moon;" and this corroborates the presumption that the Indians went on
from the computation of lunations to determine the course of the sun,
calling the months "moons." But in some manuscripts, the name of
_Uinal_ in the singular and _Uinalob_ in the plural is given to the
eighteen months which compose the year; applying this comprehensive
term to the series, and to each one of the particular names assigned to
the twenty days that composed the month.
The day was called _Kin_, "the sun;" and the particular names by which
the 20 days composing the month were designated are stated in the
following table, in which they are divided into sets of five, for the
better understanding of the subsequent explanations.
1st. 2d. 3d. 4th.
Kan. Muluc. Gix (Hix) Ca-uac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau (Ahau).
Quimi (Cimi). Chuen. Quib (Cib). Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Been. Edznab. Akbal.
As those names corresponded in number with the days of the month, it
followed that, the name of the first day of the year being known, the
names of the first days of all the successive months were equally
known; and they were distinguished from each other only by adding the
number of the week to which they respectively belonged. But the week
consisting of thirteen days, the month necessarily consisted of a week
and seven days; so that if the month began with the first number of a
week, it ended with the seventh number of the week ensuing.
[In order to know the number of the week corresponding with the first
day of each month respectively, it is necessary only to know the number
of the week with which the year begins, and to add successively seven,
but subtracting thirteen whenever the sum of this addition exceeds
thirteen, which gives the following series for the first days of the
eighteen months: 1, 8, 2 (15-13), 9, 3 (16-13), 10, 4, 11, 5, 12, 6,
13, 7, 1, 8, 2, 9, 3, supposing the first day of the year to be the
first day of the week, and generally taking for the first number of the
series the number of the week by which the year begins.]
4 deg.. _The Year._
To this day the Indians call the year _Jaab_ or _Haab_, and, while
heathens, they commenced it on the 16th of July. It is worthy of notice
that their progenitors, having sought to make it begin from the precise
day on which the sun returns to the zenith of this peninsula on his way
to the southern regions, but being destitute of instruments for their
astronomical observations, and guided only by the naked eye, erred only
forty-eight hours in advance. That small difference proves that they
endeavoured to determine, with the utmost attainable correctness, the
day on which the luminary passed the most culminating point of our
sphere, and that they were not ignorant of the use of the gnomon in the
most tempestuous days of the rainy season.
They divided the year into 18 months, as follows:
1st, Pop, beginning on the 16th of July.
2d, Uoo, beginning on the 5th of August.
3d, Zip, beginning on the 25th of August.
4th, Zodz, beginning on the 14th of September.
5th, Zeec, beginning on the 4th of October.
6th, Xul, beginning on the 24th of October.
7th, Dze-yaxkin, beginning on the 13th of November,
8th, Mol, beginning on the 3d of December.
9th, Dchen, beginning on the 23d of December.
10th, Yaax, beginning on the 12th of January.
11th, Zac, beginning on the 1st of February.
12th, Quej, beginning on the 21st of February,
13th, Mac, beginning on the 13th of March.
14th, Kankin, beginning on the 2d of April.
15th, Moan, beginning on the 22d of April.
16th, Pax, beginning on the 12th of May.
17th, Kayab, beginning on the 1st of June.
18th, Cumku, beginning on the 21st of June.
As the 18 months of 20 days each contained but 360 days, and the common
year consists of 365, five supplementary days were added at the end of
each year, which made part of no month, and which, for that reason,
Neg. Name. Days.
they called "days without name," _xona kaba kin_. They called them
Year.
also _uayab_ or _uayeb Jaab_; which may be interpreted two different
ways. The word _uayab_ may be derived from _uay_, which means "bed" or
"chamber," presuming that the Indians believed the year to rest during
those days; or _uayab_ may equally be derived from another
signification of _uay_, viz., to be destroyed, wounded, corroded by the
caustic juice of plants, or with ley and other strong liquids. And on
this account the Indians feared those days, believing them to be
unfortunate, and to carry danger of sudden deaths, plagues, and other
misfortunes. For this reason these five days were assigned for the
celebration of the feast of the god _Mam_, "grandfather." On the first
day they carried him about, and feasted him with great magnificence; on
the second they diminished the solemnity; on the third they brought him
down from the altar and placed him in the middle of the temple; on the
fourth they put him at the threshold or door; and on the fifth, or last
day, the ceremony of taking leave (or dismissal) took place, that the
new year might commence on the following day, which is the first of the
month _Pop_, corresponding with the 16th of July, as appears by the
preceding table. The description of the god _Mam_ may be seen in
Cogolludo.
The division of the year into 18 months of 20 days would have given
only the sum of 360 days; and the first day of the year falling on
_Kan_, the last would have fallen on _Akbal_, so as to begin again the
next year with the same _Kan_, making all the years alike. But as, in
order to complete the year, they added five days, the result was that
the year which commenced in _Kan_ ended in _Lamat_, the last of the
first series of five days; the ensuing year commenced in _Muluc_, the
first of the second series of five days; the third commenced in _Gix_,
the first of the third series; and the fourth in _Cauac_ (the first
ending in _Akbal_), the last of the fourth series of five days; so that
the fifth year again began with _Kan_. It has also been stated that the
year consisted of 28 weeks of 13 days each, and of one additional day;
so that, if the year commenced with the number one of the week, it
ended with the same number, and the ensuing year began with number two;
and so on through the thirteen numbers of the week, thus forming, with
the four initial days, the week of years, or indiction, of which we
shall speak hereafter.
The following is the order of the twenty days in each of the 18 months
composing the years formed by the four initial days together with the
intercalary or complementary days.
Year beginning Year beginning
with the day with the day Year of Year of
_Kan_. _Muluc_. _Gix._ _Cauac._
Kan. Muluc. Gix. Cauac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau.
Quimi. Chuen. Quib. Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Ben. Edznab. Akbal.
Muluc. Gix. Cauac. Kan.
Oc. Men. Ajau. Chicchan.
Chuen. Quib. Ymix. Quimi.
Eb. Caban. Yk. Manik.
Ben. Edznab. Akbal. Lamat.
Gix. Cauac. Kan. Muluc.
Men. Ajau. Chicchan. Oc.
Quib. Ymix. Quimi. Chuen.
Caban. Yk. Manik. Eb.
Edznab. Akbal. Lamat. Ben.
Cauac. Kan. Muluc. Gix.
Ajau. Chicchan. Oc. Men.
Ymix. Quimi. Chuen. Quib.
Yk. Manik. Eb. Caban.
Akbal. Lamat. Ben. Edznab.
_Intercalary _Intercalary _Intercalary _Intercalary
days._ days._ days._ days._
Kan. Muluc. Gix. Cauac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau.
Quimi. Chuen. Quib. Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Ben. Edznab. Akbal.
5 deg.. _The Bissextile._
The connexion between the days or numbers of the week which designate
the beginning of the year, and the four initial or first days of the
series of five, is so intimate that it is very difficult to intercalate
an additional day for the bissextile, without disturbing that
correlative order of the initials which is constantly followed in the
denomination of the years, and forms their indictions, or weeks. But as
the bissextile is necessary to complete the solar course, and as I have
not any certain knowledge of the manner in which the Indians effected
that addition, I will exhibit the method adopted by the Mexicans, their
computation being very analogous to that of Yucatan, which in its
origin probably emanated from Mexico.
Veyta asserts, in ch. x. of his "Historia Antigua de Mexico," that the
bissextile was made by adding at the end either of the 18 months or of
the five supplementary days, a day which was marked with the same
hieroglyphic as the one preceding, but with a different number of the
week, viz., with the succeeding number. But in each way that numerical
order by which the years follow each other till they form the week of
years, is disturbed; since the fifth year would thus be designated by
the number 6 instead of 5, and the regular order of the years 4 to 6 be
thereby interrupted. These interruptions, recurring every fourth year,
would render it impossible to preserve that continuous harmony (on
which rests the whole system of the Indian computation) between the
numbers of the week which designate the ending year and its successor,
as shown in the uniform succession of the four initial days.
In order to prevent that inconvenience, it is necessary to suppose that
the Indians, whether they intercalated the additional day at the end of
the 18 months or after the five supplementary days, did not only give
to it the same number and hieroglyphic as to the day immediately
preceding, but also designated it by some peculiar sign or number, in
order that it might not be confounded with any other.
In a treatise published by Akerman, the opinion is expressed that the
Indians, at the end of their cycle of 52 years, added a week of days in
lieu of the bissextile days which had been neglected. This method has
not the defect of disturbing the numerical order of the years, but that
of deranging the series of the four initial days, which, as has been
stated, gives designation to the years. It will be seen by the table of
indictions, that each cycle consists of four complete weeks of years,
formed by series of each one of the four initial signs, each week of
years commencing with number one and ending with number thirteen;
consequently, if, at the end of each cycle, a week of days be added,
the first day of the ensuing year would be the 14th in the series of
the 20 days of the month (instead of being the 1st, 6th, 11th, or
16th), thus abandoning the regular series of the four initial days, and
substituting others, changing them again at each new cycle.
