54 MAYA AND MEXICAN MANUSCRIPTS. 



the south. As the commencement was afterwards changed to Tochtli, 

 as we are informed by Chavero (and as appears to be the case in the 

 Borgiau Codex), it would begin at the south, just as stated by Gemelli 

 and other early writers, who probably refer to the system in vogue 

 at the time of the conquest. 



Shultz-Sellack alludes to this plate in his article heretofore quoted, 

 but considers the red loop the south, notwithstanding his assignment of 

 red among the Aztecs to the east. He was led to this conclusion, I 

 presume, by two facts : First, the close proximity of the fourth column 

 of days to this red loop, and second, the figure of the sun at the foot 

 of the tree or cross, the sun of the first creation having made its ap- 

 pearance, according to Mexican mythology, in the south. But it is far 

 more likely that the artist intended here to be true to known phe- 

 nomena rather than to a tradition which was in contradiction to them. 

 The presence of this figure above the horizon is, I think, one of the 

 strongest possible proofs that this part of the plate denotes the east. 



According to Gemelli 44 the south was denoted by a "blue field," and 

 the symbol Tochtli; east by a red field, and the symbol Acatl ; the 

 north by a "yellow field," and the symbol Tecpatl, and the west by 

 a "green field," and the symbol Calli. Iu this plate we have precisely 

 the colors he mentions, red in the east, and yellow iu the north, but 

 green is at the south, and blue at the west. 



Sahagun remarks 45 that " at the end of fifty-two years the count came 

 back to Getochtliacatl (oue-Eabbit-Cane), which is the figure of the reed 

 dedicated to the east, which they called Tlapcopcopa and Tlavilcopa, nearly 

 towards the fire or sun." 46 



This language is peculiar and important, and indicates that he had 

 a Mexican painting similar to the plate now under discussion before him, 

 in which the year symbols were at the corners instead of at the sides. 

 On this supposition only can we understand his use of the term " Ge- 

 tochtU-acatl, , ' > and the expression " nearly towards the fire," &c. His use 

 of the term " fire " in this connection undoubtedly indicates red. His 

 language is therefore in entire harmony with what we find on this plate. 



According to Gemelli and Ohavero the element earth was assigned to 

 the south ; iu this pla.te, in the right space inclosed by the green loop, 

 we see the great open jaws representing the earth out of which the tree 

 arises. From a careful examination of this figure, so frequently found 

 in this and other Mexican Codices, I am convinced it is used as the sym- 

 bol of the grave and of the earth. The presence of this symbol and of 

 the figure of death in this space, as also the figures of the gods of death 

 and the under world in the corresponding space of the Cortesian plate, 



"I.e. See also the colored wheel in Kingsborough, Mex. Antiq., Vol. IV. Copied 

 from one in Boturini's collection, the same as Geraelli's. 



«l.o. 



46 Y acahados los ciucuenta y dos afios tornaba la cuenta £ cetoci.tliacatl, que es la 

 caiia figura dedicada al oriente que llamaban tlapcopcopa, y tlavilcopa, casihacia la 

 lumbre, 6 al sol. 



