. The Face seems to have an ear ring which is formed of the location-place signs. The Face's Mouth is is also a place sign. Thus the place where he appears is a place of an opening in

the ground's surface, a Mouth or spring where the spirits are found hidden within the drops of water. The Face's Eye is a compound side and hole sign.

The Serpent's Head is made up of multiple signs. The back of the Serpent's Head has the imagery of a curved Finger pointing toward a dark “Y” shaped sign the means wood or wooden (the shape may have been based on the forked branches in a tree). The fork itself makes the sign for opening thus a wooden opening or doorway. The white triangle within the “fork” means female or the female-earth.The Serpent's Eye forms the signs for held-in and a dark location. The Mouth of the Serpent is in the form of the earth-female sign and the line arising from it means arises and terminates at an eye shaped sign above.

The four human like figures are probably warrior-spirits but may also represent the four directions. These figures have hardly any bodies as they are mostly formed of Arms, Hands, and Feet. The arms and feet have the dark place signs on them thus indicating that they (the Hands) are in these places. The feet, of course indicate a dark walk or journey while the toes mean covered-dark-locations. The Mouths are formed from place signs and the ear rings from place-hole signs. Dark and light edge of the land or horizon signs with Feathers indicating the number three (many) and ascending flight make up the figures headdresses. The feathers touch the curve of the circle that makes up the shield and thus acts as a sky-arc sign. The figure's eyes are signs indicating underside-dark/deep locations.

The lower left figure's hand touches the body of the Serpent signifying the Hand is carried on the stream or current of water that the Serpent represents. The Hand of the upper right figure touches one of the numerous location circles that make up the Serpent's back. This touching of the Serpent may not only represent the location of the spirits but may also indicate that they are the Hands of the Feathered Serpent (a Title) –His warriors. The numerous circles on the Serpent's back may well indicate a count, perhaps of days, but this is not entirely clear. It should also be noted that all the figures touch the sky arc.

The Shield has many holes drilled around its edge. These holes probably represent holes in the earth but also provided for the attachment of feathers to indicate the many flights of the spirits from the holes in the earth to the sky.