6 deg.. _Katun, or Cycle._
The Indians made (painted) a small wheel, in which they placed the four
hieroglyphics of the initial days, _Kan_ in the east, _Muluc_ in the
north, _Gix_ in the west, and _Cauac_ in the south, to be counted in
that order. Some suppose that when the fourth year was accomplished,
and _Kan_ was again in order, a _Katun_ or lustre of four years, was
completed; others, that three revolutions of the wheel, with its four
signs, were reckoned, with one (sign) more, which made 13 years, and
that this completed the _Katun_; others, again, that the four complete
weeks of years, or indictions, constituted the _Katun_; and this is
probable. Besides the small wheel aforesaid, they made another great
wheel, which they also called _buk xoc_ and in which they placed three
revolutions of the four signs of the small wheel, making 12 signs;
beginning to count by the first _Kan_, and continuing to reckon all
until the fourth naming of the same Kan, which was included, thus
making thirteen years, and forming one indiction, or week (of years);
the second reckoning began with _Muluc_, ending in the same, which
formed the next thirteen; and so on, till they came to Cauac, which
formed a Katun.
7 deg.. _Of the Indiction and Cycle of 52 Years, or Katun._
As in the preceding explanations sufficient idea has been given of what
constituted the indiction and the cycle of 52 years, called by the
Indians _Katun_, the facts are briefly recapitulated here, that the
reader may not be fatigued hereafter with new explanations.
1st. The name of indiction is given to each one of the four weeks of
years composing the cycle of 52 years.
2d. The American week was formed by the course of 13 numbers, applied
indiscriminately to the 20 days of the month.
3d. It has been explained, that as the year was formed of 26 weeks and
one day, by this overplus the years succeeded each other, following the
correlative order of their numbers up to 13, in order to form a week,
or indiction; for if the year had been composed of exactly 28 weeks,
the numbers of the new years would never have formed a correlative
week, because they would have commenced with the number 1, and finished
with 13; by the other method, one year begins with the first, and
terminates in the same; the second year commences with the number 2 and
also finishes with it; and so on successively, until the 13 are
completed.
4d. It has also been explained that the Indians, seeing that 18 months
of 20 days did not make up the sum of 365, in order to complete them
added five days more; resulting from this, the 20 days were divided
into four portions, and the first of each of these, being _Kan_,
_Muluc_, _Gix_, and _Cauac_, became initials, forming in turn the
beginning of the years by courses of four years, every fifth year
commencing again with Kan. But as the weeks were composed of 13
numbers, there were in each week three revolutions of the four initials
and one initial more, by this excess of one causing each initial to
have its own week: thus the indiction, or week, which began with _Kan_
concluded also with the same _Kan_; so that the next indiction might
commence with _Muluc_, the second initial, and in its turn conclude
with the same _Muluc_; and so on continually, until each one of the
initials had formed its own indiction, or week, and given to it its
name; the whole composing 52 years, which is the sum of the four weeks
of 13 years each, as may be seen in the following table.
_Order of the years in the cycle of 52, divided into four indictions,
or weeks of years, and as the year 1841 happens to be the first of one
of these cycles, it is taken as the starting-point._
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------
| 1st indiction | 2d indiction | 3d indiction | 4th indiction
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------
|1841 1. Kan. |1854 1. Muluc. |1867, 1. Gix. |1880, 1. Cauac.
|1842, 2. Muluc. |1855, 2. Gix. |1868, 2. Cauac. |1881, 2. Kan.
| &c. 3. Gix. | &c. 3. Cauac. | &c. 3. Kan. | &c. 3. Muluc.
| 4. Cauac. | 4. Kan. | 4. Muluc. | 4. Gix.
| 5. Kan. | 5. Muluc. | 5. Gix. | 5. Cauac.
| 6. Muluc. | 6. Gix. | 6. Cauac. | 6. Kan.
| 7. Gix. | 7. Cauac. | 7. Kan. | 7. Muluc.
| 8. Cauac. | 8. Kan. | 8. Muluc. | 8. Gix.
| 9. Kan. | 9. Muluc. | 9. Gix. | 9. Cauac.
| 10. Muluc. | 10. Gix. | 10. Cauac. | 10. Kan.
| 11. Gix. | 11. Cauac. | 11. Kan. | 11. Muluc.
| 12. Cauac. | 12. Kan. | 12. Muluc. | 12. Gix.
| 13. Kan. | 13. Muluc. | 13. Gix. | 13. Cauac.
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------
This period of 52 years was called by the Indians _Katun_, and at its
conclusion great feasts were celebrated, and a monument was raised, on
which a large stone was placed crosswise, as is signified by the word
_Kat-tun_, for a memento and record of the cycles, or _Katunes_, that
had elapsed. It should be observed, that until the completion of this
period, the initial days of the years did not again fall upon the same
numbers of the week; for which reason, by merely citing them, it was at
once known what year of that cycle was arrived at; being aided in this
by the wheel or table on which the years were engraved in
hieroglyphics.
8 deg.. _Of the great Cycle of 312 Years, or Ajau Katunes_.
Besides the cycle of 52 years, or _Katun_, there was another great
cycle peculiar to the Yucatecos, who referred to its periods for dating
their principal epochs and the most notable events of their history. It
contained 13 periods of 24 years each, making together 312 years. Each
period, or _Ajau Katun_, was divided into two parts; the first of 20
years, which was included in a square, and therefore called _amaytun_,
_lamayte_, or _lamaytun_; and the other of four years, which formed, as
it were, a pedestal for the first, and was called _chek oc Katun_, or
_lath oc Katun_, which means "stool" or "pedestal." They considered
those four years as intercalated; therefore believed them to be
unfortunate, and called them _u yail Jaab_, as they did the five
supplementary days of the year, to which they likened them.
From this separation of the first 20 years from the last four, arose
the erroneous belief that the _Ajaus_ consisted only of 20 years, an
error into which almost all have fallen who have written on the
subject; but if they had counted the years which compose a period, and
noted the positive declarations of the manuscripts that the _Ajaues_
consisted of 24 years divided as above stated, they would not have
misled their readers on this point.
It is incontrovertible that those periods, epochs, or ages, took the
name of _Ajau Katun_, because they began to be counted from the day
_Ajau_, which was the second day of those years that began in Cauac;
but as these days and numbers were taken from years which had run their
course, the periods of 24 years could never have an arithmetical order,
but succeeded each other according to the numbers 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3,
1, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. As the Indians established the number 13 as the
first, it is probable that some remarkable event had happened in that
year, because, when the Spaniards came to this peninsula, the Indians
reckoned then the 8th as the 1st, that being the date at which their
ancestors came to settle it; and an Indian writer proposed that they
should abandon that order also, and begin counting from the 11th,
solely because the conquest had happened in that. Now if the 13 _Ajau
Katun_ began on a second day of the year, it must be that year which
began on 12 _Cauac_, and the 12th of the indiction. The 11 _Ajau_ would
commence in the year of 10 _Cauac_, which happens after a period of 24
years, and so on with the rest; taking notice that after that lapse of
years we come to the respective number marked in the course of the
Ajaues, which is placed first; proving that they consist of 24, and
not, as some have believed, of 20 years.
_Series of the years completed in two Ajau Katunes, having their
beginning in the year of our Lord_ 1488, _in which the 13th Ajau
commences on the 2d day of the year 12 Cauac, being the 12th of
the first indiction._
------|-----------------|------|--------------------|
| 13th | | 13th |
A.D. | Ajau. | A.D. | Ajau. |
------|-----------|-----|------|-----------|--------|
1488 | 12. Cauac | L | 1500 | 11. Cauac | L |
1489 | 13. Kan | a | 1501 | 12. Kan | a |
1490 | 1. Muluc | m | 1502 | 13. Muluc | m |
1491 | 2. Gix | a | 1503 | 1. Gix | a |
1492 | 3. Cauac | y | 1504 | 2. Cauac | y |
1493 | 4. Kan | t | 1505 | 3. Kan | t |
1494 | 5. Muluc | u | 1506 | 4. Muluc | u |
1495 | 6. Gix | n | 1507 | 5. Gix | n |
1496 | 7. Cauac | . | 1508 | 6. Cauac | . |
1497 | 8. Kan | | 1509 | 7. Kan | Laib |
1498 | 9. Muluc | | 1510 | 8. Muluc | oc |
1499 | 10. Gix | | 1511 | 9. Gix | Katun. |
------|-----------|-----|------|-----------|--------|
------|-----------------|------|--------------------|
| 11th | | 11th |
A.D. | Ajau. | A.D. | Ajau. |
------|-----------|-----|------|-----------|--------|
1512 | 10. Cauac | L | 1524 | 9. Cauac | L |
1513 | 11. Kan | a | 1525 | 10. Kan | a |
1514 | 12. Muluc | m | 1526 | 11. Muluc | m |
1515 | 13. Gix | a | 1527 | 12. Gix | a |
1516 | 1. Cauac | y | 1528 | 13. Cauac | y |
1517 | 2. Kan | t | 1529 | 1. Kan | t |
1518 | 3. Muluc | u | 1530 | 2. Muluc | u |
1519 | 4. Gix | n | 1531 | 3. Gix | n |
1520 | 5. Cauac | . | 1532 | 4. Cauac | . |
1521 | 6. Kan | | 1533 | 5. Kan | Chak |
1522 | 7. Muluc | | 1534 | 6. Muluc | oc |
1523 | 8. Gix | | 1535 | 7. Gix | Katun. |
------|-----------|-----|------|-----------|--------|
The fundamental point of departure from which to adjust the Ajaus with
the years of the Christian era, to count the periods or cycles which
have elapsed, and to make the years quoted by the Indians in their
histories agree with the same era, is the year of our Lord 1392, which,
according to all sources of information, confirmed by the testimony of
Don Cosme de Burgos, one of the conquerors, and a writer (but whose
observations have been lost), was the year in which fell the 7 _Cauac_,
giving in its second day the commencement of 8 Ajau; and from this, as
from a root, all that preceded and have followed it are adjusted
according to the table of them which has been given; and as this agrees
with all the series that have been found, it is highly probable that it
is the correct one.
