[Catecismo Testeriano]

Creator

Stavenhagen, Kurt León, Nicolás Testera, Jacobo de

Place

[Mexico]

Date

[18th century]

Notes

In the early period of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, before religious instructors had learned the languages of the indigenous peoples, they used pictorial stories describing basic teachings to spread the Christian Gospel. These catechisms were called Testerians, after Father Jacobo de Testera, a Franciscan priest who pioneered this method of teaching

Probably written in Mexico in the 18th century

Title supplied by cataloguer

The name "Maria Manuela" appears on verso of leaf [11] but her role in the production of this manuscript is unclear

This catechism includes some glosses in both the Mazahua and Spanish languages

Ms. codex

This manuscript was reproduced in full with commentary by Nicolás León in English in 1900 in a work called "A Mazahua catechism in Testera-Amerind hieroglyphics" and in Spanish in 1968 under title "Un catecismo mazahua (en jeroglifico Testeramerindiano)"

Hieroglyphs are written recto and verso of all leaves except for the verso of leaves [1] and [12] leaves and leaf [13]and which are blank

Manuscript catechism in Testerian hieroglyphs written on watermarked European paper

Local notes

John Carter Brown Library copy is sewn into contemporary crushed hide wrappers and housed in brown cloth slipcase measuring 17 cm. high

John Carter Brown has bibliographic material on Testerian Catechisms, a photographic reproduction, and correspondance housed in JCB bibliographical file

John Carter Brown Library copy imperfect: hieroglyphs are much faded and come corners are water stained; some leaves are also torn or delicate, and use should be restricted to facsimile copy catalogued under shelfmark: facsim. 1-SIZE Codex Ind 26 or "Un catecismo mazahua (en jeroglifico Testeramerindiano)" / by Nicolás León

Provenance of the John Carter Brown Library copy: Dr. Nicolás Leon and Kurt Stavenhagen: former owners according to JCB Catalogue of manuscript codices

John Carter Brown Library copy acquired with the assistance of the Metcalf Fund