Top Register

The Temple and Enthronement

The scene opens with a vibrant architectural depiction. A polychrome temple or palace structure is shown on the left, likely representing a specific city-state or sacred site. It features a blue-green roof adorned with four stylized ornaments representing clouds or waves. Below the roof, a red frieze is decorated with white circular patterns. Inside this sacred space sits a small figure dressed in a white garment and a conical headpiece, signifying a moment of enthronement or high-status residence.

Council of the Lords

In the center of this register, a seated lord—identified by scholars as the famous Mixtec conqueror Lord 8 Deer "Tiger Claw"—occupies an ornate wooden chair. He faces a kneeling figure in a formal audience. Both individuals are adorned with elaborate feathered headdresses and jewelry, indicating their elite status. Above them, the calendrical date 8 Reed is prominently displayed, consisting of a red bundle symbol accompanied by eight red circles. original: "8 Reed" refers to the year or day sign in the Mixtec 260-day ritual calendar.

The Coyote Warrior

Separated from the previous scene by a vertical red divider—a common convention in Mixtec codices to denote a change in time or location—stands a warrior on the right. A warrior figure is shown in specialized military regalia, wearing a canine mask, likely a coyote or wolf, which may indicate his membership in a specific warrior society. He wears a feathered headdress and is equipped for combat, carrying a decorated shield and a spear-thrower (atlatl) A tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity and distance when throwing spears. with a set of spears.

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Bottom Register

The Fire Drill Ritual

On the bottom left, two lords are engaged in a significant ceremonial act. One lord holds a vertical shaft, known as a fire drill, against a wooden base to generate fire through friction. The "New Fire" ceremony was a vital Mesoamerican ritual symbolizing rebirth, the beginning of a new time cycle, or the sanctification of a new site. Accompanying this ritual are two specific calendrical signs:

• 8 Snake: Represented by a serpent's head surrounded by eight yellow and brown circles.
• 7 Deer: Represented by a deer's head surrounded by seven green and blue circles.

Skeletal Deity or Warrior

To the right of another vertical red boundary, a striking figure with skeletal features dominates the scene. This figure likely represents a deity associated with death or a warrior wearing the macabre regalia of the underworld. The figure is decorated with red and white circular spots, which may represent sacred paper ornaments or drops of blood. He carries a shield and several spears, emphasizing the connection between warfare and the divine. Two atlatl (spear-thrower) icons are placed horizontally above and below him, framing the figure in a display of martial power.