SELER] MEXICAN PICTURE WRITINGS FRAGMENT VIII 203 



twenties are denoted by black dots, ones by lines ; groups of five ones 

 are connected by a line; and where there are more than five twenties 

 the first five are also connected by a line to form the number 100. We 

 have the same system of notation in the Vergara codex, a to e, and on 

 page 34 of the Goupil-Boban atlas, d to /, except that here the twen- 

 ties are usually denoted by a black dot and a little flag, the four hun- 

 dreds by a black dot and a sign resembling a pinnated leaf, which is 

 the symbol for tzontli, " four hundred " (literally, '' hair "). But on 

 this page, too, twenties are denoted simply by black dots, (j and h. ( )n 

 fragment VI of our collection the souls were counted. Therefore we 

 saw, preceding the numbers, the picture of a heart (yoUotli), expres- 

 sive of the conception "" life " (yol) or " soul ". On fragment VTII 

 (plate XIII ) we should expect to find, preceding the figures, the picture 

 of some unit of measure. And this is actually the case. We find, pre- 

 ceding the numbers, the picture of a hand. This is in the first, sec- 

 ond, and fifth fields of the third row. But in other fields, preceding 

 the numbers, we find a picture resembling an arrowhead. This 

 occurs in the fourth field of the upper i-ow (the front of which is 

 incomplete), in the last field in the second row, in the fifth field in 

 the third row^, and in the first and second fields of the fourth row. I 

 have interpreted this picture, from its appearance, to be an arroAV- 

 head. That it is actually intended for one is, in my opinion, fully 

 proved by the fact that in the first field of the fourth row the arrow- 

 head, which we see on the upper side, is replaced on the lower side by 

 the hieroglyph tecpatl, '' flint ", that is, by the material from which 

 arrowheads were made. 



We also find the hand as a unit of length on page 3i of the Goupil- 

 Boban atlas, where the dimensions of the estate or village of Tzom- 

 pantitlan are given (see <7, figure 45)." The hand as a unit of measure 

 is readily understood. For ma-itl means not only the hand, but also 

 the arm, the forearm, including the hand. The use of the hand, there- 

 fore, might denote either an arm's length or an ell. In fact, Molina's 

 vocabulary gives cem-matl (literally defines, " an arm ")by" una braca 

 ])ara medir ", that is, an ell. I have not found the arrow elsewhere as 

 a unit of length. But that it was actually used as such is again proved 

 by Molina's vocabulary, where we find cem-mitl, " an arrow ", trans- 

 lated by "' medida desde el un codo hasta la otra mano ", that is, the 

 measure from one elbow to the tip of the other hand, a somewhat 

 longer measure, therefore, than the former, equal to about 2 ells. 

 I think it possible, however, that the tw^o symbols, the hand and the 

 arrow, both refer to one and the same customary unit employed to 

 measure distance. 



" Let me draw attention, in passing, to the interesting form whicli this lilerolglyph has 

 liere. The element tzompan is usually expressed by the wooden framework tzorapantll, 

 upon which the heads of the sacrificed victims were exhibited. But here it is expressed 

 by the tree tzompanquauitl (Erythrina corallodendron). 



