3o4 -^'"^ ■'"<' 'I'HE STL'DV OF THE MAYA CODICES. 



to hv read (presmuably) in the alphabetic order of the lettei-s given: 

 thougli the order in wliich they are to be read is not essential at 

 present. Examining the series carefully we find that the first char- 

 acter of each grovxp corresponding with a in the above diagram is the 

 same thronghout. The same thing is true in reference to the third, 

 or that occupying the jjlace of c in the diagram, which is the symbol 

 (if t hf licit y: The sixth, or that corresponding with / in the diagram, 

 is also the same throughout the series; the fifth, corresponding with 

 e, is substantially the same throughout, though subject to more varia- 

 tions than any of the other characters. It follows, therefore, that the 

 chief and almost the only differences in the readings of the groups 

 are to be found in the second and fourth characters, or those repre- 

 sented by b and d in the above diagram ; the others (at least those rep- 

 resented by a, c, and /), if referring at all to the figures, must relate 

 to something found in or applicable to each. The third (c), as stated, 

 is the symbol of the deity aud corresponds in the text with the figure 

 of the god in the pictures. As this deity figure is the only thing found 

 in all of the representations, we must seek for the explanation of the 

 other two permanent rliai-actt-rs in soiufthing else than what is figured. 



Comparing the s.t..ii.1 cliai'arl.T (/,) ,,r each -'-'lup with tliat upon 

 wliich the god is seatc(l nr stainling. we timl sutHcient evidence to sat- 

 isfy us that this symbol is the one which is used throughout to indi- 

 cate this object. For example, the second symbol in the group on 

 Plate 69 is an exact copy of the object on which the deity is seated. 

 The same thing is substantially true of that in the left hand group of 

 Plate GG, the middle group of 07, and the right hand group of G8. 



Assuming, on account of the i-emarkable regularity of this series 

 and the fact that the deity is in each case seated or standing on some- 

 thing, that this rule holds good throughout, we have a clew to those 

 corresponding symbols which are not simple copies of the things they 

 are used to indicate. 



Turning to Fig. 378, we observe in the right hand department the 

 marks of footsteps under the deity and the character shown in the 

 margin (No. 20) as the second of the group above the deity. It is 

 worthy of notice that in the two we find precisely Landa's two char- 

 ai'ters for the letter B. Is it possible that the two principal parts of 

 this compound character denote the I\laya words oc 6e, "foot jour- 

 ney" or ''enters i\pon the journey"!' AltciitiMn will be called to this 

 further on, but it is proper to state here that as t he prefix is found in 

 three other corresponding characters it cannot be a necessary jiai't of 

 that which represents the footsteps in this case. 



rSf'o^'' Assuming the theory above given as to the characters in the inscrip- 



Ij^fe^^ tion which represent tlie things under the deity figures to be correct, the 



■"^ second character in tlie middle group of the lower division of Plate 65. 



No. Ji. sho\m in Fig. 378, will be the symbol for the substance represented by 



scrolls under the figure of the deity. ' 



' Unfortunately the scrolls were overlooked in preparing the cut. 



