Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish AmericaJoyce, Thomas Athol
History
Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish America
Joyce, Thomas Athol
Mayas -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities
_Manik._ A hand in the attitude of conveying food to the mouth.
Seler suggests that the word may come from may-nik = cloven hoof. The
Mexican sign is a deer’s head or hoof, and the Zapotec word also means
deer. The flesh of this animal was the principal animal food of the
Maya.
_Lamat._ The Zapotec word means “divided,” and this corresponds
with the Maya sign; but it is difficult to see how either can be
brought into relation with the Mexican tochtli, a rabbit.
_Muluc._ Both the Zapotec and Mexican words mean “water,” and
probably the Maya sign, though much conventionalized, may have a
similar significance.
_Oc._ The sign represents the head or ear of the dog as pictured
in the MSS., and thus corresponds to the Mexican itzcuintli.
_Chuen._ Probably the conventionalized face of a monkey, in which
case the sign corresponds to the Mexican ozomatli. The Kakchiquel word
for this day is Batz and it will be remembered that in the Quiché
legend Hun Chuen and Hun Batz were turned into monkeys.
_Eb._ The grotesque head with its prominent teeth and fringed
“ear” corresponds to the jaw-bone and bunch of grass of the Mexican
malinalli.
_Ben._ The Zapotec word means “reed,” and so corresponds with the
Mexican acatl, while the Maya glyph probably represents a reed mat.
_Ix._ The sign represents the spotted face of the ocelot, which
also gives its name to the corresponding Mexican day.
_Men._ An aged face; the Mexican sign is the eagle, closely
connected with the aged goddess Tonantzin.
_Cib._ The sign seems to be connected in some way with honey-wine
or mead, and frequently appears upon jars in the MSS. The Mexican sign
is the vulture, a symbol of old age, and it will be remembered that in
Mexico only the aged were allowed free use of intoxicants.
_Caban._ This seems to be the earthquake sign, used also to typify
motion, as the Mexican olin.
_Eznab._ This sign appears on spear-heads, and seems to indicate a
flaked stone, thus corresponding with the Mexican tecpatl.
_Cauac._ This sign represents the thunder-clouds, while the small
cross is emblematical of the wind which blows from all quarters;
it thus corresponds with the Mexican quiauitl, and the connection
is emphasized by the fact that the Kakchiquel word for rain is
_caok_, and the Tzental term for thunder is _chauk_.
_Ahau._ A face, sometimes, in the more elaborate of the
sculptures, the head of a man of rank, which the word ahau implies.
Xochitl, the flower, the last sign of the Mexican list, is, it will be
remembered, the emblem of the god Xochipilli, the guardian of princes.
Like the Mexicans, the Maya observed the solar year of 365 days,
divided into eighteen months of twenty days each, with five days over,
called uayeb, and considered unlucky. The names of these months were as
follows (Fig. 54 and Appendix II):--
Pop, Uo, Zip, Zotz, Tzec, Xul, Yaxkin, Mol, Chen, Yax, Zac, Ceh, Mac,
Kankin, Muan, Pax, Kayab, Cumhu, five Uayeb days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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