Cyrus Thomas

“ It is quite probable that the monster on plates 4 and 5 of the Dresden Codex, which appears to be of the same genus, is a time symbol, and also that on plate 74 of the same codex. It is therefore more than likely that the animal indicated by the Mexican name of the day is mythical, represented according to locality by some known animal which seems to indicate best the mythical conception. ”

“ I am as yet unable to interpret satisfactorily any of the compound characters of which these supposed men glyphs form a part. If the form shown in LXVI, 28, the lower portion of which is substantially the same as Landa’s first l, is to be accepted as equivalent to LXVI, 55, then it is probable that the symbol of the day does not indicate the phonetic value of the name. This would lead to the supposition that the name men is not the original one applied to the day, or that the symbol has been changed. ”

“ We may remark incidentally that a curious coincidence is found in the fact that there appears to be a relation between the wind and monkeys in the mythology both of the Hindu and of the natives of Central America, or at least of Mexico. Hanuman, the Monkey god, who plays such an important part in the Ramayana, was the son of Pavana, the chief Wind deity. According to Brasseur, in his introductory essay to the Popol Vuh, it is stated in the Codex Chimalpopoca that the men were, on a day Ehecatl, changed by the wind into monkeys. ”

“ But how is it that figures 687-689 [same as our plate LXVIII, 42] serve as a seat for the Chac? Now Chac [he refers to the long-nose god] is not really a god of water, but of rain; the rain-producing storm cloud is his vehicle; the storm bird is his beast of burden on which he rides.
It follows from this, notwithstanding his supposition in regard to the origin of the symbol, that he looks upon it as signifying the eagle, or bird. However, the explanations given by Drs Brinton and Seler of the Maya name fail to make a satisfactory connection between the names in the different calendars. ”

“ The significations of the Maya word kan are various, as “yellow,” “rope,” “hamac,” etc, and, according to Dr Brinton, the Tzental ghanan is the same word under a slightly different form. However, he contends that the original sense is to be found in the Cakchiquel word k’an, as given by Guzman (in a manuscript work in his possession) , who says it is the name applied to the female iguana, or tree lizard. ”

“ For positive proof that it is sometimes used to denote the earth, or that from which vegetation comes, it is only necessary to refer to the lower right-hand figure of plate 12, Borgian Codex. Here is Tlaloc sending down rain upon the earth, from which the enlivened plants are springing forth and expanding into leaf and blossom. The earth, on which they stand and from which they arise, is represented by the figure of the mythical Cipactli. ”

“ There can be no doubt that most, if not all, of the figures on this plate (Tro. 29) are intended to represent the injurious and destructive agencies to which maize and other cultivated plants were subject. Birds and quadrupeds pull up the sprouting seed and pull down and devour the ripening grain; worms gnaw the roots and winds break down the stalks, one out of four escaping injury and giving full return to the planter. The latter is therefore probably the correct interpretation, the only difficult feature being the presence of the Earth god, which agrees better with the first suggestion. ”

“ The form of the Mexican symbol for the day Ehecatl (wind) , shown in plate LXIV, 34, and also of the mouths of the female figures on plates 26 and 28, Troano Codex, which are emblematic of the storm, appear to be taken from the bird bill. The bird, as is well known, is a wind symbol with many peoples. It has been so esteemed among several tribes of American Indians, and also by peoples of the Old World. As nii or ni signifies “nose, beak, point” in Maya and several cognate dialects, is it not possible that in this is to be found an explanation of the second Zapotec name? ”

“ A similar conception is found both in Malay and Hindu mythology, differing somewhat in details, but always relating to some monster reptile. In the Manek Maya, one of the ancient epics of Java, Anta Boga, the deity presiding over the lowest region of the earth, is a dragon-like monster with ninety nostrils. The same conception is found also among other peoples.
In the Tonga language moco is “a species of lizard;” in Hawaiian mo’o or moko is “the general name for lizards,” and the same word signifies “lizard” in Samoan; moko-moko is the New Zealand (Maori) name for a small lizard. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Dr Brinton, in his explanation of the month name Zip, remarks: “This was Zuhuy Zip, the virgin Zip, her name being properly Dzip, ‘to skin, to dress slain animals.’” I prefer, however, to interpret the symbol by “maiden,” or “young woman,” the prefix signifying zuhuy. Nevertheless, the suffix in some instances, as LXVII, 15, from Dres. 18b, may indicate that a sacred or mythological personage is referred to, as it is added as a suffix in some cases to deity symbols ”

“ Dr Seler prefers to derive gui from quii, fire, flame, the notion of which is often associated with wind.
[219]
It was probably this notion and the fact that the little four-corner ik (?) symbol is sometimes seen in the flame, which caused this authority to believe the symbol denotes “fire,” “flame.” In the manuscript Zapotec vocabulary by E. A. Fuller, “wind” is bii.
Dr Brinton thinks that ni is the radical of nici, to grow, increase, gain life. He says:
Laa, or laala, is a word of many meanings, as warmth, heat, reason, or intelligence. ”

“ I have not found any combination where the rendering of the symbol by kan proves satisfactory. In fact, with the exception of the kan-imix combination heretofore mentioned, kan is very seldom combined with other glyphs, there being only some two or three in the Tro. Cod., and three or four in the Cortesian Codex. It appears, however, a number of times in combination in the Dresden Codex, but as yet I am unable to interpret any of them satisfactorily. ”

