Each xiquipilli has
a standard – cuachpantli – to carry on the road and into the
battle. Codex Mendoza lists four types of standards, even though there were
probably additional banners for lesser divisions that were worn by the leaders
of those smaller units. Such leaders were called yaotequihuaque,
and they wore extra layer of colorful insignia over the customary cotton shirt
armor in addition to ornaments constructed from bark paper, feathers and cloths
attached to their backs by leather straps in the manner that would not
interfere with their ability to war and maneuver. Those cuachpantli banners
or standards served to indicate the position of each unit while helping
coordinate its movements on the battlefield. Zoe Saadia, “Army
with no Beasts of Burden,” Pre-Columbian Americas, August 29, 2017)
