Instead of giving to the next name in Table II (Caban) the number 14, the
number 1 was prefixed; for, as previously stated, the numerical
coefficients of the days did not rise above the number 13. Following the
day 1 Caban, the sequence continued as before: 2 Eznab, 3 Cauac, 4 Ahau.
After the day 4 Ahau, the last in Table II, the next number in order, in
this case 5, was prefixed to the next name in order--that is, Imix, the
first name in Table II--and the count continued without interruption: 5
Imix, 6 Ik, 7 Akbal, or back to the name Kan with which it started. There
was no break in the sequence, however, even at this point (or at any other,
for that matter). The next name in Table II, Kan, selected for the starting
point, was given the number next in order, i. e., 8, and the day following
7 Akbal in Table II would be, therefore, 8 Kan, and the sequence would
continue to be formed in the same way: 8 Kan, 9 Chicchan, 10 Cimi, 11
Manik, 12 Lamat, 13 Muluc, 1 Oc, 2 Chuen, 3 Eb, and so on. So far as the
Maya conception of time was concerned, this sequence of days went on
without interruption, forever.
While somewhat unusual at first sight, this sequence is in reality
exceedingly simple, being governed by three easily remembered rules:
_Rule 1._ The sequence of the 20 day names repeats itself again and again
without interruption.
[Illustration: TONALAMATL WHEEL, SHOWING SEQUENCE OF THE 260
DIFFERENTLY NAMED DAYS]
{43}
_Rule 2._ The sequence of the numerical coefficients 1 to 13, inclusive,
repeats itself again and again without interruption, 1 following
immediately 13.
_Rule 3._ The 13 numerical coefficients are attached to the 20 names, so
that after a start has been made by prefixing any one of the 13 numbers to
any one of the 20 names, the number next in order is given to the name next
in order, and the sequence continues indefinitely in this manner.
It is a simple question of arithmetic to determine the number of days which
must elapse before a day bearing the same designation as a previous one in
the sequence can reappear. Since there are 13 numbers and 20 names, and
since each of the 13 numbers must be attached in turn to each one of the 20
names before a given number can return to a given name, we must find the
least common multiple of 13 and 20. As these two numbers, contain no common
factor, their least common multiple is their product (260), which is the
number sought. Therefore, any given day can not reappear in the sequence
until after the 259 days immediately following it shall have elapsed. Or,
in other words, the 261st day will have the same designation as the 1st,
the 262d the same as the 2d, and so on.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account