Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts Part 9

The plate or figure accompanying this statement[33] is a wheel in the form shown in Fig. 8, the quadrant _a_ green, with thirteen figures of the cane in it; _b_ red, with thirteen figures of the flint in it; _c_ yellow with thirteen figures of the house in it, and _d_ blue, with thirteen figures of the rabbit's head in it, each figure with its appropriate numeral. At the top is the word "Oriente," at the left "Norte," at the bottom "Occidente," and at the right "Sur."

Although this figure was evidently made by this author or for him, it expresses his understanding of the a.s.signment of the years and arrangement of the colors as ascertained from the data accessible to him.

His arrangement will therefore be as follows:

Acatl -- East -- Green.

Tecpatl -- North -- Red.

Calli -- West -- Yellow.

Tochtli -- South -- Blue.

We find the same idea frequently expressed in the codices now accessible, as, for example, the Borgian and the Vatican B, though the colors do not often correspond with Duran's arrangement.

Shultz-Sellack,[34][TN-14] in his article heretofore quoted, arranges the colors in connection with the dominical days in the Maya system as follows:

Kan -- South -- Yellow.

Muluc -- East -- Red.

Ix -- North -- White.

Cauac -- West -- Black.

He does not appear to be so clear in reference to the Mexican system, in fact he seems to avoid the question of the a.s.signment of the year symbols. His arrangement, as far as I can understand it, is as follows:

--? Quetzalcoatl -- South -- Wind -- Yellow.

--? Huitzilopuchtli -- East -- Fire -- Red.

--? Tezcatlipoca -- North -- Water -- White.

--? Tlaloc -- West -- Earth -- Black.

Orozco y Berra[35] gives his preference to the opinion of Sahagun, which has already been quoted, and which is the same as that held by Torquemada.[36]

The most thorough and extensive discussion of this subject which has so far been made, is by Dr. D. Alfredo Chavero, in the _a.n.a.les del Museo Nacional de Mexico_.[37]

According to this author, who had access not only to the older as well as more recent authorities usually referred to, but also to the ma.n.u.script of Fabrigat and the Codex Chimalpopoca or Quauht.i.tlan, the order of the year symbols or year bearers--Tecpatl, Calli, Acatl, and Tochtli--varied "_segun les[TN-15] pueblos_," the Toltecs commencing the cycle with _Tecpatl_, those of Teotihuacan with _Calli_, those of Tezcuco with _Acatl_, and the Mexicans with _Tochtli_.[38] He also shows that the relation and order of the four ages or creations and elements in regard to the cardinal points, are by no means uniform, not only in the Spanish and early authorities, but in the codices and monuments (supposing his interpretation to be correct).

His arrangement, as derived from the leading codices, is as follows:

Tochtli -- South -- Earth.

Acatl -- East -- Water.

Tecpatl -- North -- Fire.

Calli -- West -- Air.

In order that the various views may be seen at a glance, I give here a tabulated _resume_:

MEXICAN SYMBOLS OF THE CARDINAL POINTS.

_Veytia._

1. Tecpatl -- Flint -- Fire.

2. Calli -- House -- Earth.

3. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- Air.

4. Acatl -- Cane -- Water.

_Sahagun._

1. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- South.

2. Acatl -- Cane -- East. "Toward the fire or sun."

3. Tecpatl -- Flint -- North. "Nearly towards h.e.l.l."

4. Calli -- House -- West. "Towards the house of women."

_Gemelli._

1. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- South -- Blue -- Earth -- c.i.p.actli.

2. Acatl -- Cane -- East -- Red -- Water -- Michiztli.

3. Tecpatl -- Flint -- North -- Yellow -- Air -- Ozomatli.

4. Calli -- House -- West -- Green -- Fire -- Cozcaquauhtli.

_Boturini._

1. Tecpatl -- Flint -- South -- Fire.

2. Calli -- House -- East -- Earth.

3. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- North -- Air.

4. Acatl -- Cane -- West -- Water.

_Herrera._

Calli -- House -- Green.

Tochtli -- Rabbit -- Blue.

Acatl -- Cane -- Red.

Tecpatl -- Flint -- Yellow.

_Duran._

1. Acatl -- Cane -- East -- Green.

2. Tecpatl -- Flint -- North -- Red.

3. Calli -- House -- West -- Yellow.

4. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- South -- Blue.

_Schultz-Sellack._

1. -- ? -- Quetzalcoatl -- South -- Wind -- Yellow.

2. -- ? -- Huitzilopuchtli -- East -- Fire -- Red.

3. -- ? -- Tezcatlipoca -- North -- Water -- White.

4. -- ? -- Tlaloc -- West -- Earth -- Black.

_Charencey._

1. -- ? -- East -- Yellow.

2. -- ? -- North -- Black.

3. -- ? -- West -- White.

4. -- ? -- South -- Red.[39]