282 AIDS TO THE STUDY OP THE MAYA CODICES. 



in tliis case is 52. and count the number of days on our calendar 

 (Table II) from 1 Caban, the fovirteenth day of the first month of 

 the year 1 Kan, we shall find tliat it brings us to 1 Muluc, the sixth 

 day of the fourth month; 52 days more to 1 Ymix; 52 more to 1 

 Been, and 52 more to 1 Chicchan, thus completing the day column 

 in the example given. This proves, in this case at least, that the red 

 numeral over the day column applies to all the days of the column 

 and that the whole numeral series — that is to say. the sum of the 

 counters — iTiin'sciits tlir interval between the successive days of the 

 column. Till' tnt.il huhiIh r df days from 1 Caban, first of the col- 

 umn, to 1 Chicchan. the hist, is 208. Adding 52 more gives 260 and 

 brings lis back to 1 Caban, our starting point. 



It will be observed that the sum of the black numbers — which de- 

 notes the interval between the days of the column — is 52, which is a 

 multiple of 13, the number of days in a Maya week. It follows, there- 

 fore, that so far as this rule holds good the last red numeral of the 

 series must be the same as that over the day column. In a former 

 work' I explained the method of ascertaining the relations of the days 

 of a column to one another by means of the intervals without reference 

 to the numbers attached to them, a subject to which Charency had 

 previously called attention ; ' by the explanation now given we ascer- 

 tain the true intervals between the days as numbered. The two 

 modes therefore form checks to each other and will aid very mate- 

 rially in restoring obliterated and doubtfid days. 



There is another point in regard to these series which may as well 

 be illustrated by means of the example given as any other. What is 

 the signification of the red numerals ( if the scries:-' Tliey arermneces- 

 sary if the only object in view was td inili( ate tlic inti'i-vals between 

 the days of the column. Nor will the supposition that the Mayas had 

 not discovered a means of representing higher numbers than 20 suffice, 

 as the introduction of 13 would have lessened the labor and shortened 

 the calculation. But one answer tu this in([uiry apjieai's jMissiljle. viz, 

 that these niimbers are iiiteiided to ilenote certain iiilernic(liate days 

 to which importance was for some reason attached. These interme- 

 diate days can readily be determined from the data given, and in the 

 present example are as follows: 



(1) Between 1 Caban and 1 Muluc they are 12 Lamat. 5 Ix. 1 Akbal. 5 Manik. 13 

 \x. and 8 Akbal. 



(2) Between 1 Muluc and 1 Yuiix thej- are 12 Ahau, 5 Ciini. 1 Men, 5 Cauac, 12 

 Cimi, and 8 Men. 



(3) Between 1 Ymix and 1 Been they are 12 Eb, 5 Ezanali. 1 Manik, 5 Chuen. 12 

 Ezanab, and 8 Manik. 



(4) Between 1 Been and 1 Chicchan they are 13 Kan, 5 Oc, 1 Cauac. 5 Akbal, 12 

 Oc, and 8 Cauac. 



' Study of the Manuscript Troano, by Cynis Thomas, pp. 15, 16. 

 ■= Dechiffrement des ecritures calculiformes ou Mayas, par M. le C" H. de Cha- 

 i-ency, Alengon, 1849: also, Melanges, pp. 185-19.'). 



