Kinsman, J. H., 2018. Compendium of Terms relating to Meteors and Comets (Part 1).

The Codex,
at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Vol 26, Issue 1-2,
October 2017-February 2018. ISSN 1083-6314.

GRAMMAR IN THE SCRIPT

COMPENDIUM OF TERMS RELATING TO METEORS AND COMETS

(PART 1)
by
Hutch Kinsman

There are a myriad of terms involving meteors, known as shooting stars, or

their seemingly slower lumbering cousins, comets, in Mesoamerica that have
developed from early times up through the colonial period. Currently they are
scattered throughout the literature in a confusing array of sources. This is an
attempt to bring those terms together into one place so as to give some order to
chaos. The compendium is broken into two parts: part one focusing on
meteors and meteorites and part two, focusing mainly on comets but including
some information on Venus, constellations, and other phenomena. Examples of
each variety of terms are presented as well as all known meteors, meteorites
and comets noted in the literature (up to and including the year 1539), which at
this point rely on the screen-fold books, or codices, written prior to or slightly
after the contact with the Spanish. Sightings of comets, meteors and meteorites
are found in the Aztec literature and are recorded by year1 only. Sources
available to the author are listed directly within the table (sometimes
abbreviated), whereas sources not available to the author are still listed in the
reference section but in the examples are annotated as being "in" or "from".
Fortunately many of the pre- or slightly after Spanish contact screen-fold
picture books or codices are available online either for viewing or download as
are many of the ethnographic dictionaries. Translations from the native
languages into English or Spanish are provided, however for the sake of space,
the author leaves some Spanish entry translations to the reader.

Both parts draw from codices, dictionaries and numerous authors who have
addressed the appropriate astronomical phenomena. To retain accuracy for
each example, I quote the author directly or paraphrase as closely as possible,
enclosing most of my own remarks in [brackets]. Whereas comets are mostly
referred to as "smoking stars" (butz' ek' or citlalin popoca [Mayan or Nahuatl
repectively]), meteors have been known by several common epithets such as
"star excrement," flaming darts or arrows, obsidian, and caterpillars. Any
confusion between the terms for meteors and comets seems to have arisen due
to likely errors in translation or analysis by the Spanish and possibly due to the
Spanish not accounting for vowel length found in the Nahuatl language (Köhler,
1989:297, note 9). For instance, in the Codex Telleriano Remensis (39v) the
Spanish have clearly written "cometa" under the figure of a serpentine-like
figure that upon examination can be determined to be a caterpillar by its non-
                                                                                                                       
1
Possibilities of meteor showers for specific dates noted in the Maya hieroglyphic
literature have recently been computed through numerical integrations for several Maya
dates (Kinsman and Asher, 2017).

  31  
split2 tongue and distinctive spines along its back. The Spanish writing
continues with "...una cometa muy gran llaman que ellos llaman xihuitli," "...a
very large comet that they call xihuitli." Other Nahuatl sources show that
xihuitli (xiuitl, xihuitl) (Siméon, 1905:770)3 clearly refers to "meteor". The other
Nahuatl word that referred to meteor was citlalin tlamina (Sahagún, 1905:fol.
167, 282)(see Köhler, 1989:294), which can be seen from the words citlalin,
"star" and the root mina, "to throw arrows (tirarle flechas)" (Siméon, 1885:111,
277). The heading in the same Sahagún source for citlalin tlamina is "Estrellas
Fugaces," "shooting stars" (fol. 167). From this author's standpoint, there can
be no doubt that the precolumbians differentiated properly, in terms and
actuality, between comets and meteors. Another issue is the term "shooting
star", which today commonly refers to the meteor itself. Technically however,
the term is really ambiguous and could be interpreted as "a star that shoots."
In precolumbian terms, there really was a difference: the Nahuatl term for the
device that shoots the projectile was known as Xiuhcoatl, whereas the projectile
itself, a star, was known as xihuitl.

This author includes Taube's interpretation of the "War Serpent," a

supernatural creature pertaining to war, fire and meteors whose development
likely began at Teotihuacan and continued into the Maya culture. Xihuitli is a
further development of the meteor aspect of the War Serpent found in
Teotihuacan and Maya sources, evident by the more graphic illustrations that
include butterfly traits. Even though the caterpillar appears as a supernatural
creature, it also shows up as a grub-like worm, maggot, or little black serpent
that appears after a meteorite hit, possibly in the wound of a human or animal.
Other than the war serpent section, the author makes no attempt to develop
terms chronologically, which at this time would be a near impossibility. The
atlatl, a spear or dart thrower, for instance seems to be first seen with Spear-
thrower Owl on the Tikal Marcador monument depicting an event in the AD
300's and Tikal Stela 31, and similar atlatls appear in the Aztec literature over
1000 years later.

There is an obvious overlap of fiery meteors with lightning bolts and flashy
mirrors that is beyond the scope of the table but additional information may be
found in (Agurcia Fasquelle et al, 2016:7-34; Miller and Taube, 1993:106-107;
Stone and Zender, 2011:49, 73, 75 )(lightning) and (Taube, 2000:317-318;
Miller and Taube, 1993:114-115; Stone and Zender, 73)(mirrors).

