As a connecting link between the particular topic now under discussion
and the consideration of the symbols of the cardinal points, I wish to
refer to one plate of the Fejervary Codex, to wit, Plate 44, a
_fac-simile_ of which is presented in Plate III:
A little careful inspection of this plate will suffice to convince the
reader that it was gotten up upon the same plan and for the same purpose
as the "Tableau des Bacab," or plate copied from the Codex Cortesianus,
which is reproduced in our Plate I.
The sacred tree or cross, which is represented but once in that plate,
and that in the central area, is here shown four times--once in each of
the four outer spaces opposite the four sides of the inner area.
It is true we do not find here the intermediate ring (or quadrilateral),
of clays, but these are not wanting, for the four groups, corresponding
with those on the four sides of the quadrilateral, are here found at the
four corners wedged in between the colored loops, one group of five at
each corner. The chief marked resemblance is to be found in the outer
looped line, in which the day characters are connected by rows of dots.
But here the lines and loops, although almost precisely in the form, and
relation, to each other as in the plate of the Cortesian Codex, are
variously and brightly colored, and the rows of dots are inclosed by
lateral lines.
Now for the proof that it is designed for the same purpose as the looped
line on the other plate. But it is necessary that I present first, in a
tabular form, a Mexican calendar (Table XIV) similar to the condensed
Maya calendar heretofore given.
I also give, immediately following, a list of Mexican days for thirteen
months, the number necessary to make the circuit of the plate, just as
the list of Maya days heretofore given. In this case I have used the
English equivalents of the Mexican words for the benefit of English
readers.
TABLE XIV.--Condensed Mexican calendar.
____________________________________________________________________
| | | | _Numbers of the months._
| | | |______________________________________
Tochtli|Acatl |Tecpatl|Calli | | | | | | | | | | | | |
years.|years.| years.|years.| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9|10|11|12|13
| | | |14|15|16|17|18| | | | | | | |
-------+------+-------+------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--
[ 1] | [ 6] | [11] | [16] | 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7
[ 2] | [ 7] | [12] | [17] | 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8
[ 3] | [ 8] | [13] | [18] | 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9
[ 4] | [ 9] | [14] | [19] | 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10
[ 5] | [10] | [15] | [20] | 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11
[ 6] | [11] | [16] | [ 1] | 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12
[ 7] | [12] | [17] | [ 2] | 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13
[ 8] | [13] | [18] | [ 3] | 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1
[ 9] | [14] | [19] | [ 4] | 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2
[10] | [15] | [20] | [ 5] |10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3
[11] | [16] | [ 1] | [ 6] |11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4
[12] | [17] | [ 2] | [ 7] |12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5
[13] | [18] | [ 3] | [ 8] |13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6
[14] | [19] | [ 4] | [ 9] | 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7
[15] | [20] | [ 5] | [10] | 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8
[16] | [ 1] | [ 6] | [11] | 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9
[17] | [ 2] | [ 7] | [12] | 4|11| 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10
[18] | [ 3] | [ 8] | [13] | 5|12| 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11
[19] | [ 4] | [ 9] | [14] | 6|13| 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12
[20] | [ 5] | [10] | [15] | 7| 1| 8| 2| 9| 3|10| 4|11| 5|12| 6|13
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ 1] Cozcaquauhtli. [11] Miquiztli.
[ 2] Ollin. [12] Mazatl.
[ 3] Tecpatl. [13] Tochtli.
[ 4] Quiahuitl. [14] Atl.
[ 5] Xochitl. [15] Itzcuintli.
[ 6] Cipactli. [16] Ozomatli.
[ 7] Ehecatl. [17] Malinalli.
[ 8] Calli. [18] Acatl.
[ 9] Cuetzpalin. [19] Ocelotl.
[10] Coatl. [20] Quauhtli.
This calendar begins the year _Acatl_ with Cipactli to correspond with
what I believe to have been the plan on which the Fejervary plate was
made; this, as will be seen, does not agree with what is generally
supposed to have been the usual method. The following table of days can
be used for either year, but commences as the Acatl years in the
preceding calendar.
[Illustration: PL. III Fac-simile of Plate 44, Fejervary Codex.]