Nahuatl word for center point of the "compass"

[alexis wimmer]

I believe the center as cardinal point was named *tlalxicco*, in the
umblical of the earth. This was where the fire burns. *tlalxictenticah*, ‘he
fills the umbilical of the earth’, was one of the names of the fire or fire
god. Incense was offered towards the fire as well to the four cardinal
directions. I don’t know if an other name of the domestical fire:
*nauhyoteuctli*, the lord of the Four (directions??) was related with the
four cardinal points. But the ideological connexions of the center were
many.

Best regards.

Alexis Wimmer.

http://nahuatl.ifrance.com


-----Message d'origine-----
De : Mark David Morris <mdmorris at indiana.edu>
À : nahuat-l at server2.umt.edu <nahuat-l at server2.umt.edu>
Date : dimanche 24 juin 2001 17:02
Objet : Re: Nahuatl word for center point of the "compass"


>Carl et. al,
>
>I believe the center is considered the umblical, xictli.  I know the
>Annales del Museo Nacional c.a. 1920 at least published material on this;
>Lopez Austin's work on the human body probably also touches on it in his
>discussion of the tonalli.  Sorry, I couldn't be more precise.
>
>Mark Morris
>