Notes and abbreviations on other sources

Notes: K&N means the publication from Kaufman and Norman, 1984.
Regarding their differentiation between "common" and "proto" (abbreviated "p"),
they state:

                                                                                                                       
2
a distinctive diagnostic of a snake was the split, or bi-furcated tongue.
3
Siméon glosses xiuitl o xihuitl as "año, cometa, turquesa [turquoise], hierva, hoja," and
gives an example, xiuitl uetzi, "cae un cometa," "a cometa falls" which clearly refers to
meteor (1885:770).

  32  
 By rights, what we call proto-Mayan should be called common Mayan,
since we cannot reconstruct forward to it. In calling it proto-Mayan we
are following the normal conventions of historical linguistics in labelling
as proto the earliest ancestor of the language family. Nevertheless, there
might still be cases where it would be useful to distinguish proto-Mayan
(the true ancestor of Mayan) from common Mayan (that which is
reconstructible by backward reconstruction)(p. 80).

Their treatise is written on proto-Cholan phonology, morphology and

vocabulary, assuming "that the languages recorded in Maya hieroglyphic
inscriptions belonged to the Cholan and Yucatecan subgroups" (p. 77).
Therefore, their vocabulary entries are oriented toward proto-Cholan, but some
of their entries show reconstruction (using the asterisk "*" preceding the
abbreviation) to proto-Mayan (*pM). Their breakdown of the Cholan languages
is shown in figure 2 (p. 81) and divides common Cholan into Western Cholan
and Eastern Cholan, and further breaks down Western Cholan into Acalan
Chontal (Acl) ("the direct ancestor of the modern Chontal dialects spoken in
Tabasco")(from which follows Chontal (Chn); and Chol (Chl). Eastern Cholan
divides to Cholti (Cht)(now extinct) and Chorti (Chr).

"LL" means Lowland word, "words that have originated in Greater Tzeltalan or
in Cholan and spread to Yucatecan, or originated in Yucatecan and spread to
Cholan or Greater Tzeltalan" (112). "LLxGTz" means "Lowland x Greater
Tzeltalan word" or a cross of Lowland and Greater Tzeltalan (111) (consult a
linguist for an explanation of how a "cross" works (111)); EM means Eastern
Mayan, see Table 1, Genetic classification of the Mayan languages (79).

The Cholan languages (Ch) are one part of a larger group of languages known
as "Greater Tzeltalan" (GTz); the other part is the Tzeltalan group (Tz), made up
of Tzeltal (Tze) and Tzotzil (Tzo)(page 79, Table 1).

The "glottal stop," or "saltillo ('little jump') is an "'occlusive consonant' produced

by closing the glottis to impede the passage of air (and then releasing the
impounded air)" (Hopkins, 2016) such as in the English pronunciation of "uh"
in "uh oh." It is actually written similar to a question mark without the dot
below the half circle (see the International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA), but
sometimes the number 7 or an apostrophe is used. Mayan languages
distinguish between a consonant and a glottalized consonant by the addition of
the apostrophe such as in k or k'. In the Mayan languages the glottal stop is
included as a consonant in its own right and in fact precedes all vowel-initial
words (Hopkins, 2016).

  33
 
Sources with abbreviations:
ABV: Barrera, Yucatec Maya diccionario,
1980.
ADM: Molina, Alonso de. 1571.
ADM-70: Molina, Fray A. de, 1970.
AFA: Aveni, Anthony F., 2001.
AJC: Christenson, Allen J., 2003.
AJC-PV: Christenson, Allen J
AT: Tozzer, Alfred, 1907.
BT: Tedlock, Barbara, 1992.
CBM: Codex Bodley (Mixtec Group).
CCC: Coggins, Clemency Chase. 1987.
CDXB: Codex Borgia (Loubat 1898).
CL: Lenkersdorf, Carlos, 2010.
CPO: Olivier, Charles P., 1925.
CS: Smith, Colin, 1993.
CT: Trenary, C., 1987-1988.
CTR: Codex Telleriano-Remensis, 1901
CVA: Codex Vaticanus 3738 A
CVB: Codex Vaticanus 3773 B
CXA: Codex Azoyu.
CXB: Codex Borbonicus (Loubat 1899).
CXC: Codex Cospi (Loubat 1898).
CXM: Codex Mexicanus, 1590.
CZN: Codex Zouche-Nuttall (Graz).
DD: Duran, Diego
DKY: Yeomans, Donald K., 1991.
DS-05: Stuart, D., 2005.
DS-06: Stuart, D., 2006
DT: Tedlock, Dennis, 1996.
EB: Boot, Eric, 2002.
FBS-05: Sahagún, Fray B. de, 1905.
FBS-50: Sahagún, Fray B. de (1950-69).
FBS-79: Sahagún, Fray B. de, 1979.
FJT: Tirado, F. J., 1787.
FK: Kartunnen, Frances, 1983
FS&T: Fasquelle, Ricardo Agurcia, et al,
2016. GO:
Olivier, Guilhem, 2003
GWK: Kronk, Gary W., 1999
H&J: Hopkins, Nicholas A
HPA: Ashmann, H. P., 1962.
HwT: Hofling, Charles Andrew with
Tesucún, Félix Fernando, 1997.
  34
IMBH: Butler, Inez M. H., 1997.
JEST: Thompson, J. Eric S., 1970.
J&S: Jones, Christopher, and Linton
Saterthwaite, 1982.
JHK: Kinsman, J.H., 2014.
J&S: Jones, Christopher, and Linton
Saterthwaite, 1982.
K&A: Kinsman, J. H. and Asher, D. J.,
2017.
KBS: Bassie-Sweet, Karen, 2008.
KwJ: Kaufman, Terrence with Justeson,
John, 2002
K&N: Kaufman, Terrence and Norman,
1984.
KT-TH: Taube, K., 2000.
KT-ST: Taube, K., 2012
LwH: Robert Laughlin with John B.
Haviland, 1988.
MB: Beech, Martin, 1987.
M&G: Martin, S., Grube, N., 2008.
M&S: Martin, S., Skidmore, J., 2012.
M&T: Miller, Mary and Taube, Karl, 1993.
NAH: Hopkins, Nicholas, A., 2016.
PXJ: Pankenier, D.W., Xu, Z., Jiang, Y.,
2008.
RG: Girard, Raphael, 1966.
RML: Laughlin, Robert M., 1975.
RS: Simeon, Remi. 1885.
SGA: Slocum, Marianna C. et al, 1999.
SH: Hagar, S., 1931.
SM: Milbrath, Susan, 1999.
S&M: Schele and Miller, 1986.
S&Z: Stone, Andrea and Zender, Marc,
2011.
T&T: Turner, Paul and Turner, Shirley,
1971.
UK-89: Köhler, Ulrich, 1989.
UK-02: Köhler, Ulrich, 2002.
V&H: Vail, Gabrielle, and Christine
Hernández, 2013.
WBS: Wisdom, 1950.
Table of Mesoamerican Terms referring to Meteor or Meteorite:

