I 



seleb] 



THE MEXICAN CHRONOLOGY 



39 



creature. The interpretations of Suhagun and Dnriin for cipactli, 

 "swordtish" and ''snake's head", are therefore to be rejected, although 

 the former is certainly contained in the Zapotec word. The Indians 

 of the high valleys of Mexico, the informants of both those histo- 

 rians, were not familiar with the original of the true cipactli, cither 

 from personal observation or through reliable traditions. The other 

 meanings, "mountain range", " range of peaks", and again, "sword- 



> 



X y z <l(l 



Fig. 4. Day signs unci n-lated glyphs from the codices. 



tisir\ are easily derivable from the first meaning "crocodile". But it 

 is more difficult to find any transition to the meaning "lot l)eans". 

 Yet one does, I think, exist. The tonalamatl beginning with cipactli 

 was the epitome of all augural skill. It is not too bold lo accept the 

 theory that the name was therefore transferred also to the tool of 

 the augurs, the bean, which the soothsayers employed in conjunction 

 with the tonalamatl. Among the Mayas, the lot bean was called am. 

 During the festival in the month Zip magicians and physicians had 



