Abstract

ROSSELL, Cecilia. Estilo y escritura en la Historia tolteca chichimeca. Desacatos [online]. 2006, n.22, pp.65-90. ISSN 2448-5144.

Nahua pictographic writing has been a very controversial subject among anthropologists, historians, archeologists and linguists, since it's an original system that doesn't fit the traditional definitions of what constitutes a "true" writing system, meaning one that only represents a speech chain, and therefore is presented in a linear form. Mayan writing is regarded as a system that fits such definitions, but the writing systems of Mexico's Altiplano, are still being debated.These questions will only be answered by further advances in methodology and more meticulous studies. This paper presents a brief background of the Nahuatl language and its speakers, the Toltecas-Chichimecas, as well as a more in-depth analysis of certain characteristics of nahua pictographic writing, done by studying the sixteenth century mixed codex known as the Tolteca Chichimeca History.

Keywords : iconography; epigraphy; indigenous writing; Mexican codices; Mexico.

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