Meteor Description Image or further Location Language

Symbolism description Remarks &
Source

Meteors as K’inich Yax K’uk’ rulers carved on the Copan

Celestial Mo’, founding king monument--only Yax (see KT-
darts of Copan, holding K'uk' Mo' is holding a TH, 274).
"war serpent burning dart while
shield and burn- the other rulers hold
ing dart," from torches.
Altar Q, showing,
one of 16

"Flaming ch'ab'i q'aq' -- refers to the tip or ch'ab -- arrow; bow Quiche
arrow" shooting star or point of an arrow, (for arrows)(AJC, 21) (BT, 28)
meteor. dart, dagger, or q'aq' -- fire. (DT, 327).
The term ch'ab'i spear.
mountain yolob vitz --meteor shoot (arrow, yal -- tv. hurl or Tzotzil
arrow (mountain arrow). crossbow), spear... shoot (long objects, (LwH, 423)
(meteor, (LwH, 423). yalbay, tv. shoot darts, staves, arrows)
meteorite) vitz -- mountain. (arrow, crossbow), yal -- iv. descend, fall
yol -- arrow, bow, spear...(LwH, 334). from a height...(LwH,
comet, crossbow, arrow -- p'ilom te7 333). bow and arrow
dowry, goad stick. (also a snare /for /of ka7benal or sak-
cf. yal. (LwH, 336) rabbits, dogs or hol/: yolob (RML,
also yalbaj, iv. quails (RML, 296, 386, 397).
397)).

"star that ch'olanic ch'umil - colonial Quiché tipped spears and Quiche
makes war" star that makes term for meteor, lances used in war. (FJT, 208)
war. related to obsidian-
star-shot citlalin tlamina -- pierce with an arrow Nahuatl
darts meteor, shooting (RS, 615). (FBS-05, (see KT-TH
star. citlalin - fol. 167, 282r). 296-297,
star. [tlaminalli -- Aztec sign for meteor. Fig.10.16a)
.
meteor Serpent plus (CBM, 12). Mixtec. (see KT-
(star-shot name of Mixtec TH, 297,
dart) Lord 9 Flower Fig 10.16e)
Shooting Star.

  35  
War Serpent Supernatural that the War Ser- shooting stars and (KT-ST,
Two types: creature pertain- pent was identified meteorites. Often in 117)
ing to war, fire with (turquiose flight, can trail
Early Classic and meteors. more identifed with flames as a burning
Teotihuacan, Symbolic signif- Xiuhcoatl [device tail. Present at
icance of tur- that launches Teotihuacan even
Classic quoise, but arrows, spears, though no Turquoise
Maya obsidian was etc]). Consistent has been found.
likely the stone with Mesoamerican
conceptions of
War Serpent Heavily clawed feathered eyes Serpent with serpent (KT-ST,
(Early limbs, large ears, commonly found body; more accurately 119)
Classic toothy feline maw, with butterflies. considered a "War
Teotihuacan) although with a At Teotihuacan, Jaguar" for Teo-
long, bifurcated currently no known tihuacan.
serpent tongue as examples of War
well as the

War Serpent War Serpent Temple of Quetzal- (KT-ST,

(Teo- mosaic helmet coatl (within the 118, fig 1a)
tihuacan) headdress. Sche- Ciudadela compound
matic and angular at Teotihuacan) a
head covered with structure dating to
a surface of plate- roughly AD 200.
lets. Located in (Drawing by Taube).

War Serpent Star signs on stucco painted vessel (in KT-ST,

(Teo- forelimbs and Xi (after Conides 2001: 118, fig 1f)
tihuacan) sign atop the fig. 67b) (drawing by
head, detail of Taube).