"At the end of each Ajau Katun, or period o/ 24 years," says a
manuscript, "great feasts were celebrated in honour of the god thereof,
and a statue of the god was put up, with letters and inscriptions." It
must be supposed that these were expressed by means of signs or
hieroglyphics.
The use of this cycle was of very great advantage and importance,
because when, for example, the 8th Ajau was referred to in their
histories in describing some event which it was necessary to
distinguish from others, the 8th Ajau was established as a distinct
date, and it was understood that the 312 years had elapsed, which made
up the whole Katun, in order to return to the same number; this was
more clear, if the writer explained that a _uudz Katun_ had elapsed,
which is the sum total of the thirteen Katunes, or the great cycle.
They had various modes of quoting the _Ajaues_, as by saying generally
the beginning, middle, or end of such an Ajau, or by mentioning the
years of the Katun which had elapsed, without stating the month or day
of the year, or by specifying all the particulars of the epoch, the
year, month, and day. Such is the passage in which is noticed the death
of a certain, without doubt very notable, _Ajpula_. It is said that he
died in the 6th year of 13 Ajau, when the first day of the year was 4
Kan at the east end of the wheel, in the day of 9 Ymix, 18th of the
month Zip. This date being so circumstantial, we will trace it out,
that it may serve as an example.
Looking at the series of years which belong to the 13 Ajau, and which
we have given above, it will be seen that 12 Cauac falls in the year
1488, the second day of that year being, therefore, the beginning of
the 13th Ajau; that the year 1493 is the sixth from the beginning of
the said Ajau, and that its first day is designated as 4 Kan, which is
the title of that year, "18th of the month Zip." As this month begins
on the 25th of August, the 18th corresponds with the 11th of September.
Let us see now whether this 18th day falls on 9 Ymix. The first month
of that year commenced with 4 Kan, since 4 Kan designates that year
(see the rule given in treating of the months). We find the numbers (of
the week) annexed to the first days of the following months by
successively adding 7 to each month, &c. (or, which is the same thing,
by the rule _buk xoc_). The number of the 1st day of the 1st month
being in this case 4, the number of the 1st day of the 2d month will be
4+7=11, and that of the 1st day of the 3d month, viz., of Zip, will be
11+7-13=5. That month begins, therefore, in that year, with 5 Kan, and
the following days are,
|-------------|------------------|-------------|------------------|
| Days of | Days of | Days of | Days of |
| Aug. | Zip. | the Week. | Aug. | Zip. | the Week. |
|------|------|------------------|------|------|------------------|
| 25 | 1 | 5. Kan. | 1 | 8 | 12. Chuen. |
| 26 | 2 | 6. Chicchan. | 2 | 9 | 13. Eb. |
| 27 | 3 | 7. Quimi. | 3 | 10 | 1. Ben. |
| 28 | 4 | 8. Manik. | 4 | 11 | 2. Gix. |
| 29 | 5 | 9. Lamat. | 5 | 12 | 3. Men. |
| 30 | 6 | 10. Muluc. | 6 | 13 | 4. Quin. |
| 31 | 7 | 11. Oc. | 7 | 14 | 5. Caban. |
|--------------|------------------|
| Days of | Days of |
| Sept. | Zip. | the Week. |
|-------|------|------------------|
| 8 | 15 | 6. Edznab. |
| 9 | 16 | 7. Cauac. |
| 10 | 17 | 8. Ajau. |
| 11 | 18 | 9. Ymix. |
|-------|------|------------------|
Thus the 11th of September was the 18th of Zip, which does fall on 9
Ymix, and accords with the date given in the MS. This date appears,
therefore, to have been very correct.
_Of the Origin of this Cycle._
The origin and use of this species of age, epoch, or cycle, and (the
time) when it commenced, are not known. Neither the Mexican nor
Toltecan authors, nor those who corrected the chronological system for
the computation of time, ever used it, nor had their writers any
knowledge of its existence. The few and incomplete manuscripts which
exist in this peninsula make no mention of it; so that there is neither
record nor even conjecture to guide us, unless there be something on
the subject in the work written by Don Cristobal Antonio Xiu, son of
the King of Mani, by order of the then government, which, according to
the padre Cogolludo, existed in his time, and some allege to be even
yet extant.
It appears only that the Chevalier Boturini had some knowledge, though
imperfect, of that mode of reckoning time; inasmuch as Don Mariano
Veytia, in the second chapter of his "Historia Antigua de Mexico,"
transcribes literally the explanation which Boturini gives at page 122
of the work which he published under the title of "Idea of a New
History of North America," and says, "that the Mexican Indians, when
they reckoned in their calendar the first sign of their indiction under
number 1, as, for instance, Ce Tecpatl (1 Tecpatl), it was understood
that it was (so placed) only one time in every four cycles, because
they spoke then of the initial characters of each cycle; and thus,
according to the contrivance of their painted wheels, Ce (1) Tecpatl
was but once the commencement of the four cycles" [meaning--began a
cycle but once in four cycles. But the fact is not so: both in the
Mexican and the Yucatec calendar, every cycle of 52 years begins with
the same initial character of the year]; "for which reason, any
character of those initial signs placed in their history means that
four Indian cycles of 52 years each have elapsed, which makes 208 years
before they can again occur as initial, because, in this way, no
account is taken of characters which are in the body of the four
cycles; and though the same characters are found there, they have not
the same value."
Veytia affirms that he did not find any similar explanation, or
anything alluding to the system of Boturini, in any of the ancient
monuments which he had collected or examined, or mentioned by any
Indian historian, not even in order to designate the epochs of the most
remarkable events. But I believe that, in answer to this remark of
Veytia, it may be said that Boturini, as Veytia states elsewhere, had
examined the calendars used in old times by the Indians of Oaxacac,
Chiapas, and Soconusco, and these being similar to that of the
Yucatecos, it is not unreasonable to suppose that they, like the
Yucatecos, computed by cycles greater than the Mexicans employed; and
that Boturini took from them the idea, though confused and incorrect,
of our Ajaus, or great cycles. This incorrectness might arise either
from his not understanding the mechanism of their mode of computing,
owing to the defective explanation given by the Indians, or from the
manuscripts which Boturini had before him being mutilated, or, finally,
from the possible fact that the Indians in those provinces had a
particular custom of counting by cycles of four indictions, or of 208
years, which, notwithstanding the difference observed in their
calculation, and the number of years which it produces, have a great
analogy with the Yucateco cycles of 312 years. The only thing for which
Boturini may be censured, if the Mexicans had no knowledge of that
cycle, and did not use it, was the ascribing of it to them as being in
common use for the computation of the greater periods of time.
The great similarity between the names of the days in the calendar of
Oajaca, Chiapas, and Soconusco, and those of the Yucatecos, has been
mentioned, and appears clearly by comparing the latter with those of
the said provinces, which Veytia has transcribed in his history, chap.
xi., at the end.
|---------------------|-------------------|
| Days of the | Days of the |
| Oajaquian Month. | Yucateco Month. |
|---------------------|-------------------|
| 1. Votan. | 1. Kan. |
| 2. Ghanan. | 2. Chicchan. |
| 3. Abagh. | 3. Quimi. |
| 4. Tox. | 4. Manik. |
| 5. Moxic. | 5. Lamat. |
| 6. Lambat. | 6. Muluc. |
| 7. Molo or Mulu. | 7. Oc. |
| 8. Elah or Elab. | 8. Chuen. |
| 9. Batz. | 9. Eb. |
| 10. Enoh or Enob. | 10. Ben. |
| 11. Ben. | 11. Hix or Gix. |
| 12. Hix. | 12. Men. |
| 13. Tzinkin. | 13. Quib. |
| 14. Chabin. | 14. Caban. |
| 15. Chue or Chic. | 15. Edznab. |
| 16. Chinax. | 16. Cauac. |
| 17. Cahogh. | 17. Ajau. |
| 18. Aghual. | 18. Ymix. |
| 19. Mox. | 19. Yk. |
| 20. Ygh. | 20. Akbal. |
|---------------------|-------------------|
Oajacan Ghanan, _gh_ being pronounced as _k_, is the same with the
Yucateco _Kan_ or _Kanan_ (yellow); Molo or Mulu, _Muluc_; Chue,
_Chuen_; Aghual, _Akbal_ ox _Akual_; Ygk, _Yk_; Lambat, _Lamat_; Ben
and Hix, _Be-en_ and _Gix_ or _Hix_. These analogies, and the fact that
some of the Yucateco names have no known signification, induce the
belief that both calendars had a common origin, with only such
alterations as the priests made on account of particular events or for
other reasons; which alterations our Indians adopted, leaving the other
signs unchanged, either because they were accustomed to them, or
because their signification, now forgotten, was then known.
