Bureau of American Ethnology 383 



pictorial character, so that an inchoate hieroglyphic system 

 existed among the Indians. As the investigation of speech, 

 sign-language, and pictography progressed, it was found de- 

 sirable to extend observation to the more highly developed 

 native autographic records in the form of codices and carvings 

 and paintings. The studies were conducted chiefly by Doctor 

 Thomas ; and several memoirs, relating in large part to the 

 native calendar system, have been published. In three of 

 these a system of interpreting hieroglyphics was set forth and 

 applied ; * another showed conclusively, for the first time, that 

 the Maya year includes a bissextile ; 2 while a memoir now in 

 press elucidates the calendar more fully, and indicates the 

 derivation and significance of the day symbols. The Ameri- 

 can hieroglyphics are especially important as marking the 

 beginning of a definite art of graphic expression, thus throw- 

 ing light on the critical stage in the development of writing. 

 The laws of linguistic development discovered in the hiero- 

 glyphics are in accord with those educed from the study of 

 speech, sign-language, pictography, and decoration. 



The researches concerning the development of speech and 

 the beginning of graphic art have served to define an im- 

 portant transitional stage in the growth of culture. Among 

 enlightened peoples thought is crystallized and perpetuated 

 by means of arbitrary characters which are combined in 

 words, sentences, sums, and formulas, in such manner as to 

 express ideas clearly and simply; while among primitive 

 peoples thought is crystallized and perpetuated largely by 

 means of arbitrary and often incongruous associations. The 

 researches have shown that the prescriptorial mode of 



1 " Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican of the Manuscript Troano," in Contribu- 



Manuscripts," in Third Annual Report of the tions to North American Ethnology, Volume 



Bureau of Ethnology, 1884, pages 3-65 ; V, part 3, 1882. 



" Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices," in 2 Thomas, Cyrus. " The Maya Year," in 



Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Bulletin No. 18 of the Bureau of Ethnology 



Ethnology, 1888, pages 253-371 ; "A Study issued in 1894. 



