Search Issues: Update 2026-09-16 - Repairs to some of our search pages are ongoing. Thank you for your continued patience!
Meanwhile, elements of the Advanced Search are working and the Alphabetical Listings are working, too.
Search Issues: Update 2026-09-16 - Repairs to some of our search pages are ongoing. Thank you for your continued patience!
Meanwhile, elements of the Advanced Search are working and the Alphabetical Listings are working, too.
firebrand, coals, embers, firewood (see Karttunen); the "new fire" drill (see Chimalpahin) used in the ceremony of the binding of a fifty-two-year period
copolco tlenamacac, in vel imatia, in itequiuh catca, in quitlaçaia, in quimamalia tlequauitl. = Of the fire priest of Copulco, who was experienced, it was his office to draw, to drill, the new fire. (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
Auh inic mitoa, mamalhoaztli, itech monenneuilia in tlequauitl: iehica, in icoac tlequauhtlaxo, ca momamali in tlequauitl: inic uetzi, inic xotla, inic mopitza tletl. = And hence was it said that they resembled the fire drill: because when fire was drawn with a drill, and the drill bored, thus fell, ignited, and flared the fire. (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
¶ 2. acatl xihuitl 1143. años. ypan…oncan ynpan Toxiuhmolpilli. cohuatepetl yn icpac huetz tlequahuitl = The year Two Reed, 1143…At this time our years were bound; on the summit of Coatepetl the fire stick was wielded. (central Mexico, early seventeenth century)
¶ 2. acatl xihuitl 1195. años…auh oncan inyc Expa quilpillicao yn inxiuh mexica yn apazco. ycpac huetz yn tlequahuitl yn itoca Tepetl huitzcol = The year Two Reed,1195... And the Mexica bound their years for the third time in Apazco. The fire drill was wielded at the summit of a mountain named Huitzcol. (central Mexico, early seventeenth century)
Toxiumolpilli ycpac huetz in tlecuahuitl cohuatepetl = our years were bound; the fire drill was wielded on Mt. Coatepetl
ycpac huetz in tlecuahuitl = on the [mountain] top they wielded the fire drill