Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts Part 8

Bra.s.seur, in his _Histoire des Nations civilisees du Mexique et de l'Amerique Centrale_,[18] a.s.signs Kan to the east, Muluc to the north, Hix to the west, and Cauac to the south. But in his supplement to _etudes sur le Ma.n.u.scrit Troano_,[19] and in his note to Landa's _Relacion_,[20] refers Kan to the south, Muluc to the east, Ix to the north, and Cauac to the west, although afterwards, in the same work, in a note to Perez' _Cronologia_, he quotes Cogulludo's statement without explanation or objection.

Dr. Brinton, in his _Myths of the New World_,[21] places these dominical days at the same points to which I have a.s.signed them--Kan at the east, &c.--although referring in a note at the same place to the very page of Landa's _Relacion_, where they are a.s.signed as given by Rosny. In a subsequent work, _Hero Myths_, referring to the same pa.s.sage in Landa, and with Cogulludo's work before him, he a.s.signs them to the same points as Rosny--Kan to the south, &c.--yet without any reference whatever to his former expressed opinion.

Schultz-Sellack, in an article ent.i.tled _Die Amerikanischen Gotter der vier Weltrichtungen und ihre Tempel in Palanque_, in the _Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie_ for 1879,[22] comes to the same conclusion as Rosny.

Rosny's opinion on this subject has already been quoted.[23]

From these facts it is evident that the a.s.signment of the dominical days to their respective cardinal points has not as yet been satisfactorily determined, but that the tendency at the present day is to follow Landa's simple statement rather than Cogulludo and Perez. This is caused, I presume, in part, by the fact that certain colors--yellow, red, white, and black--were also referred to the cardinal points, and because it is supposed that among the Maya nations yellow was appropriated to Kan, red to Muluc, white to Ix, and black to Cauac; and as the first appears to be more appropriate to the south, red to the east or sunrise, white to the north or region of snow, and black to the west or sunset, therefore this is the correct a.s.signment.

But there is nothing given to show that this was the reason for the selection or reference of these colors by the inhabitants of Central America.

This brings another factor into the discussion and widens the field of our investigation; and as but little, save the terms applied to or connected with the dominical days, is to be found in regard to the Maya custom in this respect, we are forced to refer to the Mexican custom as the next best evidence. But it is proper to state first that the chief, and, so far as I am aware, the only, authority for the reference of the colors named to the four Maya days, is found in the names applied to them by Landa.[24]

According to this writer, the other names applied to the _Bacab_ of Kan, were _Hobnil_, _Kanil-Bacab_, _Kan-Pauahtun_, and _Kan-Xib-Chac;_ to that of Muluc, _Canzienal_, _Chacal-Bacab_, _Chac-Pauahtun_, and _Chac-Xib-Chac;_ to that of Ix, _Zac-Ziui_, _Zacal-Bacab_, _Zac-Pauahtun_, and _Zac-Xib-Chac;_ and to that of Cauac, _Hozen-Ek_, _Ekel-Bacab_, _Ek-Pauahtun_, and _Ek-Xib-Chac_. As _Kan_ or _Kanil_ of the first signifies _yellow_, _Chac_ or _Chacal_ of the second signifies _red_, _Zac_ or _Zacal_, of the third _white_, and _Ek_ or _Ekel_, of the fourth _black_, it has been a.s.sumed, and, I think, correctly, that these colors were usually referred to these days, or rather to the cardinal points indicated, respectively, by these day symbols. If there is any other authority for this conclusion in the works of the earlier writers, I have so far been unable to find it.

If the figures in our plate are properly and distinctly colored in the original Codex Cortesia.n.u.s, this might form one aid in settling this point, but, as we shall hereafter see, the colors really afford very little a.s.sistance, as they are varied for different purposes.

Rosny gives us no information on this point, hence our discussion must proceed without this knowledge, as we have no opportunity of referring to the original. I may remark that it is the opinion of the artist, Mr.

Holmes, from an inspection of the photograph, that the plate was at least partially colored.

M. de Charencey, who has studied with much care the custom of identifying colors with the cardinal points in both the New and Old World, believes that in Mexico and Central America the original system was to refer yellow to the east, black to the north, white to the west, and red to the south.[25]

When we turn to the Mexican system we find the data greatly increased, but, unfortunately, the difficulties and confusion are increased in like proportion. Here we have not only the four dominical days and the four colors, but also the four ages, four elements, and four seasons, all bearing some relation in this system to the four cardinal points. It will be necessary, therefore, for us to carry along with us these several ideas in our attempt to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion on this complicated and mystified subject.

