relation with the sun are well known. Dr Brinton has shown in his work
on "American Hero Myths" that the Rabbit or Great Hare in the Algonquian
myths symbolized "light." He remarks in "The Lenape and their Legends"
that--
The familiar Algonkin myth of the "Great Hare," which I have
elsewhere shown to be distinctively a myth of Light, was also well
known to the Delawares, and they applied to this animal, also, the
appellation of the "Grandfather of the Indians." Like the fire, the
hare was considered their ancestor, and in both instances the Light
was meant, fire being its symbol, and the word for hare being
identical with that of brightness and light.[236-1]
It is possible that the Mexicans selected the rabbit for this day as a
known symbol of light, thus bringing it into correspondence with the
signification of the day names of the other calendars. The method by
which Drs Seler and Brinton try to bring the Maya and Zapotec names into
harmony with the Mexican appears to me to be in the wrong direction.
It is therefore quite probable, from what has been shown, that the Maya,
Tzental, and Quiche-Cakchiquel names refer to light, flame, or the
lightning flash, and that the rabbit was selected because of some
mythological relation it was supposed to bear to the sun, or
light.[237-1] As this character is seldom found in combination, or used
otherwise than as a day symbol, it is probable that the signification is
represented by some other symbol, or is not referred to in the text.
THE NINTH DAY
Maya, _muluc_; Tzental, _molo_ or _mulu_; Quiche-Cakchiquel, _toh_;
Zapotec, _niza_ or _queza_; Nahuatl, _atl_.
There are but few and slight variations in the form of the symbol of
this day. That given by Landa is shown in plate LXV, 39. The usual forms
in the codices are seen at 40-42 of the same plate. Symbol 43, which is
an important variation, is from the Cortesian Codex.
The addition of the little circle and loop in example LXV, 43, from the
Cortesian Codex, is important, as it possibly indicates that the simple
forms given in plate LXV, 40-42, are incomplete, and may be a slight
indication of phoneticism. If the latter supposition be correct, it is
probable that in this additional feature we find the element _'c_ of the
word. It is one of the characteristics of the _manik_ symbol, which, as
heretofore shown, has, in some instances at least, _ch_ as one of its
phonetic elements, whether considered truly phonetic or not.
This clue, if followed up, appears to furnish an explanation of some
other characters in which the little circle and loops are found. For
example, the character shown in plate LXV, 44 (Dres. 2 (45)b and c),
apparently refers to the act of sewing or stitching indicated by the
pictures below the text. As the circle and loops form an important part
of the character, it is probable that _c_ or _ch_ is the chief or
prominent element of the word. It is possible therefore, that _chuyah_,
"to sew," or some derivative thereof, would be a proper rendering. The
glyph shown in plate LXV, 45, from. Tro. 11*c is a duplication of LXV,
44. As the appendix, as shown elsewhere, probably has _ah_, _ha_, or
_hal_ as its phonetic equivalent, we have, as the elements of the word
represented by the whole glyph (omitting the prefix), _ch'-ch'ah_. As
_choch_ (_chochah_), Perez, and _chooch_ (_choochah_), Henderson,
signify "to loosen, untie, disunite, detach," this may be the true
interpretation of the symbol. The presence of the eye in a symbol
appears, as a rule, to have no special significance, as is shown by its
presence sometimes in the symbols for the days _chicchan_ and _oc_. It
is worthy of note that Dr Seler introduces into his manik series the
character above shown as having some relation to and being possibly a
variation of that symbol. Before attempting to trace the symbol of the
day in its combinations with other characters, with a view of
ascertaining its original signification, reference will be made to the
signification of the day names in the different calendars.
The signification of the Nahuatl word _atl_ is water; the Zapotec names
are also words for water. _Tohil_ was the name of the principal Quiche
deity, and appears to have been the god of thunder and rain, and, as
Seler presumes, was the representative in these nations of the Maya Chac
and Mexican Tlaloc. According to Brasseur, _toh_ signifies "a heavy or
sudden shower" or "thunder shower." Drs Seler and Brinton both derive
the Maya and Tzental names from the radical _mul_ or _mol_, "to join
together, collect, heap up," and suppose it refers to the gathering
together of the waters (that is, the clouds) in the heavens. This brings
the signification of these two names into harmony with that of the names
of the other calendars, and is probably a correct interpretation.
There are but few places where the symbol of this day is found in
connection with other characters that I have been able to interpret
entirely satisfactorily.
