CALENDAR SYSTEM OF YUCATEC INSCRIPTIONS 



253 



system"? There is iiotliiug in either the Troano or Cortesiaii codex 

 by which to determine the number of cycles they count to the great 

 cj^cle. What system was used in the Yucatan inscriptions is not posi- 

 tivel}' known, but, as is shown below, they pi'olialily agreed witli the 

 Troano and Cortesian codices, (ioodmau says he has been unable to 

 find a single Yucatec inscribed date. After careful inqxiir,y and 

 examination of the casts of inscrip- 

 tions in the chief eastern museums 

 and all the photographs, drawings, 

 and figures in reach, without finding 

 one, I have had my attention called 

 by Mr Saville, of the New York 

 Museum of Natural History, to a 

 photograph by Mahler, taken at Xca- 

 lunikin, in Yucatan, which is repro- 

 duced in Le Plongeou's "Qxieen 

 Moo," which, if I correctly interpret 

 it, may be an indication of the sys- 

 tem used in the Yucatec inscrip- 

 tions. This is shown in figure 1.57 

 from a copy of the photograph kindly 

 furnished by Mr. Saville. 



The day (All) is evidently 8 Caban, 

 the -ttli day, apparently, of the month 

 Zotz, though the month symbol is 

 somewliat unusual in form. If the 

 day symbol is properly intei-preted 

 Caban, of which there can scarcely 

 be a doubt, then, as the 4 dots over 

 the month symbol are very distinct, 

 it is certain (whether we can deter- 

 mine the month symbol or not) that 

 the year must begin with the day 

 Ix, hence the dominical days must 

 be Kan, Muluc, Ix, and Cauac. 

 This is the calendar system of the 

 Troano and Cortesian codices and 

 also of the codex followed by Landa. 

 This result I must confess is con- 

 trary to my expectation and carries 

 back the Yucatec calendar .system to the days of the inscriptions. It 

 is true that a single inscribed date is a slender basis on which to 

 reach a decision, but we must accept it until other evidence on the 

 point is forthcoming. Goodman suggests that the Cocomes, Xius, 

 Chels, and Itzas had each 1 heir own " chronological system, using a 



Fig. 1.57 

 catan. 



liisiTiiitioii at Xriiluiukin, Yn- 

 Froin a photograph by MahltT. 



