mathouse

Updated: July 11, 2026

Even in Humboldt's time, when there was no copper coinage, they were used as small change, six for a halfpenny; and Stephens says the Central Americans use them to this day. A mat in Mexican is petlatl, and thence a basket made of matting was called petlacalli "mathouse."

Edward Burnett Tylor - Anahuac : or, Mexico and the Mexicans, Ancient and Modern