thosus ENGRAVKD SHELLS FROM MOUNDS. 61 



This result of our investigations, I repeat, forces us to the conclusion 

 that a, Fig. 7, is the symbol for east, as stated in my former work. 6 of 

 north, c of west, and d of south. 



Among the important results growing out of, and deductions to be 

 drawn from, my discovery in regard to these two plates. I may mention 

 the following : 



First. That the order in which the groups and characters are to be 

 taken is around to the left, opposite the course of the sun, which tallies 

 with most of the authorities, and in reference to the Maya calendar con- 

 firms Perez's statement, heretofore mentioned. 



Second. That the cross, as has been generally supposed, was used 

 among these nations as a symbol of the cardinal points. 



Third. It tends to confirm the belief that the bird figures were used to 

 denote the Minds. This fact also enables us to give a signification to the 

 birds' heads on the engraved shells found in the mounds of the United 

 States, a full and interesting account of which is given by Mr. Holmes in a 

 paper published in the Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnol- 

 ogy. 50 Take for example the three shells figured on Plate LIX— repro- 

 duced in our Fig. 10— Nos. 1,2 and 3. Here is in each case the four looped 

 circle corresponding with the four loops of the Cortesian and Fejervary 

 plates, also with the looped serpent of the Mexican calendar stone, and the 

 four serpents of Plate 43 of the Borgian Codex. The four bird heads on 

 each shell are pointed toward the left, just as on Plate U of the Fejer- 

 vary Codex, and Plates 65 and 60 of the Vatican Codex B, and doubtless 

 have the same signification in the former as in the latter— the four winds, 

 or winds of the four cardinal points. If this supposition be correct, of 

 which there is scarcely room for a doubt, it not only confirms Mr. Holmes's 

 suggestions, but also indicates that the mound builders followed the 

 same custom in this respect as the Nahua nations, and renders it quite 

 probable that there was more or less intercourse between the two peoples, 

 which will enable us to account for the presence in the mounds of cer- 

 tain articles, which otherwise appear as anomalies. 



Fourth. Another and more important result is the proof it furnishes 

 of an intimate relation of the Maya with the Nahua nations. That all 

 the Central American nations had calendars substantially the same in 

 principle as the Mexican, is well known. This of itself would indicate 

 a common origin not so very remote; but when we see two contiguous 

 or neighboring peoples making use of the same conventional signs of a 

 complicated nature, down even to the most minute details, and those of 

 a character not comprehensible by the commonalty, we have proof at 

 least of a very intimate relation. I cannot attempt in this place to dis- 

 cuss the question of the identity or non-identity of the Maya, Toltec 

 and Aztec nations, nor the relations of one to the other, but follow the 

 usual method, and speak of the three as distinct. 



50 P. 281, pi. 69. 