The compound character shown in plate LXV, 46, is from Dres. 16c.
Judging by the evident parallelism of the groups in this division, this
character is the symbol of the bird figured below the text. In this
picture is easily recognized the head of the parrot. As _moo_ is the
Maya name of a species of parrot ("the macaw"), and the circular
character of the glyph is like the symbol for _muluc_, except that the
circumscribing line is of dots, we may safely accept this term as the
phonetic value. The fact that the small character is double, as is the
_o_ in the word, is another indication that the rendering is correct,
and probably accounts for the circle being of dots. (See above under
_akbal_.) This interpretation appears to be further supported by the
form of the symbol for the month _Mol_ as found at Dres. 47c. (See plate
LXIV, 50.)
The hint furnished by these characters may enable us to gain a correct
idea of the signification of the dotted line which surrounds one of the
characters in each group of Dres. 7c, one of which is shown in plate
LXV, 47. As the inclosing line of dots appears in some cases (but not
all, for in some instances _o_ or _u_ appears to form the chief phonetic
element) to indicate _mo_ or _mu_, it is possible that this glyph may be
properly interpreted by _muhul_, "a gift, dower, present," or "to
present a gift or dower, to offer a present." Hence the whole character
shown in plate LXV, 47, may be interpreted "to make a gift of
cacao."[238-1]
The usual form of the Mexican symbol of this day is shown in plate LXV,
48, the leaf-like portion being blue in the original to indicate water.
In regard to the origin of the character, Seler remarks: "If the Maya
character agrees with the Mexican (_atl_), we must look upon it as a
water vessel." Yet after a number of illustrations and references he
declares: "I by no means affirm that the _vessel_ is expressed by the
form of this character. The form seems to me to express rather the water
drop."
It is more likely that it represents a little circular hillock, seen
from above, or something of that nature surrounded by a ring, as the
significations given the Maya word _mul_ are "hillock, heap, mound,
mountain, ants' nest, etc." However, if Henderson is correct in giving
as one of its special meanings "out of many one," its origin may readily
be seen. That it was taken from some object which could be designated by
the word _mul_ or _mol_ may confidently be assumed. Hence the symbol is
used for its phonetic value as a day character and not with any
reference to the object represented. The little circle and loops seen in
plate LXV, 43, from the Cortesian Codex 30b, are probably, as heretofore
stated, introduced to give the _c_ sound. Dr Brinton suggests that it
represents one thing in another of the same kind, with a reference to
collecting together or heaping up.
THE TENTH DAY
Maya, _oc_; Tzental, _elab_; Quiche-Cakchiquel, _tzi_; Zapotec, _tella_;
Nahuatl, _itzcuintli_.
The symbol of this day as given by Landa is shown in plate LXV, 49. This
is substantially the usual form found in the codices as given in LXV,
50, 51, 55, the first two being usual in the Troano, Cortesian, and
Peresian codices, and 55 in the Dresden. In a few instances, as Tro. 12a
and 12c, it assumes the face form 52. The face form shown at 54 occurs
in the Dresden Codex, as do the variations seen at 53 and 56.
Dr Seler and Brasseur contend that the forms shown in plate LXV, 52 and
54, make it evident that the broken line, which is the chief
characteristic of the glyph, is intended to represent, or rather is
derived from, the ear of the dog. This, Seler says, is frequently
represented in the Mexican codices, and also many times in the Maya
manuscripts, with the tip of the ear torn away. To illustrate this, he
presents several figures of dog's heads, one of which is shown in our
plate LXV, 57.[239-1]
There would seem to be some foundation for this supposition, yet there
are difficulties in the way of its acceptance which appear
unsurmountable. The first of these is that it furnishes no explanation
or clue to the relation between the symbol and the Maya or Tzental name.
Second, it does not appear to have been used in any instance as the
symbol of the dog, which seems to be a fatal objection, if it is assumed
to be merely ideographic. Third, it renders only more difficult any
explanation of the character shown in plate LXV, 58, which is of such
frequent occurrence in all the codices. If a satisfactory interpretation
of this glyph could be found, it would assist greatly in deciphering the
codices. I am rather inclined to think it is a sign of repetition--as
"repeat thrice." If there were some word for _ear_ which could be
connected with _oc_ or _elab_, then we might suppose the symbol to be
used phonetically. However, as this can not be found, some other
explanation must be sought.
