MORLET] INTRODUCTION" TO STUDY OF MAYA HIEROGLYPHS 41 



far tlie most important, since it is found in both the codices and the 

 inscriptions more frequently than all of the others combined, is Ahau 

 (see figs. 16, e'-Tc', and 17, c' , d'). The latter form is the only one 

 foimd in the codices, and is identical with e' , f , figure 16, the usual 

 sign for this day m the inscriptions. The variants in figure 16, g'-k', 

 appear on some of the monuments, and because of the great im- 

 portance of this day Ahau it is necessary to keep all of them in 

 mind. 



These examples of the glyphs, which stand for the twenty Maya 

 days, are in each case as typical as possible. The student must 

 remember, however, that many variations occur, which often render 

 the correct identification of a form difficult. As explamed in the 

 preceding chapter, such variations are due not only to individual 

 peculiarities of style, careless drawing, and actual error, but also to 

 the physical dissmiilarities of materials on which they are por- 

 trayed, as the stone of the monuments and the fiber paper of the 

 codices; consequently, such differences may be regarded as unessen- 

 tial. The ability to identify variants differing from those shown in 

 figures 16 and 17 will come only through experience and familiarity 

 with the glyphs themselves. The student should constantly bear in 

 mind, however, that almost every Maya glyph, the signs for the days 

 included, has an essential element peculiar to it, and the discovery of 

 such elements will greatly facilitate his study of Maya writmg. 



Why the named days should have been Imiited to twenty is diffi- 

 cult to understand, as this number has no parallel period in nature. 

 Some have conjectured that this niunber was chosen because it rep- 

 resents the nmnber of man's digits, the twenty fingers and toes. 

 IVlr. Bowditch has pointed out in this connection that the Maya word 

 for the period composed of these twenty named days is uinal, while the 

 word for 'man' is uinik. The parallel is interesting and may possibly 

 explain why the number twenty was selected as the basis of the 

 Maya system of numeration, which, as we shall see later, was vigesi- 

 mal, that is, increasing by twenties or multiples thereof. 



The Tonalamatl, or 260-day Period 



Merely calling a day by one of the twenty names given in Table I, 

 however, did not sufficiently describe it according to the Maya notion. 

 For instance, there was no day in the Maya calendar called merely 

 Imix, Ik, or Akbal, or, in fact, by any of the other names given in 

 Table I. Before the name of a day was complete it was necessary 

 to prefix to it a number rangmg from 1 to 13, inclusive, as 6 Imix 

 or 13 Akbal. Then and only then did a Maya day receive its com- 

 plete designation and find its proper place in the calendar. 



The manner in which these thirteen numbers, 1 to 13, inclusive, 

 were joined to the twenty names of Table I was as follows: Selecting 



