1893.] ^"1 [Brinton. 



catecan antiquary, Pio Perez, copied from the books of Chilan 

 Balam in his possession.* 



An examination of these names shows that they are materially 

 different from those in use among the other tribes of this stock. 

 They appear, in Yucatan, to have reference generall}'' to the 

 religious festivals and ceremonies recurring at certain seasons ; 

 while in the other branches of the stock, they usually indicate 

 the seasons or the appropriate periods for agricultural opera- 

 tions. 



Months of the Maya Calendar. 



1. Pop. 10. Yax. 



2. Uo. 11. Zac. 



3. Zip. 12. Ceh. 



4. Zodz. 13. Mac. 



5. Tzec. 14. Kan kin. 



6. Xul. 15. Moan. 



7. Yax kin. • 16. Pax. 



8. Mol. 17. Kayab. 



9. Chen. 18. Cum ku. 



Derivation. 



1. Pop. — Literally, a mat or rug. But in its metaphorical 

 sense in most Maya dialects, the community or commonwealth. 

 Thus popol na, the public buildings, people's house ; popol vuh, 

 the national book, etc. As the name of the first month of the 

 year it probably refers to the great national festival which then 

 took place as described by Landa, p. 276, sq. 



2. Uo. — Usually translated " frog ;" there is a large edible 

 species so called, who croak in a melancholy way (dan gritas 

 muy tristes, Dice. Motul). It is also the word for the fruit of the 

 pitahaya, Cereus trig onus ; in Tzental, wa?iac. The frog was the 

 symbol of water and the rains. 



3. Zip. — Pio Perez says there is a tree called zip. I can find 



* Don Juan Pio Perez gave a copy of his essay to Mr. John L. Stephens, who published 

 it (imperfectly) in the Appendix to his Travels in Yucatan. Later it appeared in the 

 Regislro Yucnteco ; from which it was copied by the Abb6 Brasseur into the volume con- 

 taining his edition of Diego de Landa. 



The ' Books of Chilan Balam " are the sacred books of the modern Mayas. I have de- 

 scribed them at length in an article in my Essays of an Americanist (Philadelphia, 1890). 