War Serpent "Early Classic serpent tongue, (KT-TH,

(Teo- Teotihuacan-style prominent feathered Fig.10.11b.
tihuacan) censer from Xico. butterfly eyes, and a 286) (KT-
Along with a jag- pair of antennae-like ST, 118,
uar maw and tufts." Xico. (drawing fig 1d)
clawed forelimbs, by Taube, after Berlo,
the figure has a 1984).

War Serpent Found on Early weapon, a type of (KT-TH

(Early Classic facade at, obsidian sacrificial 300-301,
Classic Acanceh: a star knife known for fig 10.18b).
Maya) marked War Ser- Teotihuacan" (from
pent coiled around Taube, 1992c, fig 8a)
a sickle-shaped Acanceh, Yucatán

  36  
War Serpent Maya ruler with Lamanai Stela 9. (KT-ST,
(Maya) War Serpent (from Taube, 119 fig 2c).
helmet headdress, 1992b, fig 6a).

War Serpent War Serpent Teotihuacan-style (KT-ST,

(Maya) headdress (with military garb. 119,Fig 2f;
projecting an- (detail of Stela 2, KT-TH
tennae) and burn- Naranjo). 283, fig
ing rattlesnake tail [antennae are a 10.9e).
worn by Maya ruler butterfly
dressed in attribute]. (after
Graham and von
Euw, 1975 II-13)

War Serpent Secondary attri- ta:h uwu:t tok' Copan St.

(Maya) bute of Classic uwu:t waxaklahun 11, A3-A5.
Period War Ser- u bah chan, (Drawing
pent--obsidian and "obsidian is its by Linda
flint eyes of War eye, flint is its eye, Schele).
Serpent (KT-HT, the 18 its image
300, Fig 10.18a). snake," (D. Stuart
in KT-HT, 301).

Xiuhcoatl Described as: met- the form of meteors, Xiuhtecuhtli (DRE, (KT-TH
(Postclassic eoric fire serpent; that is, shooting 49)--turquoise/ 294, 296)
descendant turquoise fire ser- stars. Often appears meteor lord, In
of the War pent; Classic fire as an atlatl, a shoot- Primeros
Serpent). serpent. (obsidian er of starry darts. Memoriales
(Identified is identified with Commonly displayed Xiuhcoatl meteor
with War Serpent). Both stars on its snout serpent is
turquoise). caterpillars and the probably indicate described as the
Xiuhcoatl were meteor shower (KT- nahualli co-essence
viewed as fiery, HT, 296). of Xiuhtecuhtli
celestial beings in (Sullivan, 1997:100
in KT-TH, 294).

Turquoise “...turquoise was lord,” there was also significance of (KT-ST,

very much a “sky the Xiuhcoatl, the turquoise, 117).
stone” and related turquoise fire ser- including a
closely to the sun, pent." Although supernatural
fire and meteors. "there is no tur- creature
Along with the Az- quoise known at pertaining to war,
tec god of fire, Teotihuacan... fire and meteors

  37  
 Xiuhtecuhtli, themes pertaining to were already
meaning the later symbolic present at
'turquoise Teotihuacan."

Xiuhcoatl Xiuhcoatl with (CDA, fol. 26) (KT-TH,

(with butterfly head 289,
butterfly 10:13a)
traits)

Xiuhcoatl Aztec Xiuhcoatl (CXB, 20) (KT-TH,

(with with butterfly wing. (KT-ST, 131, fig 289,
butterfly 13d) 10.13d).
traits)

Xiuhcoatl Xiuhcoatl on Aztec Xiuhcoatl have (KT-TH,

(with Calendar Stone. (sic) seven stars on 320,
butterfly Fiery butterflies on their snouts, the 10.28d)
traits) segmented body conventional (KT-ST,
and winglike flame number of stars 131, fig
on shoulder. Each counted for the 13g)
of the descending Pleiades (KT-TH,
325)

Xiuhcoatl Xiuhtecuhti drilling archaeological (CXL, 8).

(making new fire (on mirror) on presence of (KT-TH,
fire) back of fire ser- burned mirrors at 295, Fig
pent. Coggins Chichen Itza (CCC, 10.15c).
suggests that new in KT-TH, 317).
fire was drilled on (Also see KT-TH,
mirrors and cites 295, fig 10.15a, b).

Xiuhcoatl "One of the GIII [Showing the PAL, T.Sun

(in name) Palenque Triad's meteor aspect of C5-D6
name is based on GIII, the Palenque (DS-05,
the Xiuhcoatl-like Triad deity 175-176;
square-nosed featured on the drawings
serpent prefixed by Tablet of the Sun]. by L.
K'ahk' ti', 'Fire is its Named as yajaw Schele).
mouth'." k'ahk' on T.Inscrip.
Mid., N4M5 (fig
142c).

