448 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 28 



clearly understood, Kan-Imix sign («, figure 108), 7c-, 10c, 27c, in our 

 passage; secondly, the Kin-Akbal sign (h). here 16, M, 5?>, 216, 28a, 

 to which we would like to attribute the meaning of an initial day, if 

 that meaning were applicable in every case. Further, the glyph (c) 

 occurring in 9c, 136, 14c, 19c, 26c, which, although it seems to be con- 

 nected with the conception of a death bird (owl) , is still very far from 

 being clearly and suitably explained in every instance. The same 

 may be said of the Caban sign, which is doubtless often used to indi- 

 cate the idea of earth, here 2a, 3c, 246, 28c, and of the other sign, 

 found in Ic, 3c, 21c, 226, 24c, so often combined with it, as I have 

 already stated in my article regarding page 24 of the manuscript. 

 A final and authoritative solution is the more to be desired because all 

 these signs recur Avithout the least regularity. 



In certain of these glyphs (as in the sign 25c, occurring only once 



dD dii^ 



k 



Fig. 108. Cxlyphs from the Dresden codex. 



here, but continually found elsewhere), and doubtless also in others, 

 there may be an allusion to some special feast, some particular (cere- 

 mony, some sort of sacrificial offering, or even to the rank of some 

 individual ; but of all this nothing certain is known at present. 



It is delightful, by Avay of contrast, to see this pervasive darkness 

 occasionally illuminated by a full or even by a dawning ray of light. 

 Group 1 is a case in point. For the glyph la (d, figure 108) can l)e 

 explained at the outset. It consists of four parts : On the upper left 

 side, the sign kin, "sun ", " day "; on the upper right side, the sign 

 for the year; on the lower right side, the knife, or symbol of division 

 or of section ; on the lower left side, what is particularly decisive, the 

 month Ceh. I therefore read la : The day of the new year in the 

 month Ceh. Sign 16 is the Kin-x\kbal sign (6), which is either the 



