228 DAY SYMBOLS OF THE MAYA YEAR [ETH. ANN. 16 
In attempting to ascertain the signification of the names of the day, 
exclusive of the Mexican calendar, it is best to exclude from considera- 
tion at first the signification of the latter, and allow it to have no influ- 
ence in arriving at a conclusion. The attempt by Dr Brinton to force 
agreement with the latter appears to be unsatisfactory. 
Tam inclined toagree with Dr Seler that the Maya symbol for the day 
kan and the Mexican symbol for tecpatl, “flint,” are based on the same 
fundamental concept, if the flint-like symbols on plate 12 of the Bor- 
gian Codex, one of which is shown in plate LXV, 6, are tecpatl figures; 
of this, however, there is considerable doubt. Seler’s opinion is based 
on those of this type. There can be no doubt that here this spindle- 
shape figure represents the shooting plant, the central stock or stem, 
or, what is far more likely, the seed which gives birth to the plant. 
Although they occupy the position of the stock or stem, yet from the 
form, the fact that some of them have the eye, and that from them the 
roots stretch downward, I am inclined to believe they are intended to 
denote the seed. The kan symbol, as above stated, is also represented 
in the codices as that which gives birth to the plant, as that from which 
the sprouting plant springs. It is probable, therefore, that it was 
originally taken from the grain of maize, which it fairly represents. 
Now it is well known that ‘‘yellow” is one of the primary meanings 
of kan, and that the word is closely associated with fruit, the “yellow” 
referring in a large degree to the ripening fruit, especially of the maize 
plant. According to Henderson one signification of kan is “ripe, as 
fruit, timber,” and, according to Perez, kankanil is ‘‘sazon en [que] las 
frutas, aunque no esten maduras por estar las mas tomando el color 
amarillo.” In Cakchiquel kan (gan) signifies “yellow, ripe, rich.” 
According to Otto Stoll, vwich (or vuach), which is almost identical with 
the Zapotec name of the day, is the word for “fruit” in several ot the 
Maya dialects. According to the vocabulary of Cordova, as given by 
Ternaux-Compans, ‘‘ yellow” in Zapotee is nagache, and in Fuller’s MS. 
Vocabulary it is na-gutchi, the na being a prefix signifying “thing.” 
The anonymous author, however, writes it brechii. We also notice that 
“gold” in this language is yache, probably referring to the color. It is 
likely, therefore, that the Zapotec name of this day signifies “yellow, 
ripe, mature,” referring to fruits, especially maize. 
When maize was introduced into New Zealand it was named kanga, 
probably after the Malay tangkai, the name for an “ear of corn.” The 
Meztitlan name of the day is Yilotl, “‘an ear of corn,” or “a young maize 
shoot.” These facts seem to show that the symbol has some reference 
to maize, and tend to confirm the view expressed above, that the com- 
pound symbol shown in plate LXxtv, 9, denotes ‘‘maize bread.” The 
presence of the kan character in the symbol of the month Cumhu or 
Cumku or Humku (plate LXv, 7) is diffieult to explain on the theory that 
it retains here the signification given it as the symbol of the day Kan, 
whether considered ideographic or phonetic, unless we suppose the 