The Indians of Yucatan had yet another species of cycle; but as the
method followed by them in using it cannot be found, nor any example by
which an idea of its nature might be imagined, I shall only copy what
is literally said of it in a manuscript, viz.: "There was another
number, which they called _Ua Katun_, and which served them as a key to
find the Katunes. According to the order of its march, it falls on the
days of the _Uayeb jaab_, and revolves to the end of certain years:
Katunes 13, 9, 5, 1, 10, 6, 2, 11, 7, 3, 12, 8, 4."
[N.B. Uayeb jaab is one of the names given to the five supplementary
days of the year, and also to the last four years of the Ajau of 24
years.]
_Series of Ajaues, from the beginning of the vulgar era to the present
year, and those following until the end of the cycle. It is formed of
three columns: the first containing the years of the Christian era; the
second, the years of the indiction in which the Ajaues commenced, on
their second day; and the third, the succession of these Ajaues._ (_The
vulgar era began in the year_ 7 _Kan, which was the 2d of_ 7 _Ajau,
that commenced the second day of the year of the indiction_ 6 _Cauac_).
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| Years | Years | Ajaues |
| of our | of the | that began |
| Lord. | Indiction. | in them. |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| 24 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 48 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 72 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 96 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 120 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 144 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 168 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 192 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 216 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *240 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 264 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 288 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 312 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 336 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 360 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 384 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 408 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 432 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 456 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 480 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 504 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 528 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *552 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 576 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 600 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 624 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 648 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 672 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 696 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 720 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 744 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 768 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 792 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 816 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 840 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *864 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 888 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 912 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 936 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 960 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 984 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 1008 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 1032 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 1056 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 1080 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 1104 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 1128 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 1152 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *1176 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 1200 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 1224 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 1248 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 1272 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 1296 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 1320 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 1344 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 1368 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 1392 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 1416 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 1440 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 1464 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *1488 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 1512 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 1536 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 1560 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 1584 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
| 1608 | 2. Cauac. | 3. Ajau. |
| 1632 | 13. Cauac. | 1. Ajau. |
| 1656 | 11. Cauac. | 12. Ajau. |
| 1680 | 9. Cauac. | 10. Ajau. |
| 1704 | 7. Cauac. | 8. Ajau. |
| 1728 | 5. Cauac. | 6. Ajau. |
| 1752 | 3. Cauac. | 4. Ajau. |
| 1776 | 1. Cauac. | 2. Ajau. |
| *1800 | *12. Cauac. | *13. Ajau. |
| 1824 | 10. Cauac. | 11. Ajau. |
| 1848 | 8. Cauac. | 9. Ajau. |
| 1872 | 6. Cauac. | 7. Ajau. |
| 1896 | 4. Cauac. | 5. Ajau. |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
From the preceding series it is manifest that from the birth of Christ
until the beginning of this cycle, have elapsed 6 great cycles, one
epoch, and 17 (years) of another; the first epoch of the first cycle
requiring a year, as has been stated.
_Additional Note at End of Don J. P. Perez's Essay._
Since this exposition was written, I have had an opportunity of seeing
the work, above quoted, of Chevalier Boturini, in which, speaking of
the Toltec Indians, he says:
After their peregrination through Asia, they reached the Continent
(America), and penetrated to Hutchuetlapallan, the first city of New
Spain, in which their wise men convened 130 and some years before the
birth of Christ; and seeing that the civil did not agree with the
astronomical year, and that the equinoctial days were altered, they
determined to add in every four years one day, in order to recover the
hours which were (annually) lost. And it is supposed that they effected
it by counting one of the symbols of the last month of the year twice
(as the Romans did with their bissextile days), without disturbing
their order, because adding or taking away (a symbol) would destroy
their perpetual system; and thus they made the commencement of the
civil year to agree with the vernal equinox, which was the principal
and governing part of the year.
He adds, that although the intercalated day had not a place in the
order of the symbols of the days of the year, but was thrust in, as it
were, like an interloper, still it gave a name (or character) to the
bissextile year, having most solemn feasts reserved to it, which, even
in the third age, were sanctioned by the emperor or king of those
provinces; and they were held in honour of the god _Xinteuctli_, "lord
of the year," with great preparation of viands and sumptuous dances, in
which the lords alone danced and sang; and for this reason they were
called "the songs and dances of the lords." In the same bissextile year
was held the solemn ceremony of piercing the ears of the girls and
young men, it being reserved for the high-priest to execute that
function, assisted by godfathers and godmothers.
In the 27th paragraph of the observations he says, that there was in
the third age another mode of intercalating, applied only to the ritual
calendar, and that, in order not to disturb either the perpetual order
of the fixed feasts, or of the sixteen movable feasts, which circulated
among the symbols of the days of the year, by (or for the sake of)
counting twice the symbol of the last month of the bissextile year,
which caused them much anxiety on account of the displeasure of their
gods, it was held better to reserve the 13 bissextile days for the end
of the cycle of 52 years; which (days) are distinguished in their
wheels or tables by thirteen ciphers, (painted) blue or of some other
colour; and they belonged neither to any month nor any year, nor had
they particular or individual symbols, like the other days. It was with
them as if there were no such days, nor were they dedicated to any of
their gods, on which account they were reputed "unfortunate." The whole
of those 13 days was a time of penitence and fasting, for fear that the
world should come to an end; nor did they eat any warm food, as the
fire was extinguished through the whole land till the new cycle began,
when the ceremony of the new fire was celebrated.
But as all these were matters relating only to rites and sacrifices
(not to the true computation of time), this mode of intercalating had
no application to the natural year, because it would have greatly
deranged the solstices, equinoxes, and beginnings of the years; and the
fact is abundantly proved by the circumstance that the days thus
intercalated (at the end of the cycle) had none of the symbols
belonging to the days of the year, and the ritual calendar accounted
them bissextiles at the end of each cycle, in imitation, though by a
different order, of the civil bissextiles, which (as being more
accurate) were more proper for the regulation of public affairs.
* * * * *
AN ALMANAC, ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO THE CHRONOLOGICAL CALCULATION OF THE
ANCIENT INDIANS OF YUCATAN, FOR THE YEARS 1841 AND 1842, BY DON JUAN
PIO PEREZ.
_Observations_.--The notes or remarks _utz_, _yutz kin_, a lucky day,
_lob_, _u lob kin_, an unlucky day, signify that the Indians had their
days of good and of ill fortune, like some of the nations of ancient
Europe; although it is easily perceived that the number of their days
of ill fortune is excessive, still they are the same found by me in
three ancient almanacs which I have examined, and found to agree very
nearly. I have applied them to the number, not the name, of the day,
because the announcements of rain, of planting, &c, must, in my
opinion, belong to the fixed days of the month, and not to the names of
particular days; as these each year are changed, and turn upon the four
primaries, _Kan_, _Muluc_, _Gix_, and _Cauac_, chiefs of the year. In
another place, however, I have seen it laid down as a rule that the
days _Chicchan_, _Cimi_ or _Kimi_, _Oc_, _Men_, _Ahau_, and _Akbal_,
are the days of rest in the month; and this appears probable, as I see
no reason why there should be so great an excess of days of ill
fortune. In the almanacs cited above, this order was not observed,
either from ignorance or excessive superstition.
Thus the days on which the burner takes his fire, kindles it, gives it
free scope, and extinguishes it, are subject to the 3d, 4th, 10th, and
11th of the days _Chicchan_, _Oc_, _Men_, and _Ahau_; as they say, for
example, that on the 3d Chicchan the burner takes his fire, on the 10th
Chicchan he begins, the 4th Chicchan he gives it scope, and the 11th
Chicchan he extinguishes it; the same may be said of Oc, Men, and Ahau;
from which we see that these epochs are movable, as the days 3, 4, 10,
and 11 do not always fall on the same days of the month, but only
according to the combination of the weekly numbers with the days
referred to.
It may be asked, who is this burner that takes his fire, kindles it,
permits it to destroy, and extinguishes it? To this I cannot reply, as
I have been unable to find an explanation of the mystery; perhaps the
days specified might be days of sacrifice, or some other act of
superstition.
1ST INDIAN MONTH, "POP," OF THE YEAR 1 KAN.
