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
As the particular year or years to which the series refers is unknown we
turn to our calendar--Table II--and select the Kan column, as we find
that 4 Ahau, the first day of the series, is the seventeenth day of the
year 1 Kan. This corresponds with the first black numeral. Counting 8
days from this we reach 12 Lamat, the second day of our series; 8 more
bring us to 7 Cib, the third day of the series; 8 more to 2 Kan; 8 more
to 10 Eb; 8 more to 5 Ahau; 8 more to 13 Lamat, and 17 more to 4
Chicchan. The red numeral at this point in some of the colored copies of
Kingsborough's work is III, but a close inspection shows the missing dot
which has not been colored. IV Chicchan is therefore correct.
Continuing our count, 8 days more bring us to 12 Been: 8 more to 7 Ymix;
8 more to 2 Muluc; 8 more to 10 Caban; 8 more to 5 Chicchan; 8 more to 13
Been; 17 more to 4 Oc; 8 more to 12 Ezanab; 8 more to 7 Cimi; 8 more to 2
Ix; 8 more to 10 Ik; 8 more to 5 Oc, and 8 more to 13 Ezanab. Here the
red numeral is wanting, but a comparison of the numbers on the different
plates and the order of the series make it evident that it should be
XIII.
Continuing our count, 17 more bring us to 4 Men (here a dot is missing in
Kingsborough's copy, but is present in the photograph); 8 more to 12
Akbal. Here there is one dot too many, which we may attribute to a
mistake of the original artist. Assuming XII to be correct, 8 more bring
us to 7 Chuen; 8 more to 2 Cauac; 8 more to 10 Manik; 8 more to 5 Men; 8
more to 13 Akbal, and to the end of our table; thus, if we include the
first seventeen days, completing the series of thirteen months or 260
days.
These illustrations will probably satisfy any one that the black numerals
in these lines denote the intervals between the days indicated by the
symbols and that the series so far examined are to be read from left to
right.
Although the succession of days and numbers in the lines of the last
example would seem to furnish conclusive evidence that the whole is one
continuous series, yet the peculiar combinations of numbers used by the
Maya priests render these series very deceptive. There can be no doubt
that the black numbers--8's--are used to indicate the intervals between
the days specified; but there is another possible way of explaining the
17 with which the lines on the different plates begin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account