1898-99.] | DECIPHERING HIEROGLYPHIC INSCRIPTIONS OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 117 
closely resembles that of Yucatan and Guatemala, so that the chief 
building at Palenque has been likened to the temple of Boro Bodo in 
that island.*?. Old Javanese representations of native features and dress 
are very similar to those on the monument in question, which sets forth 
people who had kept up the traditional customs of a warm climate.* On 
Easter Island, the most easterly in Polynesia, and thus the nearest to 
America, groups of hieroglyphics resembling, at least in general outline, 
those of the Tablet, have been found, together with colossal statues, 
beyond the power of its present inhabitants to fashion." These may yet 
be found to stand in some definite relation to Central American art, and 
to this end the accurate portraiture of the living figures may be our aid ; 
but this is to anticipate. 
Professor Cyrus Thomas,referring to his study of the Maya Manuscript 
Troano, says regarding the hieroglyphics of the Palenque Tablet: “If 
the reader will examine carefully the character V 14 (that is, the four- 
teenth in the fourth line of the right hand inscription, reading from top 
to bottom and from left to right), especially on Dr. Rau’s photograph, 
he will see that it is almest identical with that in the Manuscript I have 
rendered fecuah, ‘tortilla of maize’ Comparing this with the large 
initial, we find but a slight difference between the two; in the latter, the 
comb-like figures are drawn down to the sides, and the loops are placed 
above. In this, the form of the central oval is not to be relied upon as 
strictly correct, as the lines are too freely rounded; still we presume it is 
slightly different from the little upper circle in V 14. Supposing the 
Maya language to have been used, and the characters on the Tablet to 
have the same signification as similar characters in the Manuscript, we 
should find, in this initial, sounds closely resembling those in pecwah; as 
the bars are interlaced, I presume the first syllable should be ech or pach. 
Turning to Landa’s Relacion (264), we find that ‘In the month Pax, 
they (the Mayas) celebrated a festival named Pacumchac, on which 
occasion the chiefs and priests of the inferior villages, assembling with 
those of the more important towns, having joined together, they passed 
into the temple of Citchaccoh.’ If we interpret the character Pacumchac, 
we at once find a satisfactory explanation of the repeated occurrence of 
the symbol for Pax in this inscription. From Landa’s description, which 
is somewhat confused, I judge this was one of their chief festivals, but 
nothing appears in his statement that accords with the scene on the 
middle slab. This, however, cannot be properly urged as an objection to 
my rendering; first, because there were doubtless many formalities which 
he does not mention; second, because the ceremonies of this festival as 
practised at Palenque may have been quite different from those observed 