The Nahuatl and Quiche-Cakchiquel names are the ordinary terms in these
languages for "dog," and the Mexican symbol for the day is the head of a
dog. Dr Seler does not attempt to explain the Tzental name, and merely
suggests that the Maya word _oc_, "foot, footprint, track," and as a
verb, "to enter, to go into," may have been adopted by the priests as
expressing a prominent characteristic of the dog. Dr Brinton is inclined
to derive the name _oc_ from the verb _ocol_, _oclah_, "to steal, to
rob," rather than from _ocol_, "to enter," supposing it to have been
selected as indicative of another characteristic of the dog. This he
believes also to be the signification of the Tzental term _elab_. This
it seems to me is again reversing the order, unless we assume that the
Quiche _tzi_ and Mexican _itzcuintli_ are the older terms.[240-1]
Dr Brinton says that according to Bartolome de Pisa the Zapotec name
signifies "dog," though he does not find it with this meaning in the
vocabularies. Dr Seler, however, obtains the signification "dog" for
this name by supposing that it is derived from _tee-lao_, "mouth
downward," referring to some myth of a dog representing the lightning,
or lightning demon, as falling or plunging downward from the sky in
certain figures of the codices. This, Dr Brinton says, "seems strained,"
which may also be said of the explanations of the Maya name.
The symbol of the dog as found in the Dresden Codex (13c), and as
admitted by Dr Seler, is shown in plate LXV, 59. The same symbol is
found in the same codex, 21b. Now, I think it possible to show, with a
considerable degree of certainty, what is the chief phonetic element of
this symbol, at least of its first or left-hand character. In plate LXV,
60, from Tro. 22*a, is seen (omitting the prefix) substantially the
symbol that Landa interprets _le_, "the lasso," and also "to lasso." As
the lower character is his _e_, we may take for granted that the upper
portion indicates the _l_ sound; further evidence of this, however, will
be presented under the twentieth day. As this is followed by the symbol
seen in plate LXV, 61, which refers to the "turkey" (kutz or
cuitz),[240-2] and the figure below the text shows a snared turkey, the
interpretation appears to be appropriate. Turning now to Dres. 44 (l)c,
we notice in the picture below the text the compound glyph shown in
plate LXV, 62. Immediately below it is the figure of a fish, which the
two individuals represented are trying to catch in a seine. As this
contains the same elements as 61 (plate LXV), reversed, the phonetic
value should be _tz'c_. Referring to Perez' Lexicon, we find that _tzac_
is a fish "so named;" Brasseur says, "a little fish resembling a sardine
which inhabits the senotes."
Now these give _tz'_ as the chief phonetic element of the left character
of the dog symbol (LXV, 59), which is also the consonant element of the
name for "dog" (_tzi_) in the Tzental, Cakchiquel, and most of the Maya
dialects, though not of the Maya proper. This furnishes a consistent and
appropriate rendering of the left portion of the symbol. Although the
symbol for the mouth _Kankin_ (LXV, 63) presents a difficulty, it is
possible some other name was applied to this month of which _tz_ was a
leading element; Yaxkin is sometimes written with the prefix _Dze_.
As _och_ is the Maya name for the "male fox," and _oquil_ or _ocquil_ is
the name in Tzental and Tzotzil for "wolf," it is possible the Maya name
may have been derived from one of these. Moreover, it is worthy of
notice that "foot" in Tzotzil is written _oquil_ as well as _oc_.
I was at first inclined to adopt Dr Seler's suggestion that the
distinguishing feature of the symbol might have been taken from the
dog's ears as given in the codices. However, a more thorough examination
leads me to doubt this suggestion. The little black clots or blocks on
the bent line appear here, as in the _chicchan_ symbol, to be the most
prominent and essential elements of the symbol. As they do not appear in
the ear figures, it seems impossible that the character should have been
derived from these figures. It is more likely that they represent the
knots on a string or cord; and this supposition appears to be sustained
by the fact that the Maya word _hok_, according to Brasseur, signifies
"a knot, hook;" and _hokal_ "to be knotted, formed of knots." Perez says
"_hok_, el lazo formado para anudar;" "_hokol_, lazarse para anudarse la
cuerda." If this supposition be correct, the symbol is used for the day
because of its phonetic value, and without any reference to its original
signification.
THE ELEVENTH DAY
Maya, _chuen_; Tzental, _batz_; Quiche-Cakchiquel, _batz_; Zapotec,
_loo_; Nahuatl, _ozomatli_.
