Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts Part 6

[13] In the original, _Deer_.

PLATE 44 OF THE FEJERVARY CODEX.

As a connecting link between the particular topic now under discussion and the consideration of the symbols of the cardinal points, I wish to refer to one plate of the Fejervary Codex, to wit, Plate 44, a _fac-simile_ of which is presented in Plate III:

A little careful inspection of this plate will suffice to convince the reader that it was gotten up upon the same plan and for the same purpose as the "Tableau des Bacab," or plate copied from the Codex Cortesia.n.u.s, which is reproduced in our Plate I.

The sacred tree or cross, which is represented but once in that plate, and that in the central area, is here shown four times--once in each of the four outer s.p.a.ces opposite the four sides of the inner area.

It is true we do not find here the intermediate ring (or quadrilateral), of clays, but these are not wanting, for the four groups, corresponding with those on the four sides of the quadrilateral, are here found at the four corners wedged in between the colored loops, one group of five at each corner. The chief marked resemblance is to be found in the outer looped line, in which the day characters are connected by rows of dots.

But here the lines and loops, although almost precisely in the form, and relation, to each other as in the plate of the Cortesian Codex, are variously and brightly colored, and the rows of dots are inclosed by lateral lines.

Now for the proof that it is designed for the same purpose as the looped line on the other plate. But it is necessary that I present first, in a tabular form, a Mexican calendar (Table XIV) similar to the condensed Maya calendar heretofore given.

I also give, immediately following, a list of Mexican days for thirteen months, the number necessary to make the circuit of the plate, just as the list of Maya days heretofore given. In this case I have used the English equivalents of the Mexican words for the benefit of English readers.

TABLE XIV.--Condensed Mexican calendar.

____________________________________________________________________ _Numbers of the months._ ______________________________________ Tochtli Acatl Tecpatl Calli years. years. years. years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 -------+------+-------+------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- [ 1] [ 6] [11] [16] 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 [ 2] [ 7] [12] [17] 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 [ 3] [ 8] [13] [18] 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 [ 4] [ 9] [14] [19] 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 [ 5] [10] [15] [20] 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 [ 6] [11] [16] [ 1] 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 [ 7] [12] [17] [ 2] 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 [ 8] [13] [18] [ 3] 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 [ 9] [14] [19] [ 4] 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 [10] [15] [20] [ 5] 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 [11] [16] [ 1] [ 6] 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 [12] [17] [ 2] [ 7] 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 [13] [18] [ 3] [ 8] 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 [14] [19] [ 4] [ 9] 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 [15] [20] [ 5] [10] 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 [16] [ 1] [ 6] [11] 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 [17] [ 2] [ 7] [12] 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 [18] [ 3] [ 8] [13] 5 12 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 [19] [ 4] [ 9] [14] 6 13 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 [20] [ 5] [10] [15] 7 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 --------------------------------------------------------------------

[ 1] Cozcaquauhtli. [11] Miquiztli.

[ 2] Ollin. [12] Mazatl.

[ 3] Tecpatl. [13] Tochtli.

[ 4] Quiahuitl. [14] Atl.

[ 5] Xochitl. [15] Itzcuintli.

[ 6] c.i.p.actli. [16] Ozomatli.

[ 7] Ehecatl. [17] Malinalli.

[ 8] Calli. [18] Acatl.

[ 9] Cuetzpalin. [19] Ocelotl.

[10] Coatl. [20] Quauhtli.

This calendar begins the year _Acatl_ with c.i.p.actli to correspond with what I believe to have been the plan on which the Fejervary plate was made; this, as will be seen, does not agree with what is generally supposed to have been the usual method. The following table of days can be used for either year, but commences as the Acatl years in the preceding calendar.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PL. III Fac-simile of Plate 44, Fejervary Codex.]

TABLE XV.--A LIST OF MEXICAN DAYS FOR THIRTEEN MONTHS.

