254. DAY SMYBOLS OF THE MAYA YEAR (ETH. ANN. 16 
The upper portion of the figure shown in LXVvU, 7, from Tro. 3*b and 
4*b (in the space) I was at first inclined to regard as a reptile of some 
kind, but the fact of its presence in the section relating to bees and 
honey, and the corkscrew markings, render it probable that it is bees- 
wax. To this evidence may be added the fact that the symbol over 
which it is placed contains some of the elements of the cib glyph. 
There are a number of places where quite similar markings appear on 
seats and other things, but these are distinguished by the added line 
of dots, showing it, as will be seen hereafter, to be in these cases the 
cab or caban symbol. 
The facts which have been mentioned, together with the form of the 
symbol, may possibly lead to a correct understanding of its origin. 
It seems probable that the corkscrew figure, which is the chief, and 
apparently only, essential element, is taken from the root of a plant 
and was the conventional method of representing that object. As it 
appears from Henderson’s Lexicon that ‘‘root” was one signification of 
cib (probably from cibah, “to follow, sueceed,” which also signifies 
“born, manifested, root,” alluding to origin), and also that in Zotzil yib 
or yibel is “root” (raiz de arboi, yibel-te), we find the reason why this 
was selected as the symbol to express the sound cib, The fact that in 
the Zapotec loo signifies ‘‘root” strengthens this conclusion and indi- 
cates that the symbol is not used simply for the sound indicated—that 
is, phonetically or ikonomatically—but also with reference to the 
signification. 
THE SEVENTEENTH DAY 
Maya, caban; Tzental, chic; Quiche-Cakchiquel, noh; Zapotec, roo; Nahuatl, ollin. 
In addition to these, the following are also sometimes given: In Meztitlan, nahwi 
olli; Pipil, teepila nahuatl. 
This character, as is apparent from plate LXVII, 8-15, is subject to no 
material variation; in fact, to no variation which would prevent us 
from at once identifying it. That shown in Lxvit, 8, is Landa’s figure. 
The change in position of the black spot and lines with reference to one 
another does not appear to have any significance. In the Troano and 
Cortesian codices the black dot is sometimes on one side and some- 
times on the other. In the Dresden Codex, however, it is nearly 
always on the left. The one shownin LXVI, 13, in which there is intro- 
duced a new element, is found several times in the last part of the 
Dresden Codex. 
This character is used very frequently otherwise than as a day 
symbol, being found separate and in combination, also as a mark 
on a number of articles. As itis possible to determine with reasonable, 
and in fact satisfactory, certainty its signification in a number of 
instances where used otherwise than as a day symbol, some of these 
will be noticed, as they seem to furnish strong evidence of phoneticism. 
But Lrepeat here the statement made at the commencement of this 
paper, that in using this term ‘phoneticism,” I inelude that which 