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
| | Pop. | | July. |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
| 1. Kan. | 1 | Hun Kan, utz licil u cutal, Pop | |
| | | (good, as the beginning of Pop). | 16 |
| 2. Chicchan. | 2 | Ca Chicchan, utz u tial pakal | |
| | | (good for planting). | 17 |
| 3. Quimi. | 3 | Ox Quimi, lob kin (an unlucky | |
| | | day). | 18 |
| 4. Manik. | 4 | Can Manik, utz u tial pakal | |
| | | (good for planting). | 19 |
| 5. Lamat. | 5 | Ho Lamat, utz kin (a good day). | 20 |
| 6. Muluc. | 6 | Uac Muluc, utz kin (6 Muluc; a | |
| | | day). | 21 |
| 7. Oc. | 7 | Uuc Oc, utz u tial ahguehob | |
| | | (good for hunting; for the | |
| | | settlers). | 22 |
| 8. Chuen. | 8 | Uaxxac Chuen, yutz kin, kal ikal | |
| | | u chibal tok (good day; without | |
| | | wind). | 23 |
| 9. Eb. | 9 | Bolon Eb, u lob kin ( 9 Eb; a | |
| | | bad day). | 24 |
| 10. Been. | 10 | Lahun Been, yutz kin (10 Been; | |
| | | a good day). | 25 |
| 11. Hix. | 11 | Buluc Hix, yutz kin (11 Hix; | |
| | | a good day). | 26 |
| 12. Men. | 12 | Lahca Men, yutz kin (12 Men; | |
| | | a good day). | 27 |
| 13. Quib. | 13 | Oxlahun Quib, u lob kin (13 Quib; | |
| | | an unlucky day). | 28 |
| 1. Caban. | 14 | Hun Caban, u lob kin (1 Caban; | |
| | | an unlucky day). | 29 |
| 2. Edznab. | 15 | Ca Edznab, yutz kin, licil u | |
| | | zihil ahmiatz yetel ahdzib | |
| | | hunob (good day; in which are | |
| | | born writers and wise men.) | 30 |
| 3. Cauac. | 16 | Ox Cauac, yutz kin (a good day). | |
| | | (good for planting). | 31 |
| 4. Ahau. | 17 | Can Ahau, yutz kin ti almehenob; | |
| | | yalcab u kak ahtoc (a good day | |
| | | for the nobles; the burner | |
| | | gives the fire scope). |Aug. 1 |
| 5. Ymix. | 18 | Ho Ymix, u lob kin (a bad day). | 2 |
| 6. Yk. | 19 | Uac Yk, u lob kin (an unlucky | |
| | | day). | 3 |
| 7. Akbal. | 20 | Uac Akbal, yutz kin (a good day). | 4 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
UO, 2D INDIAN MONTH.
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
| | Uo. | |August.|
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
| 8. Kan. | 1 | Uaxxac Kan, u lob kin licil u | |
| | | cutal Uo (a bad day, as the | |
| | | root of Uo). | 5 |
| 9. Chicchan. | 2 | Bolon Chicchan, u lob kin (an | |
| | | unlucky day). | 6 |
| 10. Quimi. | 3 | Lahun Quimi, u lob kin (an | |
| | | unlucky day). | 7 |
| 11. Manik. | 4 | Buluc Manik, u lob kin (an | |
| | | unlucky day). | 8 |
| 12. Lamat. | 5 | Lahca Lamat, u lob kin (an | |
| | | unlucky day). | 9 |
| 13. Muluc. | 6 | Oxlahun Muluc, u lob kin (an | |
| | | unlucky day). | 10 |
|----------------|-------|----------------------------------|-------|
UO, 2D INDIAN MONTH (Continued).
|------|----------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Uo. | |August.|
|------|----------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 7 | 1, Oc, u lob kin, cimil hoppol kin (a bad day; | |
| | death in the five following). | 11 |
| 8 | 2, Chuen, u lob kin (an unlucky day). | 12 |
| 9 | 3, Eb, u lob kin, chetun cimil yani (a bad day; | |
| | sudden deaths). | 13 |
| 10 | 4, Been, u lob kin, u coc cimil (an unlucky day; | |
| | sudden deaths). | 14 |
| 11 | 5, Hix, u lob kin (an unfortunate day). | 15 |
| 12 | 6, Men, u lob kin (an unfortunate day). | 16 |
| 13 | 7, Quib, u lob kin (an unfortunate day). | 17 |
| 14 | 8, Caban, u lob kin (an unfortunate day). | 18 |
| 15 | 9, Edznab, u lob kin, cimil yani (a bad day; death | |
| | is here). | 19 |
| 16 | 10, Cauac, u lob kin (an unlucky day). | 20 |
| 17 | 11, Ahau, lob, u tup kak ahtoc (bad; the burner | |
| | puts out the fire). | 21 |
| 18 | 12, Ymix, u lob kin (a unfortunate day). | 22 |
| 19 | 13, Yk, u lob kin (an unfortunate day). | 23 |
| 20 | 1, Akbal, au yutz kin (a lucky day). | 24 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
ZIP, 3D INDIAN MONTH.
|------|----------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Zip. | |August.|
|------|----------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 2, Kan, yutz kin, licil u cutal Zip (a good day; | |
| | the root of Zip). | 25 |
| 2 | 3, Chicchan, lob, u cha kak ahtoc (bad; the | |
| | burner takes the fire). | 26 |
| 3 | 4, Quimi, yutz kin u kin takal u kab balam (a | |
| | good day; one in which the hands are laid on the | |
| | tiger). | 27 |
| 4 | 5, Manik, u lob kin (an unlucky day) | 28 |
| 5 | 6, Lamat, u lob kin (an unlucky day). | 29 |
| 6 | 7, Muluc, u lob kin. | 30 |
| 7 | 8, Oc, u lob kin. | 31 |
| 8 | 9, Chuen, u lob kin. |Sept. 1|
| 9 | 10, Eb, u lob kin. | 2 |
| 10 | 11, Ben, u lob kin. | 3 |
| 11 | 12, Hix, utz kin (an good day). | 4 |
| 12 | 13, Men, utz u zihil ahau (good; the king is born) | 5 |
| 13 | 1, Quib, utz kin. | 6 |
| 14 | 2, Caban, yutz kin. | 7 |
| 15 | 3, Edznab, yutz kin. | 8 |
| 16 | 4, Cauac, yutz kin. | 9 |
| 17 | 5, Ahau, yutz kin. | 10 |
| 18 | 6, Ymix, yutz kin, haahal tela (a good day; there | |
| | is rain). | 11 |
| 19 | 7, Yk, yutz kin, haahal tela (a good day; there | |
| | is rain). | 12 |
| 20 | 8, Akbal, yutz. | 13 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
ZODZ, 4TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Zodz. | | Sept. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 9, Kan, utz u zian ku, u kin chac licil u cutal | |
| | zoc (good; church day, of rain, &c.). | 14 |
| 2 | 10, Chicchan, u lob kin, u hoppol u kak ahtoc | |
| | (a bad day; the fire begins). | 15 |
| 3 | 11, Quimi, u lob kin, u kin u nichco hun ahau, | |
| | coh u nich (a bad day). | 16 |
| 4 | 12, Manik, u lob kin (a bad day). | 17 |
| 5 | 13, Lamat, yutz kin. | 18 |
| 6 | 1, Muluc, yutz kin. | 19 |
| 7 | 2, Oc, yutz kin. | 20 |
| 8 | 3, Chuen, yutz kin. | 21 |
| 9 | 4, Eb, u lob kin, licil u zihil ahau (bad; | |
| | the king is born. | 22 |
| 10 | 5, Ben, lob kin. | 23 |
| 11 | 6, Hix, utz u tial Ahcabnalob licil u pakal cab | |
| | good for the bee-hunters; in it the swarms are | |
| | hived). | 24 |
| 12 | 7, Men, utz. | 25 |
| 13 | 8, Quib, yutz kin. | 26 |
| 14 | 9, Caban, u yutz kin. | 27 |
| 15 | 10, Edznab, u yutz kin. | 28 |
| 16 | 11, Cauac, u yutz kin. | 29 |
| 17 | 12, Ahau, lob u kukumtok chapahal yani (bad; the | |
| | plume of infirmities). | 30 |
| 18 | 13, Ymix, lob kin. |Oct. 1 |
| 19 | 1, Yk, utz kin u zian chac (good; a day of rain). | 2 |
| 20 | 2, Akbal, u lob kin. | 3 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
ZEC, 5TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Zec. | | Oct. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 3, Kan, utz u zian chac licil u cutal zec (good; | |
| | beginning of Zec; rain). | 4 |
| 2 | 4, Chicchan, lob u yalcab u kak ahtoc (bad; the | |
| | burner gives the fire scope). | 5 |
| 3 | 5, Quimi, lob u lubul u koch mehen palalob; | |
| | chapahal yani (bad; the tax on children falls | |
| | due; there is sickness). | 6 |
| 4 | 6, Manik, lob. | 7 |
| 5 | 7, Lamat, u lob kin. | 8 |
| 6 | 8, Muluc, u lob kin. | 9 |
| 7 | 9, Oc, u yutz kin, zut ti kaax xinxinbal (good | |
| | for walking, &c.) | 10 |
| 8 | 10, Chuen, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 9 | 11, Eb, u lob kin. | 12 |
| 10 | 12, Been, u lob kin. | 13 |
| 11 | 13, Hix, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 12 | 1, Men, u lob kin. | 15 |
