206 DAY SYMBOLS OF THE MAYA YEAR [ETH. ANN. 16 
This may further be explained by the following illustration: The con- 
ventionalized figure of a turtlehead is the symbol fora “turtle,” ak, ac, 
or aac in Maya; and a conventionalized footprint is the symbol for 
“step” or ‘‘road,” be, beil,in Maya. These may be brought together to 
form the word akyab or kayab, which may have no reference to the orig- 
inal signification of the combined symbols. These two glyphs are, in 
fact, combined to form the symbol for the month Kayab. 
These statements will perhaps suftice to make clear my views on this 
question, which do not appear to have been clearly understood, possibly 
because of my frequent use of the words “ phonetic” and ‘ phoneticism,” 
and perhaps rather loose reference to “letter elements.” 
It is proper, however, to add that I am inclined to the opinion that 
modification in the form and details of a glyph which belongs to the 
class which, for want of a better term, we may designate “phonetic,” 
in many cases indicates a modification or change in the signification or 
word value. I say in ‘*many cases,” because these modifications are 
due often to the greater or lesser accuracy with which the glyph is 
drawn, the caprice of the scribe, and other causes which have no refer 
ence to sound or signification. For example, the change of a rounded 
or circular symbol to a face figure, as is often done, does not appear, at 
least in the day signs, to have any significance. On the other hand, a 
slight variation, if permanent, may be indicative of a difference in sig- 
nification or phonetic value. This appears to be true, to some extent, 
whether we consider the characters ideographic or as, in some sense, 
phonetic. 
The lists of the days in the Maya, Tzental, Quiche-Cakchiquel, 
Zapotec, and Nahuatl, in the order usually given, are as follows: 
Names of the days in the different calendars 

Maya | Tzental A Quiche- 



akehiquel | Zapotec Nahuatl 
is — = | | = 
Imix. | Imox. Timex: | Chilla. | Cipactli. 
Ik. Igh. | Tk’. | Gui, Ni, Laa. Ehecatl. 
Akbal. | Votan. Akbal. Guela. | Calli. 
Kan. Ghanan. Wat. Guache. | Cuetzpallin. 
Chicchan. Abagh. | Can. Ci, Ziie. Cohuatl. 
Cimi. Tox. Camey. | Lana. Miquiztli. 
Manik. Moxie. Queh. China. Mazatl. 
Lamat. Lambat. Canel. | Lapa. Tochtli. 
Mulue. | Molo. Toh. Niza. Atl. 
Oc. | Elab. zie Tella. Itzeuintli. 
Chuen. jatz. Batz. | Goloo. Ozomatli. 
Eb. Euob. | E, Ee. Pija. Mallinalli. 
Ben, Been. Ben. Ah. | Quii. Acatl. 
le abe, Hix. Balam. | Eche. Ocelotl. 
Men. Tziquin. | Tziquia. Naa. Quauhtli. 