  38  
Xiuhcoatl "...emerging from Mexico, and likely dates in
(headdress) the beak's nostril is represents solar 'Ahkal Mo'
('Ahkal Mo' a squared 'Zip heat as the sun Nahb' III's
Nahb' III, monster' snout... god's breath." (DS- reign that
Temple XIX, one of the... diag- 05, 22-23). Taube are assoc-
stone panel, nostic features of interprets the iated with
Palenque) the sun god, K'in- stars on the snout 3 major
ich Ajaw. This an- as probably meteor
gular motif is representing a showers
clearly related to shower of meteors (JHK, 94,
the later Xuihcoatl (KT-TH, 296). [in Table 1)].
entity of Post- classic central fact, 3 stars in the
snout may relate
to 3 significant

Xiuhtecuhtli Xiuhtecuhtli with (Dresden

(Aztec deity) Xiuhtototl brow- Codex 49)
piece and tur- (KT-ST,
quoise sign pec- 127,fig10d)
toral (KT-ST, 127). (V&H,DRE,
Atlatl in one hand 46d-50d,
and darts in the CHAK-xiwitei. frame 11).
other; association name glyph-- (M&T, 189-
with Venus (V&H). Xiuhtecuhtli. 190).

Xiuhcoatl Huitzilopochtli a turquoise atlatl]. (CXB, 34)

(as an atlatl) wielding Xiuhcoatl "The dots [on the (see KT-
spear-thrower atlatl] probably TH, 296-
(Huitzilo- (atlatl) marked with depict stars, 298).
pochtli -- stars. [the thereby portraying (M&T, 93-
Aztec deity) Xiuhcoatl is the the weapons as 96).
device that Huitzil- shooters of
opochtli wields in meteoric darts"
his right hand, (KT-TH, 297)

star shoots Sun god (Nahui tecutli. (CDXB, 53, Nahuatl

citlalin Olin) on his throne 54)(DRE, 46-50). (UK-02, 3,
tlamina that shoots with (CXC, 9-11). [Also, fig 3).
stars (CDXB-71). citlalin tlamina - (M&T, 166)
The other celestial "exalacion de com-
body that shoots eta" (ADM, Cante
with spears or ar- I, 22). - vapor de
rows is the Venus un cometa,
god,Tlahuizcalpan- estrellas que
exhala [vapores]
(RS, 111).

  39  
meteor Lord 9 Flower (CZN, 27) Mixtec
(star-shot Shooting Star (see KT-
dart) (Mixtec). TH, 297,
Fig.10.16c)

atlatl Spear-Thrower Owl making its second (K&A, 123).

on Marcador, closest approach (Tikal).
spear-thrower/ to Earth on April
atlatl marked with 1, 374; called one
stars. Accession of the "greatest of
occurred likely only the greats" comet
a few weeks after by Seargent
Comet Halley (2009:40-41).
disappeared after

atlatl Spear-thrower with Grapheme at top Tikal

stars. part of glyph block (J&S,
G17, Tikal Stela 1982)
31.

xihuitl "running cometa" - meteor, not comet. Variety of Note 9

(Nahuatl Codex Telleriano Molina (1970, II, meanings may be (UK-89,
language) Remensis (1899, 159v): xihuitl has a due to difference 297). (Also
39V), Sahagún variety of meanings: in vowel length see KT-TH,
(1979, book VIII, fo. año, cometa, tur- (note 9, Köhler). 294).
12r). --idea of quesa y yerua (year, Commonly dis- (ADM-70 in
falling (Molina, meteor, turquoise, played stars on its UK-8,
1970, II, 159v). - more generally jewel snout probably in- 297).
likely a term for and herb)(KT-TH, dicate meteor
278)(UK-89, 297). shower. (KT-TH-
296).

xihuitl meteor xihuitl--meteor as grande que ellos (CTR, 39v).

butterfly-headed llaman xihuitl ." (see KT-
caterpillar. Below Codex Telleriano- TH, 287,
this figure on page Remensis, fol. 39v. fig.10.12e).
39v is written in This meteor was (UK-89,
Spanish, "...corrio noted to have 295)
una cometa muy occurred in 1489, (UK-02, 4)
the year 10 Calli
[house].

  40  
xihuitl Second recorded and gave the (UK-89,
meteor appearance of a impression of 295)(UK-
meteor reported showering sparks." 02, 5)
from central Mex- "mentioned by [note: UK-
ico; between 1515 Sahagún (1950-69, several chron- 89, 295
and 1519. "...ap- vol 8, fig 57)(from iclers as one of the describes
peared before dusk (UK-02, 5). Sahagún bad omens which as between
and ran from west (1979, book VIII, fo. preceded the 1510 and
to east; it split into 12r)(UK-89, 295). Spanish conquest 1519].
3 parts and caused great
fear."

xihuitl specific term for Where a xihuitl Contemporary (UK-89,

meteors and arrives on the earth, Sierra Nahua of 296)
meteorites black caterpillars will Veracruz.
appear.

Yahui "a supernatural both Zapotec and John Pohl

(Mixtec form of fiery me- Mixtec ancestry-- (1994:44,
version of teor or comet that portrays a flying in KT-ST,
Xiucoatl) flies through the Yahui or Xicani 122)
sky, and in many with flints in its
cases it has a hands as well as a
flaming tail. In burning tail tipped
addition, a tomb with a flint blade,
relief from Zaa- a graphic de-
chila--a site with piction of a
shooting meteor."

Xiuhcoatl forelimbs and Fons Mexicains 20. (KT-TH,

or yahui diminutive rear [no reference]. 287, Fig.
legs. 10.12h).

Xicani Zapotec Classic (after Urcid Zapotec.