| 13 | 2, Quib, u lob kin, kalal hub, cinil yani (an | |
| | unlucky day; the snail retreats to his shell, | |
| | or is sawn open; death is in the day). | 16 |
| 14 | 3, Caban, yutz kin. | 17 |
| 15 | 4, Edznab, lob, u hokol chacmitan tac metnal ti | |
| | kin ti akab (bad; hunger is loosed from hell by | |
| | day and night). | 18 |
| 16 | 5, Cauac, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 17 | 6, Ahau, u lob kin. | 20 |
| 18 | 7, Ymix, u lob kin. | 21 |
| 19 | 8, Yk, u lob kin. | 22 |
| 20 | 9, Akbal, u lob kin. | 23 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
XUL, 6TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Xul. | | Oct. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 10, Kan, lob, u zian chac licil u cutal Xul | |
| | (bad; rain; beginning of Xul). | 24 |
| 2 | 11, Chicchan, utz u tup kak ahtoc, u ca kin ha | |
| | (good; second day of rain; the burner | |
| | extinguishes the fire). | 25 |
| 3 | 12, Quimi, lob kin. | 26 |
| 4 | 13, Manik, u lob kin. | 27 |
| 5 | 1, Lamat, utz u yalcab muyal (good; the clouds | |
| | fly). | 28 |
| 6 | 2, Muluc, lob u lubul u koch mehenob yetel | |
| | akkinob licil u ppixichob (bad; day of watching; | |
| | the tax of the sons and priests falls due). | 29 |
| 7 | 3, Oc, lob u cha kak ahtoc (bad; the burner takes | |
| | fire). | 30 |
| 8 | 4, Chuen, lob kin. | 31 |
| 9 | 5, Eb, u lob kin. |Nov. 1 |
| 10 | 6, Been, u lob kin. | 2 |
| 11 | 7, Hix, lob kin, u lubul u koch almehenob | |
| | ppixich yani (bad; a day of watching; of taxes | |
| | from the nobles). | 3 |
| 12 | 8, Men, u lob kin. | 4 |
| 13 | 9, Quib, u lob kin. | 5 |
| 14 | 10, Caban, u lob kin. | 6 |
| 15 | 11, Edznab, u lob kin. | 7 |
| 16 | 12, Cauac, u lob kin, u mupptun cizin lae (a bad | |
| | day, and of attacks from the devil). | 8 |
| 17 | 13, Ahau, u lob kin. | 9 |
| 18 | 1, Ymix, u lob kin. | 10 |
| 19 | 2, Yk, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 20 | 3, Akbal, u lob kin. | 12 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
DZEYAXKIN, 7TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Dzeyaxkin | Nov. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 4, Kan, u lob kin, licil u cutal Teyaxkin | |
| | (bad day; beginning of Dzeyaxkin). | 13 |
| 2 | 5, Chicchan, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 3 | 6, Quimi, u lob kin. | 15 |
| 4 | 7, Manik, lob, utz u pec chaci u kin hai, u zut | |
| | muyal nocoycaan chalbaku (bad; thunder, rain, | |
| | clouds, &c.) | 16 |
| 5 | 8, Lamat, u lob kin. | 17 |
| 6 | 9, Muluc, lob u kaalal hub u yail kin, u chibal, | |
| | hub yani (bad; the snail's horn is closed; a bad | |
| | day on it, a snail will bite). | 18 |
| 7 | 10, Oc, lob kin, u hoppol u kak ahtoc (bad; the | |
| | burner begins). | 19 |
| 8 | 11, Chuen, u lob kin. | 20 |
| 9 | 12, Eb, u lob kin. | 21 |
| 10 | 13, Been, u lob kin. | 22 |
| 11 | 1, Hix, yutz kin. | 23 |
| 12 | 2, Men, yutz kin. | 24 |
| 13 | 3, Quib, u lob kin, yoc uah payambe (bad; | |
| | beginning of bread). | 25 |
| 14 | 4, Caban, u lob kin, ceel yani (bad; there are | |
| | agues). | 26 |
| 15 | 5, Edznab, u lob kin. | 27 |
| 16 | 6, Cauac, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 17 | 7, Ahau, u lob kin. | 29 |
| 18 | 8, Ymix, u lob kin. | 30 |
| 19 | 9, Yk, utz u hoppol hai (good; the rain begins). |Dec. 1 |
| 20 | 10, Akbal, utz kin. | 2 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
MOL, 8TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Mol. | | Dec. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 11, Kan, u lob kin, licil u cutal Mol (a bad | |
| | day; beginning of Mol). | 3 |
| 2 | 12, Chicchan, u lob kin. | 4 |
| 3 | 13, Quimi, u lob kin. | 5 |
| 4 | 1, Manik, utz. | 6 |
| 5 | 2, Lamat, u lob kin. | 7 |
| 6 | 3, Muluc, u lob kin. | 8 |
| 7 | 4, Oc, yutz kin u yalcab u kak ahtoc (a good day; | |
| | the burner gives scope to the fire). | 9 |
| 8 | 5, Chuen, yutz kin. | 10 |
| 9 | 6, Eb, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 10 | 7, Been, yutz kin. | 12 |
| 11 | 8, Hix, u lob kin. | 13 |
| 12 | 9, Men, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 13 | 10, Quib, yutz kin u kin noh uah (a day of | |
| | abundance). | 15 |
| 14 | 11, Caban, yutz kin. | 16 |
| 15 | 12, Edznab, u lob kin, u Chaalba ku (a bad day | |
| | for the church). | 17 |
| 16 | 13, Cauac, yutz kin licil, u kokol u yik hub u | |
| | kin ha (good; the horn sounds well; rain). | 18 |
| 17 | 1, Ahau, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 18 | 2, Ymix, u lob kin, u coi kinal ahau ku (bad; a | |
| | day lessened by the King of the Temple, God). | 20 |
| 19 | 3, Yk, u lob kin. | 21 |
| 20 | 4, Akbal, u lob kin, u coi kinal ahau ku (an | |
| | unlucky day; lessened by the King God, or King | |
| | of the Temple). | 22 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
CHEN, 9TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Chen. | | Dec. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 5, Kan, lob (utz) licil u cutal Chen (bad or | |
| | good; beginning of Chen). | 23 |
| 2 | 6, Chicchan, u lob kin (utz). | 24 |
| 3 | 7, Quimi, yutz kin. | 25 |
| 4 | 8, Manik, lob kin. | 26 |
| 5 | 9, Lamat, u lob kin. | 27 |
| 6 | 10, Muluc, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 7 | 11, Oc, utz, u tup kak ahtoc (good; the burner | |
| | puts out the fire). | 29 |
| 8 | 12, Chuen, yutz kin. | 30 |
| 9 | 13, Eb, yutz kin. | 31 |
| 10 | 1, Been, yutz kin. 1842 |Jan. 1 |
| 11 | 2, Hix, yutz kin. | 2 |
| 12 | 3, Men, utz u cha kak ahtoc (good; the burner | |
| | takes his fire). | 3 |
| 13 | 4, Quib utz. | 4 |
| 14 | 5, Caban, lob licil u cimil uinicob u xulti (bad; | |
| | the end of man). | 5 |
| 15 | 6, Edznab, u lob kin. | 6 |
| 16 | 7, Cauac, utz kin, u tial kabnal (good for the | |
| | bee-hunter). | 7 |
| 17 | 8, Ahau, yutz kin. | 8 |
| 18 | 9, Ymix, yutz kin. | 9 |
| 19 | 10, Yk, yutz kin. | 10 |
| 20 | 11, Akbal, yutz kin. | 11 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
YAX, 10TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Yax. | | Jan. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 12, Kan, lob licil u cutal Yax (bad; beginning | |
| | of Yax). | 12 |
| 2 | 13, Chicchan, lob u kukumtok chapahal yani (an | |
| | unfortunate day; plume of maladies). | 13 |
| 3 | 1, Quimi, lob kin. | 14 |
| 4 | 2, Manik, utz u xul kaxal hai (end of rains). | 15 |
| 5 | 3, Lamat, u lob kin. | 16 |
| 6 | 4, Muluc, utz u zian chaac (day of rain). | 17 |
| 7 | 5, Oc, licil u kalal u koch mehen palal (the | |
| | taxing of the children is ended). | 18 |
| 8 | 6, Chuen, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 9 | 7, Eb, yutz kin. | 20 |
| 10 | 8, Been, yutz kin. | 21 |
| 11 | 9, Hix, u lob kin. | 22 |
| 12 | 10, Men, utz u hoppol u kak ahtoc, utz ti cucut, | |
| | ti kaax u tial ahcehob (a good day; the fire of | |
| | the burner begins; good for the body, for the | |
| | for the forests, and the deer). | 23 |
| 13 | 11, Quib, u lob kin. | 24 |
| 14 | 12, Caban, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 15 | 13, Edznab, u lob kin. | 26 |
| 16 | 1, Cauac, u lob kin. | 27 |
| 17 | 2, Ahau, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 18 | 3, Ymix, u lob kin, u kin kal be hub (bad; the | |
| | horn does not sound). | 29 |
| 19 | 4, Yk, yutz kin. | 30 |