The symbol of this day is subject to few and slight variations. The form
given by Landa, which is also quite common in most of the codices,
especially Tro. and Cort., is shown in plate LXV, 64. Slight variants
are shown in LXV, 65, 66, and 67. An exceptional and peculiar form from
Dres. 32b is seen in LXV, 68. A form from the Perez codex in which an
eye is introduced is given at LXV, 69. The character on the Palenque
Tablet and some other inscriptions, which is supposed to be the symbol
of this day, is shown at LXV, 70, but the proof that it is, in these
cases, the day symbol is not so conclusive as that in regard to other
day symbols, as no method of bringing it into relation with the other
time symbols of the inscriptions has been found.
A closely corresponding form is seen in the symbol for the mouth _Tzec_
as found in the Dres. Codex (see plate LXV, 71). If the glyphs are in
any sense phonetic, it is probable that in the comb-like appendage to
this symbol (Landa's _ca_) we have the _'c_ (_'k_) sound, and that the
variation in the main character from the usual _chuen_ glyph (in having
the bounding line open and turned right and left at the top) is
indicative of the variation in the phonetic value. The explanation of
the symbol, which replaces the eye in the dog or panther like figure in
Tro. 32c and 33c, and is alluded to by Dr Seler in this connection
(LXVI, 1), has already been given under the discussion of the "Third
Day." There, as I have shown, it probably indicates the Maya word
_choco_, "heat, warmth," alluding to the hot, dry season which parches
and shrivels up the growing corn. This explanation retains the phonetic
value of the symbol, and it appears also to be entirely consistent with
the figures found in connection with it.
There is another symbol closely allied in form (plate LXVI, 2) which is
of frequent occurrence in the codices, usually, and, in fact, almost
exclusively, in the picture spaces, and apparently bearing some relation
to the offerings. It is often in groups, and is many times repeated in
groups on the so-called "title pages" of the Tro. and Cort. manuscripts.
It, however, frequently occurs in the form seen in the dog's eye (LXVI,
1), grouped as the other (Dres., 25a, etc) and undoubtedly used as an
equivalent, as we find numerals attached as with the other form. The
only distinction, as will be observed, is the presence or absence of the
little divided square at the top. As that with the divided square is
more detailed, it is probably the correct form, and, if so, can not be
distinguished from the _Chuen_ symbol.
On Dres. 29b, 30b, and 31b the symbol shown in plate LXVI, 3, is found
in each group of characters. This bears a close resemblance to the
symbol for the month _Tzec_, but varies in some important respects, as
will be seen by comparison. The appendix, as I am inclined to believe,
gives the _ah_, _ha_, or _hal_ sound, and shows that it is a verb or
word indicating action. As we find in each group the figure or symbol of
a food animal, the whole series may be supposed to relate to feasts, or
eating, or the collection of food. This suggestion is strengthened by
the fact that the _kan_ or maize symbol is placed in connection with the
animal figures. It is possible, therefore, that this character may be
correctly rendered by _tziclim_ (_tziclimtah_), "to distribute, share,
divide among many." As it is followed in each case by a cardinal-point
symbol, and the symbol of the double tongued or toothed deity, probably
Itzamna, is found in each group, it is probable that the text relates to
religious festivals. This interpretation, however, is a mere suggestion
or guess, which as yet I am unable to fortify by any other evidence than
the resemblance of the main character to the _Tzec_ symbol.
[Illustration: PL. LXVI COPIES OF GLYPHS FROM THE CODICES]
The Nahuatl, Tzental, and Quiche-Cakchiquel names of this day are the
ordinary terms in these languages for "monkey." Dr Brinton thinks the
Maya name, which does not appear to have any signification in this
language as a separate word (though _chuenche_ is "aborao, tuble," "a
certain tree"), is derived from a Tzental term, _chiu_, which is applied
to a particular species of monkey. He and Dr Seler refer to the _chouen_
in a legend of the Popol Vuh, which undoubtedly stands in close relation
to _batz_ or "monkey," there spoken of as _hunbatz_. As these words in
the Quiche myth appear unquestionably to refer to a species of the
monkey tribe, or mythical persons under the symbolism of monkeys, the
conclusion they reach is probably correct, and justifies the belief that
the Maya name should be interpreted "monkey."
