THE ''CARA GIGANTESCA" OF YZAMAL IN YUCATAN. 393 



one year, as can be seen everywhere on their calendar or monnniental 

 slabs. If made tetramerous, as are the present ones, they may have 

 particular reference to their quadrienuial cycle, called by them Katun, 

 and may serve here as a symbol of space and time combined. The ex- 

 act connection of thought between sign and the ear of a ruler can only 

 be suggested. 



Leaving theorizing to the reader, it may be well to call attention to 

 similar ideographies which were used in ancient Asia and Europe. The 

 Greek, for instance, attributed to Saturnus and Kronos a wheel as a 

 symbol. The name of the latter as well as his attributes clearly have 

 reference to time. Both Kronos and Saturnus are, again, identical 

 with Krodo and Satar, of the heathenish Saxons, who combined with 

 these personiticatious the same ideas as did the Greeks, who received 

 the elements of their theogony from that of older Asiatic nations. 

 Krodo, like Kronos, was represented with a wheel. The Greek also asso- 

 ciated Saturnus, as the judging ruler in the realm of death, with Neme- 

 sis, Adrastea, as his consort. Various representations of the ancient 

 Orient show both these personiticatious — that is, Saturnus holdiug the 

 scale of Nemesis, and she having his wheel at her feet. 



Though a direct idiosyncratic correlation between Asiatic and Ameri- 

 can symbolism cannot be proved here, the example may at least be 

 accepted as one of those numberless instances which comparative eth- 

 nography should never overlook. 



The two loopknots affixed, one above the right and the other below 

 the left ear, are again the symbols of pledge or obligation, and may here 

 indicate the bearer's duty to receive the grace from above and listen to 

 the prayers of the aiflicted below. 



The diversely-shaped curves filling up the space to both sides of the 

 head represent, according to Clavigero's direct statements made else- 

 where, tlie prayers and invocations of the devoted. They curl up like 

 smoke and incense while seeking entrance to the ears of the paternal 

 monarch, such as history and tradition represent Ytzamatul to have 

 been. 



In the earliest records of the Maya nation, in regard to the realm of 

 Yzamal, no other ruler of such a sublime nature is mentioned, though it 

 seems that in various epochs other sections of this widely-extended theo- 

 cratic confederacy severally claim such primordial legislators, more or 

 less modified iu name and form, but all said to have been gods or demi- 

 gods. Thus, Chichen Itza had her Zamna, Mayapan her Cuculcan, which 

 latter seems to have been of still higher rank, and is, in form and 

 nature, the Maya equivalent for the Mexican Quetzalcoatl. 



The mythical halo surrounding the historical record of Ytzamatul 

 seems to have so much overshadowed the memor}" of his successors iu 

 office that it would be rather hazardous to connect the image on the 

 wall with any other personage but with that first ruler and legislator of 

 Yzamal, or, better, Ytzmal, as it was called before this name was his- 

 l^anized by the European conquerors. 



There can be but little risk in referring the " Gara gigantesca " in its 

 colossal size to a representation of the one who, according to his people's 

 belief, ^'■Receives and possesses the grace,'^ as the name of Ytzamatul is 

 said to signify. 



