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
That there are some errors is quite clear; for instance, the variation at
_a_ arises from the fact that Dr. Förstemann gives the date here as 10
months, 10 days, whereas the codex has it 10 months, 13 days. Making this
correction the interval will be 4 months, 10 days. The correction will
make the interval at _d_ 9, 11, instead of 9, 8. Still there is a
variation of two months from the usual interval, which, if corrected on
the supposition that Dr. Förstemann has mistaken the month, would
necessitate a change of the remainder of the series given in this line.
The interval at _c_, according to the figure given by Dr. Förstemann,
would be retrograde, that is, minus 12. This arises from the fact that he
gives the last date in the middle line on Plate 47 as 2 months, 6 days,
whereas the symbol is very distinctly that of the third month, and the
eight day series is unbroken if this correction is made.
When these evident errors are corrected the series of intervals show
very clearly a system and periodicity depending on the day column series
in the upper part of the pages. In the first column (Table V) the
interval is usually 4 months, 10 days, precisely the same as between the
first and second day columns, but occasionally it is 4 months, 5 days,
which will still bring it to one of the four day series, including the
day indicated by the date--4 months, 10 days. This will be understood by
examining our calendar (Table II). The corresponding days in the four
year columns were, by the Maya system, necessarily brought together in
the calendar; for example, they are arranged in the series pictured on
Plates 13-18 of the Cortesian Codex precisely as given in our Table II.
This skip of five days is also apparent in the second and fourth columns
of differences (Table V). Whether Dr. Förstemann is correct in all his
identifications of months among the symbols on the five plates now under
consideration is a question I feel unqualified to answer without a much
more careful comparison and study of these characters than I have given
them.
Running through the upper division of Plates 53 to 58 and continued
through the lower division of Plates 51 to 58--that is to say, commencing
in the upper division of 53 and running into 58, then back to the lower
division of 51 and ending in 58--is a remarkable compound series. It
consists, first, of a three line series of black numerals standing above;
second, a middle series of short, three day columns, or columns each of
three day symbols, with red numerals attached; and, third, below, a two
line series of numerals, those of the upper line red and of the lower
black numbers.
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