The origin of the symbol is uncertain, and Dr Seler makes no attempt to
explain it. The difference between the simple form with the three teeth
only (plate LXVI, 2) and the typical _Chuen_ symbol indicates a
difference in the word equivalents, or in the signification if
ideographic. It is possible that Brasseur is right in rendering the
former by _co_, which signifies "tooth;" in which case we may be
justified in assuming that the additions in the _Chuen_ symbol give the
additional phonetic elements in the word. It may be, as supposed by some
authors, that it was intended to represent the front view of an open
mouth of some animal, as _chi_ is the Maya word for mouth.
THE TWELFTH DAY
Maya, _eb_; Tzental, _euob_; Quiche-Cakchiquel, _e_ or _ee_; Zapotec,
_pija_; Nahuatl, _mallinalli_ or _itlan_.
There are comparatively few variations in the symbol of this day; some,
however, are of sufficient importance to render recognition doubtful but
for their presence in the day series. That given by Landa is seen in
plate LXVI, 4; the form most usual in the Tro. and Cort. codices is that
shown in LXVI, 5; the variations seen in LXVI, 6, 7, 8, are from the
Dresden Codex, and that in LXVI, 9, is from the Peresianus.
This character occurs very seldom, if ever, except as a day symbol,
hence it is presumed to be purely ideographic or pictorial. There is,
however, a deity symbol found in the Tro. Codex (plate LXVI, 10) in
which we see apparently the chief characteristic of the _eb_ symbol.
Here, however, instead of a dot-bordered tooth, there is a dot-bordered
dark stripe which runs downward entirely across the face. This is
accompanied usually by the numeral prefix 11. The symbol of the same
deity as found in the Dresden Codex is shown in plate LXVI, 11. Here the
stripe is reduced to a single broken line. Dr Schellhas contends that he
is a Death god and the equivalent of the Mexican Xipe. That he is a god
of the underworld in the Tro. Codex is apparent from his ornaments and
the dotted lines on his body or limbs; yet in two instances--plates 5a
and b--he is represented as a traveling merchant. Whether the deity in
the Dresden Codex is the same as that of the Tro. Codex is not
positively certain, but the presence of the numeral 11 with the symbol,
and in some instances the dotted lines on the body of the deity,
indicate that the two are identical. Whether this deity glyph bears any
relation to the day symbol is, however, doubtful. The only names of Maya
deities I find with _buluc_ ("eleven") as a prefix are Ahbuluc-Balam and
Buluc-Ahau (?). The first, which signifies "He of the Eleven Tigers,"
was one of the idols made at the festival of the new year Cauac. On one
of the four plates of the Dresden Codex representing the festivals of
the new year (26a) we observe that the image carried by the chac is a
tiger-like animal marked with dotted lines. Whether this is to be
connected with the deity above mentioned is doubtful. The other name,
Buluc-Ahau, mentioned by Landa, is the name of one of the signs of the
Katun given in his figure of the cycle, and, although he uses the word
"idol," does not appear to refer to any particular deity.
In regard to the names of the first three calendars, Dr Seler remarks as
follows:
_E_, _ye_ signifies "the edge," "sharpness," "the notch;" _eb_,
_ebil_, _ebal_, _yebal_, "a row of notches," "flight of steps,"
"stairs." In Quiche-Cakchiquel _e_ signifies "the tooth," "the
edge;" _ee_ is the plural form in Cakchiquel of the word, as _eeb_
of the Quiche; _euob_ is also a plural form in the Tzental, as I
think, from a singular _eu-ee_. The name must denote the same thing
in all the languages, i. e., "a row of teeth," "flight of steps"--a
signification which harmonizes excellently with many Mexican forms
of the character [plate LXVI, 12] as well as with the Meztitlan
name of it (_itlan_, "his tooth").
Dr Brinton says that "in Maya _eb_ is the plural of _e_, which means
'points' or 'ends,' like those of pins or thorns, and plainly was
intended to designate the broom by reference to its numerous points.
From the same idea, rows of teeth received the same name. The Tzental
and Quiche names _e_ and _euob_--the latter a plural--were from the same
radical and had the same signification." He says the Nahuatl and Zapotec
names both signify the brush or broom of twisted twigs, or stiff grass
used for cleaning and dusting, and also this grass itself. Thus he
brings the names of the five calendars into harmony. This explanation
corresponds with that given by Clavigero of the Mexican term, which he
says is the name of a certain plant of which brooms were made.