| 20 | 5, Akbal, lob u kin, u hokol chacmitan choctal | |
| | metnal chetun cimil yani (bad; hunger stalks | |
| | abroad; death is here). | 31 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
ZAC, 11TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Zac. | | Feb. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 6, Kan, lob licil u cutal Zac (bad; the | |
| | commencement of Zac). | 1 |
| 2 | 7, Chicchan, lob kin. | 2 |
| 3 | 8, Quimi, u lob kin. | 3 |
| 4 | 9, Manik, u lob kin. | 4 |
| 5 | 10, Lamat, u lob kin. | 5 |
| 6 | 11, Muluc, utz cu pec chaaci, ha yani (good; | |
| | thunder and rain). | 6 |
| 7 | 12, Oc, yutz kin. | 7 |
| 8 | 13, Chuen, u lob kin. | 8 |
| 9 | 1, Eb, lob kin. | 9 |
| 10 | 2, Been, yutz kin. | 10 |
| 11 | 3, Hix, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 12 | 4, Men, u lob kin, u yalcab a kak ahtoc, u lubul | |
| | u koch ahkin ppixich (a bad day; the burner | |
| | gives scope to the fire; taxation of the | |
| | priests). | 12 |
| 13 | 5, Quib, u lob kin chapahal chocuil. | 13 |
| 14 | 6, Caban, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 15 | 7, Edznab, u lob kin. | 15 |
| 16 | 8, Cauac, u lob kin ti ppix ich. | 16 |
| 17 | 9, Ahau, u lob kin, u lubul u koch al mehenob | |
| | (bad; the days of the contribution of the | |
| | nobles are completed). | 17 |
| 18 | 10, Ymix, u lob kin. | 18 |
| 19 | 11, Yk, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 20 | 12, Akbal, u lob kin, u nup cizin telae (bad; | |
| | insidious attacks of the arch-fiend). | 20 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
QUEJ, 12TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Quej. | | Feb. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 13, Kan, u lob kin. | 21 |
| 2 | 1, Chicchan, u lob kin. | 22 |
| 3 | 2, Quimi, u lob kin u thalal u koch akulelob | |
| | (day of lawyers). | 23 |
| 4 | 3, Manik, yutz kin u thalal u koch ahaulil | |
| | uincob (a day of service, or binding on the | |
| | kings of men). | 24 |
| 5 | 4, Lamat, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 6 | 5, Muluc, u lob kin. | 26 |
| 7 | 6, Oc, u lob kin. | 27 |
| 8 | 7, Chuen, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 9 | 8, Eb, yutz kin, u kin pec chaac (good; it | |
| | thunders). |Mar. 1 |
| 10 | 9, Been, u lob kin. | 2 |
| 11 | 10, Hix, lob kin u kalaal hub. | 3 |
| 12 | 11, Men, u lob kin, u tup kak ahtoc (bad; the | |
| | burner puts out the fire). | 4 |
| 13 | 12, Quib, u lob kin. | 5 |
| 14 | 13, Caban, u lob kin. | 6 |
| 15 | 1, Edznab, u lob kin, uchac u pec chaaci (bad | |
| | it may thunder). | 7 |
| 16 | 2, Cauac, u lob kin. | 8 |
| 17 | 3, Ahau, u lob kin, u cha kak ahtoc (bad; the | |
| | burner handles the fire). | 9 |
| 18 | 4, Ymix, utz, yoc uil payambe, ti u kaxal ha: | |
| | chikin chaac (good; abundance). | 10 |
| 19 | 5, Yk, u lob kin, ceel xan u yoc uil (bad; agues; | |
| | and day of plenty). | 11 |
| 20 | 6, Akbal, lob chac ceeli (utz) (bad; fevers). | 12 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
MAC, 13TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Mac. | | Mar. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 7, Kan, u lob kin, licil u cutal Mac (bad; | |
| | beginning of Mac). | 13 |
| 2 | 8, Chicchan, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 3 | 9, Quimi, u lob kin. | 15 |
| 4 | 10, Manik, utz, u hoppol hai (good; the | |
| | beginning of Mac). | 16 |
| 5 | 11, Lamat, yutz kin. | 17 |
| 6 | 12, Muluc, yutz kin. | 18 |
| 7 | 13, Oc, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 8 | 1, Chuen, u lob kin. | 20 |
| 9 | 2, Eb, yutz kin. | 21 |
| 10 | 3, Been, u lob kin, licil u pec chikin chac | |
| | (bad; westerly rains). | 22 |
| 11 | 4, Hix, u lob kin. | 23 |
| 12 | 5, Men, u lob kin. | 24 |
| 13 | 6, Quib, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 14 | 7, Caban, u lob kin. | 26 |
| 15 | 8, Edznab, utz yoc uil (sign of abundance). | 27 |
| 16 | 9, Cauac, utz kin. | 28 |
| 17 | 10, Ahau, utz u hoppol u kak ahtoc, yoc uil (the | |
| | burner lights his fire; harvest day). | 29 |
| 18 | 11, Ymix, utz u yoc uil. | 30 |
| 19 | 12, Yk, yutz kin. | 31 |
| 20 | 13, Akbal, utz u chaalba ku (u zian ku) (church | |
| | day). |Apr. 1 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
KANKIN, 14TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Kankin| | April |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 1, Kan, lob, licil u cutal Kankin (bad; the root | |
| | of Kankin). | 2 |
| 2 | 2, Chicchan, lob u hokol u yik hub, u kin ha | |
| | (an unlucky day; day of rain; the horn sounds). | 3 |
| 3 | 3, Quimi, yutz kin. | 4 |
| 4 | 4, Manik, yutz kin. | 5 |
| 5 | 5, Lamat, yutz kin. | 6 |
| 6 | 6, Muluc, yutz kin. | 7 |
| 7 | 7, Oc, yutz kin. | 8 |
| 8 | 8, Chuen, utz, licil u lubul ha hach kaam | |
| | (heavy rains). | 9 |
| 9 | 9, Eb, lob ca cha u kin hai (day of rain). | 10 |
| 10 | 10, Been, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 11 | 11, Hix, yutz kin. | 12 |
| 12 | 12, Men, yutz kin. | 13 |
| 13 | 13, Quib, yutz kin. | 14 |
| 14 | 1, Caban, yutz kin. | 15 |
| 15 | 2, Edznab, yutz kin. | 16 |
| 16 | 3, Cauac, yutz kin. | 17 |
| 17 | 4, Ahau, utz u yalcab u kak ahtoc (licil u zihil | |
| | cabnal) (good; the bee-hunter is born; the | |
| | burner gives scope to the fire). | 18 |
| 18 | 5, Ymix, u lob kin. | 19 |
| 19 | 6, Yk, u lob kin. | 20 |
| 20 | 7, Akbal, u lob kin. | 21 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
MOAN, 15TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Moan. | | April |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 8, Kan, lob licil u cutal Moan (bad; the root of | |
| | Moan). | 22 |
| 2 | 9, Chicchan, u lob kin. | 23 |
| 3 | 10, Quimi, u lob kin. | 24 |
| 4 | 11, Manik, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 5 | 12, Lamat, u lob kin. | 26 |
| 6 | 13, Muluc, yutz kin, chac ikal (good; a | |
| | hurricane). | 27 |
| 7 | 1, Oc, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 8 | 2, Chuen, u lob kin, u nuptun cizin oxppel kin | |
| | ca uchuc ppixich chabtan kini (bad; a day of | |
| | temptation; three days of watching). | 29 |
| 9 | 3, Eb, lob hun chabtan oxppel akab u ppixichlae, | |
| | u cappel u kinil nuptun cizin ca ppixchnac uinic | |
| | baix tu yoxppel kinil xan (bad; a day of | |
| | temptation; three days of watching). | 30 |
| 10 | 4, Been, yutz u kin u hai (rain). | May 1 |
| 11 | 5, Hix, u lob kin. | 2 |
| 12 | 6, Men, u lob kin. | 3 |
| 13 | 7, Quib, u lob kin zutob ti kax (bad for | |
| | travellers). | 4 |
| 14 | 8, Caban, lob, u tabal u keban yahanlil cabob | |
| | (an unlucky day; the sins of the king are | |
| | proved). | 5 |
| 15 | 9, Edznab, u lob kin. | 6 |
| 16 | 10, Cauac, u lob kin ximxinbal ti kax (bad for | |
| | those who walk). | 7 |
| 17 | 11, Ahau, u tup kak ahtoc, lob pazal cehob (the | |
| | burner puts out the fire). | 8 |
| 18 | 12, Ymix, u lob kin ti kuku uincob (bad for the | |
| | sacrificers). | 9 |
| 19 | 13, Yk, utz ti yahanlil cabob (good for the queen | |
| | bees). | 10 |
| 20 | 1, Akbal, utz u kin hai (a good day of rain). | 11 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
PAX, 16TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Pax. | | May. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 2, Kan, lob, ti batabob licil u cutal Pax (bad | |
