Skulls and Colorines

[Kier Salmon]

I was asked about 'Tzompanteuctli.'  It was found in Bierhorst's  
translation of the Codex Chimalpopoca as rulers of
Cuitlahuac and/or some form of sorcerer.
I looked up in my several dictionaries and found that according to  
Francis Karttunen the pronunciation of the second vowel is what  
distinguishes the tree "colorin" from the "skull rack" of the  
pyramids.  I also found references to a village in "Valle de Toluca"  
called this way whose inhabitants might have been called Tzompanteuctli.

Does anybody know more the possible use of this word as applied to a  
people or profession?

Kier

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