THOMAS] THE SEVENTEENTH DAY 29 
may, in a strict classification, be called ikonomatic. However, before 
referring to these, it is best to give the interpretations of the names 
which have been suggested, as the bearing of our interpretations of 
the symbols will then be better understood. 
The Mexican name ollin or olin is generally interpreted ‘motion or 
movement,” with special reference to the earthquake. Dr Seler, how- 
ever, adds ‘‘caoutchoue ball.” In his first paper, heretofore referred 
to, he remarks in regard to the Maya, Tzental, and Quiche-Cakchiquel 
names: “There is not much to be drawn from these words.” In his 
subsequent paper he apparently relies upon the usual signification of 
the Mexican term, and from this and the signification of the Zapotec 
xoo, “powerful, strong, violent,” concludes that the Tzental name may 
be consistently rendered by “large, powerful,” and the Maya name by 
“that which is brought down, which is above,” reference being made 
to ascending and descending. Dr Brinton derives the Maya term from 
cab, “might or strength,” on the authority of the Motul Dice.,and says 
that in this sense it corresponds precisely with the Tzental chie (equal 
Maya chich, ‘cosa fuerta y dura”), the Quiche-Cakchiquel noh, ‘‘strong, 
great,” and the Zapotec roo, ‘force, power, or might.” Dr Seler, how- 
ever, concludes that the Zapotec name is here to be interpreted “earth,” 
or to be understood as referring to the earth. He thinks that the day 
symbol is an abbreviated form of, or derived from, Lxy1, 49, which he 
takes to be a symbol of the goddess Chiribias or Ixchebelyax, whom 
he identifies with Zaczuy, ‘‘the white maiden.” As will be observed, 
we have expressed the opinion that this glyph is a symbol for woman 
in the general sense, which conclusion appears to be confirmed by its 
connection with different female figures. There are, however, certain 
prefixes and suffixes which may serve to give it a specific application; 
for example, in LXVu, 14, from Dres. 16c, the prefix, according to my 
interpretation, contains the ¢ sound as its chief phonetic element. It 
is possible that in this case a particular person may be referred to 
by the prefix, the woman symbol being here simply a determinative. 
Dr Brinton, in his explanation of the month name Zip, remarks: ‘‘This 
was Zuhuy Zip, the virgin Zip, her name being properly Dzip, ‘to skin, 
to dress slain animals.’” I prefer, however, to interpret the symbol by 
‘‘maiden,” or ‘young woman,” the prefix signifying zwhuy. Neverthe- 
less, the suffix in some instances, as LXVU, 15, from Dres. 18b, may 
indicate that a sacred or mythological personage is referred to, as it is 
added as a suffix in some cases to deity symbols; however, as it is often 
found in other relations, where it can have no such signification, I am 
not inclined to give it this interpretation, as the evident female deities 
are denoted by quite different glyphs. 
The evidence that the Caban symbol is in some sense phonetic 
appears to me to be too strong to be rejected. In the first place, one 
of its chief elements is the corkscrew figure, which, as shown under the 
preceding day, appears to have b as its consonant element, this sound 
