Tatil

Tatil ("polvo resplandeciente", conforme a Colop [2008: 186]) es, con q'anab'aj ("arcilla amarilla") parte de los emblemas de poder y autoridad otorgados por Nakxit a los líderes k'iche'. Explica el lingüista k'iche' Sam Colop (2008: 186n307) que los dos objetos se refieren "a cosméticos con los cuales, como dice Coto (1983: 62) 'antiguamente se solían embarnizar los rostros: titil, 3an abah.' El primer término en el texto k'iche' es tatil, que en Basseta y Coto aparece como titil."

Tatil ("Shining Black Powder"), here paired with q'anab'aj ("Yellow Stone"), is one of the many objects given to the K'iche' leaders by Nakxit as a sign of their new political and sacred authority. Anthropologist Allen J. Christenson (2007: 259n696) cites colonial-era sources like Basseta and Ximénez to explain its significance. He writes: "Basseta identifies tatil (a variant of titil), as a shining black powder or saltpetre used to dry ink when writing. Ximénez interprets titil as an 'unguent with which they [Quichés] paint/smear' (Ximénez 1985, 536). In this context, it, along with the 'yellow stone' that is paired with it, were likely pigments used as face or body paint connected with ceremonial performances."