which it falls. Because each one changes its position according to his own count; yet, for all that, the dominical letter of the year which follows does not fail to come up correctly."[1]
It appears that the Chiapenec, Tzendal, Soconuscan, Quiche, and Cakchiquel calendars began the list of days with Imox, following it with Ik or Igh. This fact indicates a common origin of the calendars and of the people. It also renders the statement of some of the old authorities, that the names of the days were taken from the names of their deities and heroes, quite plausible. If this be true, we have possibly in the seven days here given the names of the seven chief deities; and the characters on the page are to be read in columns, each column having at the top one of these sacred names. The characters in the second line appear to accord with this view, as the first four, counting from the left, are those which I have attempted to prove indicate the four cardinal points. As a further examination of this plate would require me to enter into a discussion of the characters themselves I will defer further notice until I reach that subject.
If the figures furnish us with any evidence by which to judge of the contents, I decide without any hesitancy that Plates I*-X* of this part of the work relate to one general subject, to wit, the work and festivals of the apiarists. We may be somewhat surprised to find so large a portion of the Manuscript devoted to the festivals of this limited class, whose industry was generally considered of but minor importance except in certain localities. But here again, as I believe, we detect the cunning of the priests. This was a scheme to supply their board with honey. Moreover, it is quite probable this Manuscript pertained to a section where the production of honey was an important industry.
The objection to the theory that these plates relate to these particular festivals may be raised, that the insects represented by the figures on them are not bees, but beetles (coleopterous insects).
- ↑ Relacion de las cosas de Yucatan, p. 236. Y mucho de notar saiga sierupre la letras que es dominical en el primero dia de sn año, sin errar ni faltar, ni venir a salir otra de las XX alii. Unsavan tambien dcste modo do contar para sacar destas letras cierto modo de contar para sacar destas letras cierto modo de contar que tenian para las edades y otras cosas quo annque son para ellos curiosas, no nos hazeu aqui mucho al proposito; y por esso se quedaran con dezir quo el caracter o letra de que començava su cuenta de los dias o kalendario, se llama Hun Ymix y es este el qual no tiene dia cierto señelado enque craya. Porque cada uno le muda la propia cuenta y contado esso no falta el salir la letra qui vieue per dominical el primero del año que se sigue.
