Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices Part 8

IV Ik. |XII Cauac. |VII Cib.|XII Kan. | |VII Ymix.

VIII | VIII | VIII | VII | | VII[XI-2]

17 | 17 | 17 | 8 | | 17 ---------------------------------------------------------------

[XI-1] The 0 inserted at various points in these tables denotes as usual the red, diamond shaped symbol, which apparently signifies "nought."

[XI-2] The numeral symbol in this case, both in Kingsborough's copy and in the photograph, is VII, one dot having been omitted by a mistake of the original artist.

TABLE XII.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 55_a_.)

____________________________________________________________________________ | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 10 | II Muluc.[XII-1]| X Cimi. | V Akbal. |XIII Ahau.|VIII Caban.

[Picture]|III Oc. | XI Manik.| VI Kan. | I Ymix.| IX Ezanab.

| IV Chuen. |XII Lamat.|VII Chicchan.| II Ik. | X Cauac.

| VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[XII-1] In Kingsborough's work the symbol in this case is that of Been, but should be Muluc, as it is in the photograph.

TABLE XIII.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 55_b_.)

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 8 | 15 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 19 XIII Cib. |IX Ix. |IV Chuen.| XII Lamat.| VII Chicchan.| II Ik. | X Cauac.| II Manik.

I Caban. | X Men.| V Eb. |XIII Muluc.|VIII Cimi. |III Akbal.| XI Ahau. |III Lamat.

II Ezanab.|XI Cib.|VI Been. | I Oc. | IX Manik. | IV Kan. |XII Ymix. | IV Muluc.

VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VII 17 |17?(18)| 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE XIV.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 56_a_.)

____________________________________________________________ 9 | | 9 | 10 | 10 1 | | 10 | 1 | 10 18 | | 15 | 12 | 9 XIII Chicchan.| |VIII Ik. |III Cauac.| XI Cib.

I Cimi. |[Picture]| IX Akbal.| IV Ahau. | XII Caban.

II Manik. | | X Kan. | V Ymix. |XIII Ezanab.

VII | | VIII | VIII | VIII 8 | | 17 | 17 | 17 ------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE XV.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 56_b_.)

_________________________________________________________ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 8 [Picture]| X Kan. | VI Ik. | I Cauac.|IX Cib.

| XI Chicchan.| VII Akbal.| II Ahau. | X Caban.

|XII Cimi. |VIII Kan. |III Ymix. |XI Ezanab.

| VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | 17 | 17?(8) | 17 | 17 ---------------------------------------------------------

TABLE XVI.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 57_a_.)

______________________________________________________ 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 8 | VII Ix. | II Chuen.| X Lamat.| II Cib. | VIII Men.|III Eb. | XI Muluc.|III Caban. |[Picture]

IX Cib.| IV Been. |XII Oc. | IV Ezanab. | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII[XVI-1]| 17 | 17 | 17 | 17[XVI-2]| ------------------------------------------------------

[XVI-1] This should be VII.

[XVI-2] This should be 8.

TABLE XVII.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 57_b_.)

__________________________________________________________________ 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 1 10 | 10 | 11 | | 11 | 12 6 | 15 | 4 | | 13 | 4 5 | 2 | 10 | | 7 | 4 IV Been.| XII Oc. |IV Ezanab.|[Picture]| XII Men. | VII Eb.

V Ix. |XIII Chuen.| V Cauac. | |XIII Cib. |VIII Been.

VI Men. | I Eb. |VI Ahau. | | I Caban.| IX Ix.

VIII | VIII | VII | | VIII | VIII 17 | 17 | 8 | | 17 | 17 ------------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE XVIII.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 58_a_.)

____________________________________________ 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 17 | 8 | 17 | 7 5 | 2 | 0 | 17 X Been.| V Oc. | I Lamat.|II Chicchan.

XI Ix. | VI Chuen.| II Muluc.| X Cimi.

XII Men. |VII Eb. |III Oc. |XI Manik.

VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 --------------------------------------------

TABLE XIX.--_Table of numeral and day symbols._ (Plate 58_b_.)

________________________________ 1 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 18 | II Muluc.| X Cimi. |[Picture.]

III Oc. | XI Manik.| IV Chuen.|XII Lamat.| VIII | VIII | 17 | 17 | --------------------------------

The s.p.a.ces in the lists indicate the positions of the pictures of persons and curtain-like ornaments inserted here and there, as seen in Figs.

363-370.

In order to explain this series, we commence with that portion of it found in the lower division of Plate 51 (Fig. 363).

Omitting any reference for the present to the black numbers over the day columns, we call attention first to the days and to the red numerals attached to them. Those in the division selected as an ill.u.s.tration are as follows:

IV Ik. XII Cauac. VII Cib. II Been. X Oc. II Ezanab.

V Akbal. XIII Ahau. VIII Caban. III Ix. XI Chuen. III Cauac.