| | for the caciques; the beginning of Pax). | 12 |
| 2 | 3, Chicchan, lob u cha kak ahtoc iktan yol | |
| | uinici (bad; the burner puts out the fire). | 13 |
| 3 | 4, Quimi, u lob kin, licil u ppixichob (bad; a | |
| | day of watching). | 14 |
| 4 | 5, Manik, u lob kin, cup ikal (bad; a great and | |
| | suffocating heat). | 15 |
| 5 | 6, Lamat, u lob kin. | 16 |
| 6 | 7, Muluc, u lob kin. | 17 |
| 7 | 8, Oc, yutz kin. | 18 |
| 8 | 9, Chuen, yutz kin. | 19 |
| 9 | 10, Eb, yutz kin u xocol yoc kin (the days of the | |
| | sun are reckoned). | 20 |
| 10 | 11, Been, u lob kin. | 21 |
| 11 | 12, Hix, u lob kin. | 22 |
| 12 | 13, Men, yutz kin. | 23 |
| 13 | 1, Quib, u lob kin. | 24 |
| 14 | 2, Caban, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 15 | 3, Edznab, lob, u lubul hai tu kuch haabil Muluc | |
| | u cappel yoc uil (bad; year of Muluc; second | |
| | day of planting). | 26 |
| 16 | 4, Cauac, yutz kin. | 27 |
| 17 | 5, Ahau, yutz kin. | 28 |
| 18 | 6, Ymix, yutz kin. | 29 |
| 19 | 7, Yk, yutz kin, u hoppol hai (it rains). | 30 |
| 20 | 8, Akbal, u lob kin. | 31 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
KAYAB, 17TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| Kayab.| | June. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 9, Kan, lob, licil u cutal kayab (bad; the | |
| | beginning of Kayab). | 1 |
| 2 | 10, Chicchan, lob, u hoppol u kak ahtoc (the | |
| | burner begins). | 2 |
| 3 | 11, Quimi, u lob kin. | 3 |
| 4 | 12, Manik, u lob kin. | 4 |
| 5 | 13, Lamat, u lob kin. | 5 |
| 6 | 1, Muluc, yutz kin. | 6 |
| 7 | 2, Oc, u lob kin. | 7 |
| 8 | 3, Chuen, u lob kin. | 8 |
| 9 | 4, Eb, yutz u kin no hai (heavy rains). | 9 |
| 10 | 5, Been, u lob kin. | 10 |
| 11 | 6, Hix, u lob kin. | 11 |
| 12 | 7, Men, u lob kin. | 12 |
| 13 | 8, Quib, u lob kin. | 13 |
| 14 | 9, Caban, u lob kin. | 14 |
| 15 | 10, Edznab, u lob kin thol caan chaac (bad; from | |
| | all parts). | 15 |
| 16 | 11, Cauac, u lob kin, mankin ha (daily rains). | 16 |
| 17 | 12, Ahau, u lob kin. | 17 |
| 18 | 13, Ymix, yutz kin. | 18 |
| 19 | 1, Yk, yutz kin. | 19 |
| 20 | 2, Akbal, yutz kin. | 20 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
CUMKU, 18TH INDIAN MONTH.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
|Cumku. | | June |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 3, Kan, utz, licil u cutal Cumku (good; | |
| | beginning of Cumku). | 21 |
| 2 | 4, Chicchan, lob kin, yalcab u kak ahtoc (bad; | |
| | the burner gives scope to the fire). | 22 |
| 3 | 5, Quimi, u lob kin. | 23 |
| 4 | 6, Manik, u lob kin. | 24 |
| 5 | 7, Lamat, u lob kin. | 25 |
| 6 | 8, Muluc, utz u zian ku (a day to attend the | |
| | temple). | 26 |
| 7 | 9, Oc, yutz kin. | 27 |
| 8 | 10, Chuen, u lob kin. | 28 |
| 9 | 11, Eb, u lob kin. | 29 |
| 10 | 12, Been, yutz kin. | 30 |
| 11 | 13, Hix, u lob kin. |July 1 |
| 12 | 1, Men, u lob kin. | 2 |
| 13 | 2, Quib, u lob kin. | 3 |
| 14 | 3, Caban, utz u kin balam haabil. | 4 |
| 15 | 4, Edznab, utz ppixichnebal ppolom (the traders | |
| | watch). | 5 |
| 16 | 5, Cauac, u lob kin. | 6 |
| 17 | 6, Ahau, u lob kin. | 7 |
| 18 | 7, Ymix, utz u payalte lae cac uinabal uli. | 8 |
| 19 | 8, Yk, u lob kin. | 9 |
| 20 | 9, Akbal, u lob kin. | 10 |
|----------------|------|-----------------------------------|-------|
"XMA KABA KIN,", OR INTERCALARY DAYS.
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| | | July. |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------|-------|
| 1 | 10, Kan, yutz kin, u nay eb haab, xma kaba kin | |
| | ca culac u chun haab poop (cradle of the year, | |
| | &c.). | 11 |
| 2 | 11, Chicchan, u lob kin, u tup kak ahtoc (the | |
| | burner puts out the fire). | 12 |
| 3 | 12, Quimi, u lob kin. | 13 |
| 4 | 13, Manik, utz u tial sabal ziil (to make | |
| | presents). | 14 |
| 5 | 1, Lamat, yutz kin. | 15 |
|----------------|------|------------------------------------|-------|
The next year would commence with 2 Muluc, the following one with 3
Hix, the fourth year with 4 Cauac, the fifth with 5 Kan; and so on
continually, until the completion of the 13 numbers of the week of
years, which commences with the day Kan; after which the weeks of
Muluc, Hix, and Cauac follow, in such manner that, after the lapse of
52 years, the week of years again begins with 1 Kan, as in the
preceding almanac. Respecting the bissextile, I have already manifested
my opinion in the chronology of the Indians.
The translation of the names of the months and days is not as easy as
it would appear, because some are not at present in use, and others,
again, from the different meanings attached to them, and from the want
of their true pronunciation, cannot be correctly understood; however,
be this as it may, I shall endeavour to decipher them as nearly as
possible, and according to the present state of the language, beginning
with the months.
1. Pop, mat of cane. 2. Uo, frog. 3. Zip, a tree. 4. Zodz, a bat. 5.
Zec, obsolete. 6. Xul, end or conclusion. 7. Dzeyaxkin; I know not its
signification, although the meaning of _yaxkin_ is summer. 8. Mol, to
reunite. 9. Chen, a well. 10. Yax, first, or Yaax, green or blue,
though, as the following month is _Zac_, white, I believe this should
be Yaax. 11. Zac, white. 12. Quez, a deer. 13. Mac, a lid or cover. 14.
Kankin, yellow sun, perhaps because in this month of April the
atmosphere is charged with smoke; owing to the woods being cut down and
burned, the light of the sun is darkened, and at 5 P.M. it appears red
and throws but little light. 15. Moan, antiquated, and its
signification forgotten. 16. Pax, any instrument of music. 17. Kayab,
singing. 18. Cumku, a thunder-clap, or noise like the report of a
cannon, which is heard in the woods while the marshes are drying, or
from some other cause. Uayebhaab, Xma kaba kin, which signifies bed, or
chamber of the year, or days without name, were the appellations given
to the intercalary days, as they appertained to no month to which a
name was given.
_Translation of the_ 20 _Days._
1. Kan, string or yam of twisted hemp; it also means anything yellow,
or fruit and timber proper for cutting. 2. Chicchan, obsolete; if it is
Chichan, it signifies small or little. 3. Quimi, or Cimi, death or
dead. 4. Manik, obsolete, but if the word may be divided, it would
signify wind that passes; for _Man_ is to pass, to buy, and _ik_ is
wind. 5. Lamat, obsolete, not understood. 6. Muluc, obsolete; although,
should it be the primitive of _mulucbal_, it will signify reunion. 7.
Oc, that which may be held in the palm of the hand. 8. Chuen, disused;
some say it is equivalent to board. 9. Eb, ladder. 10. Been, obsolete.
11. Hix, not used, although, combined with others, it signifies
roughness, as in Hixcay, rasp, Hihixci, rough. 12. Men, builder. 13.
Quib, or Cib, wax or gum copal. 14. Caban, obsolete. 15. Edznab,
obsolete. 16. Cauac, disused, although it appears to be the word
_cacau_. 17. Ahau, king, or period of 24 years; the day in which this
period commenced, and therefore they called it Ahau Katun. 18. Ymix,
obsolete; although it appears to be the same as Yxim, corn or maize.
19. Yk, wind. 20. Akbal, word disused and unknown.
This is the signification given to those days.
_Peto_, 14th _April_, 1842.
END OF VOL. I.