stone; also a counter, a way of representing numbers, but referring to things that are round (see Molina, note from 1555)
Tlen in hueli in tetotontin? Cuix tlacaqui? Cuix yolizmati? Amo zan tetl texcali ycocopalo, yocotzoyo = What power do miserable little rocks have? Do they have understanding? Are they prudent, wise and creative? No—just the excretions of rocks and volcanic outcroppings.
tetl quahuitl, "stone(s) + stick(s) = punishment;"
cequi ntí n ycatematl, tetl quitlaza ya = Cequi:ntin i:ca tematl tetl quitla:zaya = Some threw down rocks with slings
Ioan monequi ytech pohuizque matlactli tlaxinque no matlactli tetçotçonque = And it is required that ten carpenters be attached to him, and also ten stonemasons (Coyoacan, mid-sixteenth century)
tliltic teçontli, in chichiltic teçontli, yn iztac tetl yn mvteneva texamitl = black pumice stone, red pumice stone, white stones called stone adobes (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
We sometimes see stones thrown as a part of land possession activities. See an example below, in attestations from manuscripts translated into Spanish. Search also poseción. (SW)
The Florentine Codex, especially Book 6, refers to the pairing of tetl and quahuitl (the rocks, the wood) in association with knowing secret things, perhaps such as the wonders of nature. But it also relates to an ability to see into or through things. (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
ca oticmononochili in quavitl, in tetl itic tlamati, tlachia = for thou hast consulted the one who knoweth, who seeth things [within] wood, within stones (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
tetl itic, quavitl itic tlamati, tlachia tlacaquj in totecujo: mjtztlamachiliz ҫã cuel itla mopan qujoalmonequjltiz = our lord knoweth, seeth, heareth the things within the rocks, within the wood. He will know thy secrets (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
A ca ie, moietztica, in tlacatl, in totecujo: in tetl, in quavitl itic tlachia, in tehitic tlachia, in tehitic tlamati = The master, our lord, is already present. He seeth within the rocks, [within] the wood; he seeth within one; he knoweth of things within one (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
Tlen in hueli in tetotontin? Cuix tlacaqui? Cuix yolizmati? Amo zan tetl texcali ycocopalo, yocotzoyo = Pues que poder tienen essas pedresuelas? Por ventura tienen entendimiento, ò discurso? No por cierto, porque son vnas gomas de los riscos y peñascos.
tza cetetl yn icac yn calli yhua yn ixquich yn oca tepeuhtonc yn ixquich ytetl mochi = no hay más de una casa y todos aquellos montones de piedras que hay (San Juan Teotihuacan, 1563)
in tetl, in quahuitl = un metáforo que quiere decir el castigo (literalmente, la piedra, el palo)
ynic otetl = segunda [tierra] (con otra ortografía: inic ontetl)
ynic quetetl = tercera [tierra] (o: inic eytetl)
ynic nauhca = cuarta
(son ejemplos del uso de la palabra para contar cosas; Ocotelulco, 1619)
onenen yn ipan tlalli otlamomotlac yca tetl = se anduvo paseando por el suelo tirando piedras de una parte a otra (Ciudad de México, 1582)
tetl = piedra; noteuh = mi piedra
tetl indica objetos redondos, pulidos, como las piedras (tetl), los huevos, los frutos, etc.; centetl xochiqualli, un fruto; on tetl, dos, yetetl, tres; nauhtetl, cuatro; macuiltetl, cinco; chiquacentetl, seis, etc.
Cuix ticneltoca ca in izquitetl sacrmento cenca techipauh cenca tequaltili = Crees que todos los Sacramentos de la Yglesia limpian y purifican el alma...? (centro de México, 1600)