VI Kan. I Ymix. IX Ezanab. IV Men. XII Eb. IV Ahau.[317-1]

It will be observed that the week numbers of the days in each single column follow one another in regular arithmetical order, thus: in the first column, 4, 5, 6; in the second, 12, 13, 1; in the third, 7, 8, 9; and so on throughout the entire series. The interval, therefore, between the successive days of a column is 1; or, in other words, the days follow one another in regular order, as in the month series, so that having the first day of a column given we know at once the other two. It is apparent, therefore, that the intervals between the three correspondingly opposite days of any two a.s.sociate columns are the same; that is to say, the interval between 5 Akbal and 13 Ahau, in the first two columns given above is the same as that between 4 Ik and 12 Cauac, and also as that between 6 Kan and 1 Ymix. This is also true if the attached week numbers are omitted; for instance, the interval between Ik and Cauac, counting on the list of days forming the month, is 17 days, and it is the same between Kan and Ymix. Taking the second and third columns we find here the same interval. This holds good in that part of the series above given until we reach the last two columns; here the interval between Oc and Ezanab is 8 days and it is the same between the other days of these two columns.

This being ascertained, the next step is to determine the true interval between the first days of these columns, taking the numbers attached to them into consideration. Referring to our calendar (Table II) and (for reasons which will be given hereafter) using the Muluc column and counting from 4 Ik, as heretofore explained, we find the interval between this and 12 Cauac to be 8 months and 17 days; counting in the same way from 12 Cauac, 8 months and 17 days more bring us to 7 Cib; 8 months and 17 days more to 10 Oc. So far the intervals have been the same; but at this point we find a variation from the rule, as the interval between 10 Oc and 2 Ezanab (first of the next column) is 7 months and 8 days.

These intervals furnish the explanation of the red and black numerals below the day columns.

These numerals, as the reader will observe by reference to Fig. 363 or the written interpretation thereof in Table VI, are 8 and 17 under the first five columns, but 7 and 8 under the sixth column, the red (8 under the first five and 7 under the sixth) indicating the months and the black (17 under the first five and 8 under the sixth) the days of the intervals. This holds good throughout all that portion of the series running through the lower divisions of Plates 51 to 58, with three exceptions, which will now be pointed out.

In order to do this it will be necessary to repeat here a part of the series on Plate 51_b_ and part of that on Plate 52_b_; that is, the two right hand columns of the former and the two left hand columns of the latter, between which is the singular picture shown in the _lower left hand corner_ of our Fig. 364:

___________________________________________________________________ Plate 51_b_. || Plate 52_b_.

--------------------------++--------------------------------------- X Oc. | II Ezanab. || | XI Cib. | VI Been.

XI Chuen. | III Cauac. || | XII Caban. | VII Ix.

XII Eb. | IV Ahau. || [Picture.] | XIII Ezanab. | VIII Men.

VIII | VII || | VIII | VIII 17 | 8 || | 17 | 17 -------------------------------------------------------------------

As before stated, the interval between 10 Oc and 2 Ezanab is 7 months and 8 days, as indicated by the red and black numerals under the latter.

According to the red and black numbers under the column commencing with 11 Cib, the interval between 2 Ezanab and 11 Cib should be 8 months and 17 days, the usual difference, when, in fact, as we see by counting on the calendar, it is 8 months and 18 days. That this variation cannot be attributed to a mistake on the part of the author or of the artist is evident from the fact that the interval between 11 Cib and 6 Been (first of the next column) is 8 months and 17 days and that the difference throughout the rest of the series follows the rule given; that is to say, each is 8 months and 17 days, except at two other points where this variation is found and at the regular intervals where the difference of 7 months and 8 days occurs.[319-1] Precisely the same variation occurs on Plate 55_b_ in pa.s.sing from the first to the second column and on Plate 56_b_ between columns 1 and 2.

Why these singular exceptions? It is difficult, if not impossible, for us, with our still imperfect knowledge of the calendar system formerly in vogue among the Mayas, to give a satisfactory answer to this question.

But we reserve further notice of it until other parts of the series have been explained.

Reference will now be made to the three lines of black numerals immediately above the day columns. Still confining our examinations to the lower divisions, the reader's attention is directed to these lines, as given in Tables VI, VII, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVII, and XIX. As there are three numbers in each short column we take for granted, judging by what has been shown in regard to the series on Plates 46-50, that the lowest of the three denotes days, the middle months, and the upper years, and that the intervals are the same between these columns as between the day columns under them. The correctness of this supposition is shown by the following additions: Starting with the first or left hand column on Plate 51_b_, we add successively the differences indicated by the corresponding red and black numbers under the day columns. If this gives in each case (save the two or three exceptions heretofore referred to) the numbers in the next column to the right throughout the series, the demonstration will be complete.