(Zapotec period Xicani with Serrano 2001: fig. (KT-ST,
version of turtle carapace and 4.107,2; in KT-ST, 121 fig 4a).
Xiucoatl) Xi sign tail. 121, fig 4a).

caterpillars shooting stars, animal or man, an at night and they Nahuatl

meteorites. Shoot- ocuili, a maggot or refrained from (UK-89,
ing stars cause caterpillar, would be eating animals 295; UK-
caterpillar or left in the wound. wounded by a 02, 3).
grublike worms. If Therefore, people shooting star (UK-
the falling star-- protected them- 89, note 10, 297-
arrow--hit an selves when walking 298; FBS-50 in
UK-02, 3)

  41  
citalocuilin "it is said that they star.'" citlali, citlalin -- (RS, 354). Nahuatl (Sahagún
Star are named 'star- star. (RS, 111). 1950-1982
worm/cater- arrow,' and what ocuilin, ocuili -- book XI.:
pillar they are on is gusano, cebo para la 100, in KT-
called 'shot by a pesca (worm, bait) TH 290).

citlalocuile Where a xihuitl which are about 3 'star-caterpillars', Nahua of

("star-cater- (term for meteor cm long and are piled as well as Los Reyes
pillars", (also and meteorite) together into a heap citlalcuitlatl, in the
citlalcuitlatl, arrives on the the size of a hand. 'starshit, and the Sierra de
"star earth, black cater- These caterpillars are heap looks indeed Zongolica,
[excrement]" pillars will appear, called citlalocuile, like excrement." Vera Cruz
(UK, 296)

caterpillars Lak Mam’s axe -- Earth Lord, who uses refers to the pre- Chol
(also see obsidian (polished his axe to split open columbian (H&J, 75)
obsidian) stone axe). “Lak trees to get at the polished stone
Mam’s axe”, a caterpillars inside. axes occasionally
reference to the The term found in fields.”
(under "jachaj",
75).

sansewal Tojolabal Maya -- El sansewal son...: divide.” [note in Tojolabal

worms Relámpago (flash of “They are little dictionary: y se (CL, 505-
lightning); Estrella worms of fire that convierten en 506).
fugaz, luz que move and still are obsidiana -- [and
aparece de noche not like stone, but are converted into
en los cerros. rather like little black obsidian]. Taube
“Shooting star, serpents, like little translation (KT-
light that appears worms. In the sky TH, 291) of
in the night in the they shine like a Lenkersdorf
mountains.” lamp. Upon falling Spanish
to earth they translation (CL,
506).

meteors "In ancient Central to fiery meteors...the verb uetzi is also (KT-TH,
(sparks, fire, Mexican thought, Classical Nahuatl used to refer to the 294).
torches, fire fire drills and the term for fire making falling of a
drilling. making of new fire was uetzi in shooting star, as
twisted appear to have tlequauhuitl, 'the fire in the phrase
cords. been closely linked drill falls.' The same xihuitl uetzi,"
(ADM, 159 X ANTE
I).

  42  
fire drilling god M figures Madrid Codex, Madrid
drilling fire. Graz edition. page codex.
51a

meteor Offspring of the ko of the fire [-drill]. pain in the macaw seizure (ah
(the off- in the Tzab, Macaw is blamed for seizure is Kinich oc tancas).
spring of fire Offspring of the fire seizures in the in- Kak-mo (“sun-eye-
and fire in the sky, the fire cantations, about fire-macaw”).Ritual (Roys, xix,
drilling in the clouds, the one third of those in of the Bacabs, The 6-10).
(Traveler force of the friction Ritual of the Bac- words for traveler-
Seizure). at the tip abs. The son of the

fire drilling means fire drilling coma [woodworm] agujereada asi. Yucatec
hax (and holes made by HAXaL 2. el agujero hax 3: sacar fuego Maya
worms). hax 1. El que hace el gusano o con palo. Drilling, (ABV, 188)
agujero [hole] que carcoma. hax 2. la piercing,
hace la car- cosa taladrda o perforation

twisted cords Burning censer (Dresden Codex, (Noted in

with flames as page 28). KT-TH,
twisted cords. 293, fig
10.14h).

twisted cords Both GIII, emerg- [author: note Kerr vase

ing out of the similarity between K758
mouth of an owl, the eyes of GIII (see KBS,
and the owl itself and the owl with 119).
wear the twisted twisted-cord
cord over their crullers and the
noses (noted by ek' star sign in the
KBS, 119). skyband above].

  43  
twisted cords Ruler (cords on his Late Classic, Ian
forehead/nose) Naranjo Stela 21. Graham,
with shield noted in
representing (KT-TH,
Jaguar god of the 293, fig.
Underworld with 10.14g.).
twisted “cruller.” (DS-06,
Shield and crossed 160, 161).
spears--Jaguar god Stuart’s
of U. with twisted take --war
cords. related

torch ch'ob -- a numeral where na is "house". this author, ch'ob Tzotzil

[may only be classifier (used to [A couple of second- is only a numeral (RML,
numeral count things) for ary sources report classifier, "nc" as 137).
classifier, not torch, falling star, ch'ob is a word for noted by Laughlin
actual st. elmo's fire. meteor, but if the (32), for counting
metaphor] ch'obch'ob -- strictest sense of the and not the item
numeral classifier entry is used, torch itself, i.e. a falling
for a single torch and falling star star; therefore, one
/1 only/. "a single would not be meteor might be
house" would be h- synonymous. As far ch'obch'ob tzo'
p'ehp'eh na, (25) as is known by k'anal].

torches, GII or god K (also ceramic torch (S&M, 49,

obsidian Bolon Dzacab, flare holder. Torch sign fig 33).
god, manikin = phonetic
scepter) has a complement
forehead mirror showing that the
punctured by a mirror is made of
celt, a smoking obsidian. tah is
celt, a smoking both obsidian and
cigar, a smoking torch, so GII is the
torch or a obsidian mirror. A
mirror can replace
his head.

