Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices: Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-85, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 253-372 — John Shaqi
Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices: Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-85, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 253-372Thomas, Cyrus
History
Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices: Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-85, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 253-372
Thomas, Cyrus
Codex Dresdensis Maya; Maya language
If this relation of days and numerals holds good as a general thing
throughout the codex, it is apparent that where the break is not too
extensive it will enable the student to restore the missing and defective
numerals and day symbols, to detect the errors of both copyists and
original artists, and to determine the proper relation of the plates to
one another. By it he learns, as before stated, that the symbol (see page
273) denotes 20, and if phonetic probably stands for the Maya word _Kal_.
Comparing Plates 42 and 43 with Plates 1 and 2, the resemblance is found
to be so strong as to lead to the belief that they belong together. It is
apparent from the figures, numerals, and characters[277-1] in the middle
division (_b_) of Plates 1 and 2 that they belong together, as they now
stand in Kingsborough's work and Förstemann's copy; that Plates 42 and 43
are properly placed in regard to each other is also apparent from the
figures and numerals in divisions _a_ and _b_.
Taking for granted that the lines are to be read from left to right and
the plates to follow each other in the same order, our next step is to
ascertain on which side of the pair (Plates 42 and 43) Plates 1 and 2
should be placed.
The series of days and of numbers in Plate 43_b_ and Plate 1_b_, which
evidently belong together, can only be brought into proper relation by
placing the latter to the right of the former. Yet, strange as it may
appear, the days and numerals in this division are to be read from right
to left, while all the other numeral series of these four plates are to
be read as usual, from left to right. This change in the order of the
pages also brings together the similar figures in the upper division of
these plates. That Plate 42 properly follows Plate 41 is apparent from
the line of alternate red and black numerals in division _b_. As shown in
a previous work[278-1] and as will appear hereafter, these horizontal
lines of alternate red and black numerals without day symbols
interspersed are usually, if not always, connected at the left with a
column of days over which there is a red numeral, as in the Codex Troano.
Running back along the line of numerals in the middle division of Plates
42 and 41, the day column with which it is connected is found at the left
margin of Plate 38. Unfortunately the red numeral over this column is
obliterated, but can easily be restored. Starting with the first black
numeral to the right of this, the entire line, which ends in the second
column of the middle division of Plate 43 (representing the black
numerals by Arabic numbers and the red by Roman numbers), is as follows:
16, IX; 8, IV; 11, II; 10, XII; 1, XIII; 12, XII; 6, VI(?); 12, IV; 11,
II; 11, XIII; 6, VI; 12, V; 7, XII; 6, V; S + 1, XIII; 6, VI.
The number over the day column, Plate 38, must have been VI, as VI + 16 -
13 = 9, a conclusion which is sustained by Förstemann's copy, which shows
here very plainly the red character for VI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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