Before referring to the codices I will present the conclusions of the princ.i.p.al authorities who have devoted any attention to this question.

Sahagun says, "The names that they gave to the four parts of the earth are these: Vitzlampa, the south; Tlapcopcopa, the east; Mictlampa, the north; Coatlampa, the west. The names of the figures dedicated to these parts are these: Tochtli, the rabbit, was dedicated to Vitzlampi, the south; Acatl, the cane, to the east; Tecpatl, the flint, to the north; Calli, the house, to the west; * * * * and at the end of fifty-two years the count came back to _Cetochtliacatl_, which is the figure of the reed, dedicated to the east, which they called _Tlapcopcopa_ and _Tlavilcopa_, nearly towards the fire or the sun. Tecpatl, which is the figure of a flint, was dedicated to Mictlampa, nearly towards h.e.l.l, because they believed that the dead went towards the north. For which reason, in the superst.i.tion which represented the dead as covered with mantas (cloths) and their bodies bound, they made them sit with their faces turned toward the north, or Mictlampa. The fourth figure was the house, and was dedicated to the west, which they called Cioatlampa, which is nearly toward the house of the women, for they held the opinion that the dead women, who are G.o.ddesses, live in the west, and that the dead men, who are in the house of the sun, guide him from the east with rejoicings every day, until they arrive at midday, and that the defunct women, whom they regard as G.o.ddesses, and call Cioapipiltin, come out from the west to receive him at midday and carry him with rejoicing to the west."[26]

Veytia's statement in regard to the same subject is as follows:

"The symbols, then, which were used in the aforesaid monarchies for the numeration of their years were these four: Tecpatl, that signifies flint; Calli, the house; Tochtli, the rabbit; and Acatl, the reed. * * *

The material signification of the names are those just given, but the allegories that they wished to set forth by them are the four elements, which they understood to be the origin of all composite matter, and into which all things could be resolved.

"They gave to fire the first place, as the most n.o.ble of all, and symbolized it by the flint. * * * By the hieroglyphic of 'the house'

they represent the element earth, and gave it the second place in their initial characters.

"By the rabbit they symbolized the air, * * * and represented it in various ways, among which was the sign of the holy cross. * * *

"Finally the fourth initial character, which is the reed, which is the proper meaning of the word Acatl, is the hieroglyphic of the element water."[27]

At page 48: "It is to be noted that most of the old calendars--those of the cycles as well as those of years and months, which they used to form in circles and squares, ran from the right to the left, in the way the orientals write and not as we are accustomed to form such figures.

* * * But they did not maintain this order in the figures that they painted and used as hieroglyphics in them, but placed them some looking to one side and some to the other."

Gemelli Carreri[28] writes as follows in regard to the Mexican calendar system:

"A snake turned itself round into a circle and in the body of the serpent there were four divisions. The first denoted the south, in that language call'd _Uutzlampa_, whose hieroglyphick was a rabbit in a blew field, which they called _Tochtli_. Lower was the part that signify'd the east, called _Tlacopa_ or _Tlahuilcopa_, denoted by a cane in a red field, call'd _Acatl_. The hieroglyphick of the north, or Micolampa, was a sword pointed with flint, call'd _Tecpatl_, in a yellow field.

That of the west or _Sihuatlampa_, was a house in a green field, and called _Cagli_. * * *

"These four divisions were the beginning of the four terms that made up the age. Between every two on the inside of the snake were twelve small divisions, among which the four first names or figures were successively distributed, giving every one its number to thirteen, which was the number of years that composed an indication; the like was done in the second indication with the same names from one to thirteen, and so in the third and fourth, till they finished the circle of fifty-two years.

* * * From what has been said above, there arise several doubts; the first is, why they begin to reckon-their years from the south; the second, why they made use of the four figures, of a rabbit, a cane, a flint, and a house."

He then goes on to state that the Mexicans believed the sun or light first appeared in the south, and that h.e.l.l or inferno was in the north; then adds the following:

"Having found this a.n.a.logy between the age and the year, they would carry the similitude or proportions on further, and, as in the year there are four seasons, so they would adapt the like to the age, and accordingly they appointed _Tochtli_ for its beginning in the south, as it were, the spring and youth of the sun's age; _Acatl_ for the summer, _Tecpatl_ for the autumn, and _Cagli_ for his old age or winter.