Tezcatlipoca Tezcatlipoca on a Falling Hairs” by (CXB, 33)

temple during the celebration of (GO, 170,
feast of Quecholli. annual festival 304, Plate
Mexicans, pre- Quecholli, which 26).
dating the arrival fell from heaven to (SH, 399).
the Spanish, com- earth with the
memorated falling Lord of the Dead
stars called held towards the
“Tzontemocque or end of October.
(CXB).

  44  
meteors or Mesoamerican are the spent projectiles possibly (KT-TH,
meteorites as belief that dart meteoric remains of considered a 298, 299).
obsidian points and other star arrows. Volleys celestial “rain of
obsidian objects of obsidian-tipped darts.”

meteors or "obsidian chips are Mixtec of San (B. Bade,

meteorites as stars that fall from Miguel Cuevas. pc to KT-
obsidian the sky." TH, 298).

Meteors or Pieces of obsidian 'obsidian chips are flashes emitted by Huastec

meteorites as "are considered as also interpreted as stars to punish (in KT-TH,
obsidian the spent weapons pieces of stars left by brujos'" (Alcorn 296).
of protective stars; red and blue 1984:141).

Meteors or obsidian meteoric blades, and meteor- any Maya groups Quiche
meteorites as in origin. ites are saved and at this time. One (BT, 28).
obsidian "meteorites are placed together in supposed (KT-TH,
thought of as the the traditional "meteorite" on 298, 299).
remains of falling household shrine display at the
stars, and since it known as the Palenque museum
is believed that meb'il " (BT, 28). turned out to be
obsidian occurs [note: the author is pyrite upon a
wherever a meteor unaware of any closer analysis
has landed, arrow- actual meteorites in (personal
heads, obsidian the possession of communication to
author)].

obsidian tzo' k'anal. Obsidian is thought shooting stars as Tzotzil

obsidian. to have been dropped they fall and (RML, 93).
k'anal—star by return to the sky.
tzo'--excrement

obsidian xche'e beljw -- beljw--star Zapoteco (IMBH, 15,

obsidian. xche'e--excrement. 351

Obsidian Obsidian But- Flanking pairs of (Seler,1902

Butterfly terfly—a warlike, stars hanging on -1923,
(goddess starry being of long stalks IV:318 in
Itzpapalotl) slain warriors—is represent falling KT-TH,
centered in the stars--meteors 326, fig
symbolism of 10.30e)
shooting stars and
Schematic Itzpapalotl
meteorites.
star

warrior souls Late Postclassic Detail of Mixtec of Taube TH

as butterflies Central Mexican carved bone, Tomb (325, 326,
thought, souls of 7, Oxaca after fig 10.30c).
slain warriors were Caso 1969: fig.

  45  
 identified both with Butterfly warrior soul 193).
butterflies and the as night star
night stars.

meteors as *ta7 -- mierda Tz *tza7. pMZ *te7n Chr). LLxGTz K&N

excrement, //shit. (Chl, Chn, - tin. K&N entry490. *eek'; Tz *ek'. EM
(*ta7) of Cht, Chr). LL *ek' -- estrella// star *ch'uumiil (K&N
stars (*ek') *taa7; pM *tzaa7; (Chl, Chn, Cht, entry #134).

star ta’ ek‘ -- shooting ek' = star. Ch’ol (H&J, 60,

excrement star. 212)

star Tlifay Galxamna "its excrement the Chontal (T&T, 156 (CT, 102,
excrement star." in CT, 102) Table 1).

star "caca de estrella" -- citlalcuitlatl -- excre- synonym for (FK-35)

excrement obsidian ment of the stars, obsidian (Aztec,
Mexico)

star sk’oy k’anal -- is used as a gram- pedazos pequeños Tojolabal.

excrement estrella fugaz, matical prefix]. k'anal de piedras negras (CL, 332,
"shooting star". - star. [Estas estrellas espejadas, 353)
[k’oy -- excrement, tambien se identifican obsidiana]." (CL,
["s" preceding k'oy con 332)

star tsa’ec’ -- aerolito, estrella fugaz-- Tzeltal (SGA, 129

excrement estrella fugaz. [shooting star]. 206)

star tzo’ k’anal -- return to the sky. "caterpillar star Tzotzil

excrement obsidian. tzo' k'anal tzo'- excrement, shit, excrement" (RML, 93)
(star shit)--meteor, guts /person, recalling the
meteorite.(LwH, caterpillar/. This Tojolabal concept
423) Obsidian is entry is noted as of sansewal
thought to have rather curious by meteorites as
been dropped by (KT-TH, 299) noting black wormlike
shooting stars as that "this Tzotzil creatures that
they fall and phrase for obsidian turn into glassy
may signify 'mirror stone,'
quite possibly
obsidian."

