1. 2. 3. 4.
Ymix. Ik. Akbal. Kan.
Chicchan. Cimi. Manik. Lamat.
Muluc. Oc. Chuen. Eb.
Been. Ix. Men. Cib.
Caban. Ezanab. Cauac. Ahau.
Examining the five names in the third column we find they are the same
as those in the bottom line of the quadrilateral of the plate, and also
in the same order. Those of the second column are the same as those in
the left column of the plate, though not precisely in the same order;
those in the first column the same as those in the top line of the
plate, except that in our column we have Caban in place of Eb; and those
in the fourth column the same as those in the right column of the plate,
except that in our column we have Eb instead of Caban. I am satisfied,
therefore, that the artist who made the plate has transposed the
characters Eb and Caban; that in place of Eb, the left-hand character of
the upper line, there should be Caban, and in place of Caban, the middle
character of the right column, there should be Eb, and have made this
change in my scheme (Fig. 2) and in Plate II.
This, I admit, has the appearance of making an arbitrary change to suit
a theory; but besides the strong evidence in favor of this change shown
by the arrangement of the days in four columns just given, I propose to
present other testimony.
That the characters here interpreted _Eb_ and _Caban_ are the same as
those given by Landa, and in the Manuscript Troano we have positive
evidence in the tortous[TN-6] line in the outer space, of which we have
already given an explanation. Hence there is no escape from the
difficulty by supposing the artist had reversed the characters in their
reference to the names. Either he has reversed them as to place, or we
are mistaken in our supposition as to how the four groups were
obtained.
If we turn, now, to the Manuscript Troano, and examine the day columns,
comparing them with these four groups as I have corrected them by this
single transposition, I think we shall find one clue at least to the
object of the arrangement we observe on this plate. As but few are
likely to have the Manuscript at hand, I will refer to Chapter VII of my
work (_A Study of the Manuscript Troano_), where a large number of these
day columns are given. In making the comparison I ask the reader to use
my scheme (Fig. 2). Commencing with the first column on page 165, we
find it to be Manik, Cauac, Chuen, Akbal, Men, precisely the same days
as in the bottom line. The next two on the same page are first Akbal,
Muluc, Men, Ymix, Manik, and second, Ben, Cauac, Chicchan, Chuen, Caban,
taken alternately from the bottom and top lines of the quadrilateral.
On the lower part of the same page (165) is another column with the
following days, Ahau, Oc, Eb, Ik, Kan, Ix, Cib, Cimi, Lamat, taken
alternately from the right and left sides of the plate as given in our
scheme. But there are only nine names in the column, when the order in
which they are taken would seem to require ten. By examining the plate
(IV) in the Manuscript the reader will see that there are indications
that one at the top has been obliterated. By examining the right and
left columns of our scheme we see that the omitted one is Ezanab. By
counting the intervals between the days, as explained in my work, we
find them to be alternately two and ten, and that by this rule the
missing day is Ezanab. The reader will notice in these examples that Eb
and Caban belong to the positions I have given them in my scheme (Fig.
2).
Turning to page 166 we find the first column (from "second division,"
Plate IV) to be Kan, Cib, Lamat, Ahau, Eb, the same days as in the right
column of our scheme. The second column, Cauac, Chuen, Akbal, Men,
Manik, the same as the lower line of the scheme. The first column on
page 167 has the same days as the right column of the plate, as
corrected in my scheme and our Plate II. The second column of this page
presents a new combination. We have so far found the names of a day
column all in a single group or line of our plate, or taken alternately
from opposite sides; here we find them taken alternately from each of
the four sides of the quadrilateral moving around to the left in the
order I have heretofore explained. The days in this column are Caban,
Ik, Manik, Eb, Caban. One is taken from the upper line (as corrected),
then one from the left side, next from the bottom line, then from the
right side (as corrected), and then the same from the top line.
It is unnecessary for me to give more examples, as the reader can make
the comparison for himself; and he will, as I believe, find my theory
sustained.
The only real objection I can see to my explanation of the arrangement
of the days in this circle is the fact that it necessitates the
transposition of two characters, but it is not unreasonable to suppose
that the artist may have made this one mistake.
Fortunately we find on Plates 18 and 19 of the Codex Peresianus[1][TN-7]
what appears to be a complete confirmation of the theory here advanced.
This is a kind of tabular arrangement of certain days, with accompanying
numbers, as shown in our Fig. 3, which is an exact copy of those
portions of Plates 18 and 19 of the Codex Peresianus, to which I refer.
I also give in Table V the names of the days and the numbers
corresponding with the symbols and characters of Fig. 3. In this table
the erased days and obliterated numerals are restored, these being in
italics to distinguish them from those on the plate.