“ Plate 75 of the Borgian Codex, which is in fact the lower part of the figure on plate 76, heretofore alluded to, although having reference to the underworld, appears to be in part a delineation of night. The large black figure probably represents night, the smaller star-like figures denoting stars, and the large one the night sun, or moon. The house in the lower right-hand corner, with the black lining, is the house of darkness. The wind symbol above the roof indicates relationship with the winds. ”

“ Dr Seler also adds that “‘heart of the village’ is in Mexican called tepeyollotl, and that is the name of the deity of the third day character, calli” (plate LXIV, 46) .
The Mexican name calli signifies house. The method by which Dr Brinton brings this and the Tzental names into harmony with the idea of darkness or night is as follows:
The house is that which is within, is dark, shuts out the light, etc. ”

“ According to Ramirez, the Mexican wind and rain gods occupy a large mansion in the heavens, which is divided into four apartments, with a court in the middle. In this court stand four enormous vases of water, and an infinite number of very small slaves (the rain drops) stand ready to dip out the water from one or the other of these vases and pour it on the earth in showers.216-1 As the lowest character in the group mentioned is the ik symbol, its appropriate rendering here is beyond question “wind;” ”

“ The Zapotec name ape, which, according to Dr Brinton, may properly be translated by “lightning,” or “the lightning flash,” is much like the name for “fire” which prevails throughout Oceanica. Commencing with the Malay api, we trace it through the Oceanic islands in such forms as api, lap, yap, nap, yaf; to New Zealand kapura; Tonga and Samoan afi, and Hawaiian ahi.
In the Zapotec words laari-api-niza and ri-api-laha, translated “relampage, relampaguear,” we find precisely the original form of the Oceanic word for “five.”
THE TWENTIETH DAY
Maya, ahau; Tzental, aghual; Quiche-Cakchiquel, hunahpu ”

“ The Maya, Quiche Cakchiquel, and Nahuatl terms signify “death.” The Tzental name tox, however, presents a difficulty not readily overcome in order to bring its signification into harmony with that of the others. Dr Seler does not attempt an explanation in his paper on the meaning of the day names, and in his subsequent article fails to reach any settled conclusion. Dr Brinton thinks it means something (as a human head) separated, sundered, cut off ”

“ For instance, by referring to the plates of the Dresden and Troano codices mentioned, it will be seen that there is nothing whatever that refers to an “animal head which bears the element akbal over the eye,” unless we suppose it to be in plate LXVIII, 16 (from Dres. 29b) and LXVIII, 21 (from Tro. 11a) . There is no figure below or connected with either series to justify this conclusion. It is also certain that plate LXVIII, 21 (Tro. 11a) is not an animal head. ”

“ It also has been shown that it is not out of place in the woman glyph, under the supposition that this is also phonetic, as chup or chupal is the Maya name for woman, and the change from b to p is not uncommon. It is found in several places as that out of which plants are growing, as LXVII, 16, from Tro. 32b, which appears to represent some leguminous plant supported by a stake driven into the ground. It is that on which persons are sitting Indian fashion, and on which others are lying ”

“ The various forms of the symbol of this day are shown in plates LXV, 33 to 37, and LXVIII, 39-40. That given by Landa is seen in LXV, 33; it is also found very frequently in the codices as LXV, 34. The three other forms found in the codices are shown in LXV, 35, 36, 37. The form on the Palenque Tablet is given in LXVIII, 40; that of the Tikal inscription is similar to Landa’s figure, if we are correct in our determination, of which there is some doubt, as the dots are effaced. ”

“ 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. ”

“ In the lowest division of the same plate (Tro. 29) are four individuals, three of whom, as may be seen by studying the similar figures in the division above, are anthropomorphic symbols of corn; the other an earth or underworld deity. One of the former holds in his hands a kan symbol, which is colored to signify maize ”

“ It is to be further observed that this combined Caban and Muluc symbol is found frequently in connection with rain storms and cloud symbols.
According to the interpretation given LXVII, 22 and 24, the compound symbol shown at 26, from Dres. 35b and 34b, should be rendered Yokcabil muyal, “the cloud above.” As we see in both places, in the picture under the text, the looped serpent inclosing water, which Dr Seler considers the “water sack” or cloud, this interpretation is appropriate. ”

“ Moreover, no satisfactory proof has been presented showing that this form has this signification. Seler gives it in some places, as above stated, the signification “fire,” “flame;” and if his interpretation of plate LXVI, 29 by Kinich-kakmo be correct, as Brinton seems to think it is, his interpretations are consistent. However, Seler’s assertion that “the forms of the Cod. Tro. are not easily reconciled with this” must be admitted. In the codices this glyph, as this author [220] remarks, “rather brings to mind the idea of hanging,” often resembling a bunch of grapes. ”

“ Hoch, phonetic value of 233 Hok definition of 241 Hokol symbol discussed 218 Honey symbol in Troano codex 256 Hooch, meaning of 235 Huck, meaning of 224 Humku symbol in the codices 228 Hunahpu day symbol discussed 262 Hunapu, in Central American mythology 225 Hurakan in the Popol Vuh 220, 221 Igh day symbol discussed 215 Ii, see Quii. Ik symbol in Maya calendar 215 Imiz symbol discussed 207 Imox symbol discussed 207 Itlan, possible derivation of 245 —, see Malli-nalli. ”