AMERINDIA 40: 35-67, 2018
Marc THOUVENOT
Investigador honorario del CNRS
DOI : https://doi.org/10.56551/NHLQ5263
Abstract: The Aztec writing consists of figurative images. This raises questions about its
relationship with European images and whether the latter may have influenced the former.
This is the question we ask ourselves about some elements of this writing, based on a classic
Codex Xolotl study by Charles Dibble. This author assures that the codex is traditional except
four elements: tonatiuh “sun”; pantli “banner”; citlalli “star” and cuauhtli “tree” which would
show a European influence. We will ask ourselves what is the basis for such an assertion and
show that it is possible to propose another explanation which does not rely on the idea of
European influence but on the idea of a particularity of the school in Texcoco.