  46  
star tzo' k'anal [star arrow -- p'ilom te7 bow and arrow /of Tzotzil
excrement shit]. (RML, 296, 397)). ka7benal or sak- (LwH, 423,
yolob vitz -- hol/: yolob (RML, Vol II).
[mountain arrow]. 397).

star shivi sho'o dini celestial bands and (Codex Borgia, 26) (CT, 99,
excrement Note figures falling vomiting blood; Mixtec speaker in figure 2a).
from the sky accompanied by Oaxaca, Mexico.
defecating falling axes.

star Obsidian butterfly KT-TH, 327). CVB, 92.

excrement goddess, Itzpapa- Noted by Seler
Itzpapalotl lotl, excreting a (ES, 721) in KT-
starry stream, or TH, 326-327, fig.
citlalcuitlatl. 10-30a).
Itzpapalotl is also citlalcuitlatl --
related to flint (see excrement of the
stars, synonym for
obsidian (Aztec)
(FK, 35).

star [urine considered highland Totonac (HPA, 2, 132) (in UK,

excrement excrement, see CT, (contemporary). 296)
(urine) 103].

cigar stubs Chorti believe that that the rain gods them and then Chorti
meteors are the smoke. They [the throw them into (RP, 112)
“stubs” of cigars rain gods] smoke space."

meteor as whirling rain in Kumatz -- snake; painful joints). Quiche

sutz’ kumatz storm; falling illness (recurring (AJC,114)
meteor. sudden cramps and

poslom sickness in leg, midnight, one’s leg letting and by Tzotzil

falling star seen at is reported to swell washing the leg (RML, 284,
dusk. The soul of and become watery. with a woman’s 513)
an evil person may poslom = kind of urine, rubbing it
take the form of devil (LwH, 288, Vol. with garlic and
shooting star or a I). The sickness is tobacco and
fire. If it is met on treated by blood- binding it with an
the trail before old skirt.

mankornal pair of shooting see above entry for mankornal --yoke, Tzotzil
k'anal stars. k'anal--star tzo' k'anal). pair of oxen (229). (RML, 229,
513)

  47  
meteor k'aak' -- fire, light, star. [HwT gives an stars) fall from the Itzaj Maya
match, blight, interesting example: clouds." (386)]. (HwT, 386)
measles, shooting 'I saw fire (shooting

citlalin "la inflamación de produces

tlamina la cometa" (FSB-05, meteors].
(la inflama- fol. 167). "in- Köhler
ción de la flamación"-- igni- notes the
cometa) tion, combustion belief that
(meteor) (CS, 407). The text meteors
reads, "The 'Strik- can be the
ing Spark Star companion
Jaguar' [is its] spirit (na-
'wahy' [nagual]" gual) of
(S&Z,151)(K2284). this may be an example of a meteor. The humans
[Since "striking 'ignition of a comet' is quite close to the (UK-89,
spark" may indi- actual process of how a sun-heated comet 296-297).
cate "ignition,"

me7 tak’in treasure, shooting Chn, Cht, Chr), LL is a loan from LL Tzotzil
star/seen after *taa7; pM *q'iin 'day, (K&N, entry (RML,
midnight/. Where sun' (K&N, entry #490a). 232).
shooting stars #490a). LL *taa7 -- pCh (K&N).
land, treasure re- mierda//shit (K&N,
portedly can be entry #490). cf
found (RML). tak'in Nahua teoo-kwitla-tl
--fierro //metal 'precious metal', lit.
(Chl, Acl, 'god-shit; Tz *tak'in

meteorite The rain gods and often fell trees in the midst of the Yucatec
(chink'aak', [Yumchakob -- their journeys. forest. This is the Maya,
lit., sus- using Girard's Sometimes the explanation given Lacan-
pended fire") spelling] carry bows points of their arrows when a meteorite dones (AT,
and arrows are found in is found." 157)

meteorite "Among some of the where a meteorite be found with alli- Maya, (AT
Mayas, it is falls, there a lake will gators." Yucatec 157-158)
believed that afterward

  48  
meteorite possible meteorite; Codex Mexicanus, (CMX, 57)
11 Acatl (the year pl. 57. (UK-89,
1399). "Two stars, 294)
one in the sky, and
the other touching
the ground, and
both connected by
a vertical line" (UK-
89, 294).

meteorite possible meteorite; that year that it (CTR, 42v)

7 Tecpatl (the year reached the (CVA, 87v)
1512). Picture heavens" (CTR, (UK-89,
shows sky on top, 42v). Aveni 294)
the ideograph tetl, believes this might
'stone' at the be a meteor (AFA
bottom, and a line 27-29) and Köhler
with branches on thinks it possibly a
both sides con- meteorite (UK-89,
necting them. 294).
"...stones were
smoking so much

meteor yuch' e k'in --comet, glossed as 'the day, but no connection Chorti
(comet?) "falling star". yuch'- dry period or season to meteors is (WBS,
-'point of light, (Nov-May), drought given; burem 772).
star'. yuch' tu'ut e (504). [No more meaning 'burned,
k'in -- 'star, planet'. information given in charred, black,
noh yuch' -- 'planet, this source. burem dark gray,
bright star' (772). e sa'stun is glossed as darkened,
k'in by itself is 'obsidian' etc.'](592).

"comet that halal ek' -- cometa cometa that runs" is Yucatec

runs" que corre. likely a meteor. (ABV, 175).

  49  
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