"These figures so disposed were also the hieroglyphicks of the elements, which is the second doubt; for _Tochtli_ was dedicated to _Tevacayohua_, G.o.d of earth; _Acatl_ to _Tlalocatetuhtli_, G.o.d of water; _Tecpatl_ to _Chetzahcoatl_, G.o.d of air; and _Cagli_ to _Xiuhtecuhil_, G.o.d of fire. * * *

"The days _c.i.p.actli_, _Michitzli_, _Ozomatli_, and _Cozcaquauhtli_ are companions to--that is, in all respects follow--the order of the four figures that denote the years of an age, viz, _Tochtli_, _Acatl_, _Tecpatl_, and _Cagli_, to signify that every year whose symbol is _Tochtli_ will have _c.i.p.actli_ for the first day of the month; that whose symbol or distinctive mark is _Acatl_ will have _Michitzli_ for the first of the month; _Tecpatl_ will have _Ozomatli_, and _Cagli_ will have _Cozcaquauhtli_."

Clavigero[29] agrees with Gemelli in reference to the correspondence of the year symbols with the first days of the years, and inserts the following remark in a note:

"Cav. Boturini says that the year of the rabbet began uniformly with the day of the rabbet, the year of the cane with the day of the cane, &c., and never with the days which we have mentioned; but we ought to give more faith to Siguenza, who was certainly better informed in Mexican antiquity. The system of this gentleman is fantastical and full of contradictions."

From this statement we infer that Siguenza held the same opinion on this point as Clavigero and Gemelli.

Boturini[30] gives the following arrangement of the "symbols of the four parts or angles of the world," comparing it with that of Gemelli.

"Gemelli. "Boturini.

1. Tochtli = South. 1. Tecpatl = South.

2. Acatl = East. 2. Calli = East.

3. Tecpatl = North. 3. Tochtli = North.

4. Calli = West." 4. Acatl = West."

SYMBOLS OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.

"Gemelli. "Boturini.

1. Tochtli = Earth. 1. Tecpatl = Fire.

2. Acatl = Water. 2. Calli = Earth.

3. Tecpatl = Air. 3. Tochtli = Air.

4. Calli = Fire." 4. Acatl = Water."

Herrera speaks only of the year symbols and colors, and, although he does not directly connect them, indicates his understanding in regard thereto by the order in which he mentions them:[31]

"They divided the year into four signs, being four figures, the one of a house, another of a rabbit, the third of a cane, the fourth of a flint, and by them they reckoned the year as it pa.s.sed on, saying, such a thing happened at so many houses or at so many flints of such a wheel or rotation, because their life being as it were an age, contained four weeks of years consisting of thirteen, so that the whole made up fifty-two years. They painted a sun in the middle from which issued four lines or branches in a cross to the circ.u.mference of the wheel, and they turned so that they divided it into four parts, and the circ.u.mference and each of them moved with its branch of the same color; which were four, _Green_, _Blue_, _Red_, and _Yellow_; and each of those parts had thirteen subdivisions with the sign of a house, a rabbit, a cane, or a flint."

From this statement I presume his arrangement would be as follows:

Calli -- Green.

Tochtli -- Blue.

Acatl -- Red.

Tecpatl -- Yellow.

Still, this is at best but a supposition. It is evident that he had before him or referred to a wheel similar to that figured by Duran in his _Historia de las Indias_, as his description agrees with it in every respect, except as to the arrangement of the colors.

According to Duran[32] "The circle was divided into four parts, each part containing thirteen years, the first part pertaining to the east, the second to the north, the third to the west, and the fourth to the south. The first part, which pertained to the east, was called the thirteen years of the _Cane_, and in each house of the thirteen was painted a cane, and the number of the corresponding year. * * * The second part applied to the north, in which were other thirteen houses (divisions), called the thirteen houses of the _Flint_, and there were also painted in each one a flint and the number of the year. * * * The third part, that which appertained to the west, was called the thirteen _Houses_; there were also painted in this thirteen little houses, and joined to each the number of the year. * * * In the fourth and last part were other thirteen years called the thirteen houses of the _Rabbit_, and in each of these houses were also likewise painted the head of a rabbit, and joined to it a number."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 8--Calendar wheel from Duran.]