[The dark lines indicate the points where the months end.][TN-11]

1. Dragon. 8. Dragon. 2. Dragon. 9. Dragon.

2. Wind. 9. Wind. 3. Wind. 10. Wind.

3. House. 10. House 4. House. 11. House.

4. Lizard. 11. Lizard. 5. Lizard. 12. Lizard.

5. Snake. 12. Snake. 6. Snake. 13. Snake.

6. Death. 13. Death. 7. Death 1. Death.

7. Deer. 1. Deer. 8. Deer. 2. Deer.

8. Rabbit. 2. Rabbit. 9. Rabbit. 3. Rabbit.

9. Water. 3. Water. 10. Water. 4. Water.

10. Dog. 4. Dog. 11. Dog. 5. Dog.

11. Monkey. 5. Monkey. 12. Monkey. 6. Monkey.

12. Gra.s.s. 6. Gra.s.s. 13. Gra.s.s. 7. Gra.s.s.

13. Cane. 7. Cane. 1. Cane. 8. Cane.

1. Tiger. 8. Tiger. 2. Tiger. 9. Tiger.

2. Eagle. 9. Eagle. 3. Eagle. 10. Eagle.

3. Vulture. 10. Vulture. 4. Vulture. 11. Vulture.

4. Movement. 11. Movement. 5. Movement. 12. Movement.

5. Flint. 12. Flint. 6. Flint. 13. Flint.

6. Rain. 13. Rain. 7. Rain. 1. Rain.

[7. Flower.] [1. Flower.] [8. Flower.] [2. Flower.]

3. Dragon. 10. Dragon. 4. Dragon. 11. Dragon.

4. Wind. 11. Wind. 5. Wind. 12. Wind.

5. House. 12. House. 6. House. 13. House.

6. Lizard. 13. Lizard. 7. Lizard. 1. Lizard.

7. Snake. 1. Snake. 8. Snake. 2. Snake.

8. Death. 2. Death. 9. Death. 3. Death.

9. Deer. 3. Deer. 10. Deer. 4. Deer.

10. Rabbit. 4. Rabbit. 11. Rabbit. 5. Rabbit.

11. Water. 5. Water. 12. Water. 6. Water.

12. Dog. 6. Dog. 13. Dog. 7. Dog.

13. Monkey 7. Monkey 1. Monkey. 8. Monkey.

1. Gra.s.s. 8. Gra.s.s. 2. Gra.s.s. 9. Gra.s.s.

2. Cane. 9. Cane. 3. Cane. 10. Cane.

3. Tiger. 10. Tiger. 4. Tiger. 11. Tiger.

4. Eagle. 11. Eagle. 5. Eagle. 12. Eagle.

5. Vulture. 12. Vulture. 6. Vulture. 13. Vulture.

6. Movement. 13. Movement. 7. Movement. 1. Movement.

7. Flint. 1. Flint. 8. Flint. 2. Flint.

8. Rain. 2. Rain. 9. Rain. 3. Rain.

[9. Flower.] [3. Flower.] [10. Flower.] [4. Flower.]

5. Dragon. 12. Dragon. 6. Dragon. 13. Dragon.

6. Wind. 13. Wind. 7. Wind. 1. Wind.

7. House. 1. House. 8. House. 2. House.

8. Lizard. 2. Lizard. 9. Lizard. 3. Lizard.

9. Snake. 3. Snake. 10. Snake. 4. Snake.

10. Death. 4. Death. 11. Death 5. Death.

11. Deer. 5. Deer. 12. Deer. 6. Deer.

12. Rabbit. 6. Rabbit. 13. Rabbit. 7. Rabbit.

13. Water. 7. Water. 1. Water. 8. Water.

1. Dog. 8. Dog. 2. Dog. 9. Dog.

2. Monkey. 9. Monkey. 3. Monkey. 10. Monkey.

3. Gra.s.s. 10. Gra.s.s. 4. Gra.s.s. 11. Gra.s.s.

4. Cane. 11. Cane. 5. Cane. 12. Cane.

5. Tiger. 12. Tiger. 6. Tiger. 13. Tiger.