ID: 901002421 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/ia/901002421	Record Type: Named Legendary Animal

	Cipactli (Nahua creature)

Note: ENGLISH: In Nahua mythology, Cipactli was a primordial sea monster. Exact identification is ambiguous, sometimes described as a crocodile, caiman, or lizard with partial fish or amphibian characteristics. In several creation stories, Cipactli bites off the foot of Tezcatlipoca. The creature is associated with the earth, as a result is sometimes referred to as an "earth monster." SPANISH: En la mitología nahua, Cipactli era un monstruo marino primordial. Su identificación exacta es ambigua, y a veces se le denomina cocodrilo, caimán o lagarto con características parciales de pez o anfibio. En varios relatos de la creación, Cipactli muerde el pie de Tezcatlipoca. La criatura se asocia con la tierra, por lo que a veces se le llama "monstruo de la tierra". HUASTECAN: Ipan tlapohualiztli nahuatl, cipactli eliyayace tecuani tlen atl. Itlachiyaliz axtlahuel neci catlinya, huan quemmantzin quillia cocodrilo, caiman zo lagarto ica ce tlaixnextilli tlen ce michin zo tlenya tlen nemi ipan atl. Oncah miac tlapohualiztli tlen queniuhcatzan moyoltilih, Cipactli quitlanquechia iicxi Tezcatlipoca. Ni tecuani monehpanoa ica tlaltepactli, pampa quemmantzin quiilliah "mostruo de la tierra".

Names:

	Cipactli (Nahua creature) (preferred,Classical Nahuatl-P,D,N)
	Cipactli (Nahua creature) (English-P,D,N)
	Cipactli (Nahua creature) (Spanish-P,D,N)
	Cipactli (Nahua creature) (Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl-P,D,N)

Hierarchical Position:

		Legend, Religion, Mythology (P)
		....<Amerindian iconography> (P)
		........<Nahua iconography> (P)
		............<Nahua characters> (P)
		................Cipactli (Nahua creature) (I)

Other Relationships:

	role/characteristic is .... sea monster
	.....(legendary beings, Animalia (kingdom), Eukaryota (domain), living organisms (entities), Living Organisms (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

	culture/religion is .... Nahua (style or culture)
	.....(Native Central Mexican styles, Native Middle American, Native American, The Americas, styles, periods, and cultures by region, Styles and Periods (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

	takes the form of .... lizard (suborder)
	.....(Squamata (order), Reptilia (class), Vertebrata (subphylum), Chordata (phylum), Animalia (kingdom), Eukaryota (domain), living organisms (entities), Living Organisms (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

	takes the form of .... crocodile
	.....(Crocodilia (order), Reptilia (class), Vertebrata (subphylum), Chordata (phylum), Animalia (kingdom), Eukaryota (domain), living organisms (entities), Living Organisms (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

Sources:

	Cipactli (Nahua creature)
	................Simeon 1992 111
	................Wimmer 2020

Iconography Record Sources:

	................ GRI, FloCo terminology (2019-) FCIA005