Painal
Nahuatl word
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Aztec religion, Painal (also spelled Paynal or Painalton, "Little Painal"; also spelled Paynalton; Classical Nahuatl: Payīnal [paˈjiːnaɬ], Payīnaltōn, Payīnaltzin) was sometimes interpreted by Spanish colonists as a god (teotl) who served as a representative of Huitzilopochtli.[1][2] Other scholars have noted that Paynala may have been a toponym, confused for a person.[2]
Bernardo de Sahagún's General History of the Things of New Spain, commonly called the Florentine Codex, briefly describes Painal thus:
Paynal was "the delegate," "the substitute," "the deputy," because he represented Uitzilopchtli. When there was a procession he was given the name Paynal, because they pressed him on quickly; he was made to hasten.
