34 



A STUDY OF THE MANUSCEIPT TROANO. 



Table XII. 



have positive evidence, if to be relied on, that this Ahau at least coiumenoed 

 with a Cauac year (whether the Ahau contained 24 or 20 years), and, if so, 

 all the others of the series. 



A somewhat careful examination of Seilor Perez's Cronologia Antigua 

 satisfies me that his whole scheme was based upon what 

 lie believed to be two established facts: first, that the 

 Ahaues commenced with a Cauac year; and, second, that 

 they were numbered from the second day of these years. 

 I am pretty well satisfied from some things observ- 

 able in the Manuscript Troano that it recognizes Cauac 

 as the dominical day of the first year of the Ahaues. 

 First. The order of the four plates XX-XXIII, which 

 refer exclusively to the four dominical days. That Bras- 

 seur has paged these plates in exactly the reverse order 

 to what they should be, I think is evident from the fol- 

 lowing facts: As now paged they bring these days in the following order: 

 Ix, Muluc, Kan, Cauac, exactly the reverse of that in which they come 

 in the calendar. This alone is sufficient to cause us to suspect a reversal. 

 But it is not the only reason for believing this. If we follow the order of 

 the ])lates in marking the years, we obtain no continuous period, as is evi- 

 dent from the annexed Table XIII. 



Second. The numeral (1), over the second Cauac character on Plate 

 XXIII (our Plate IV) and also that over the fifth Muluc character on Plate 

 XXI (our Plate II) is surrounded in each case with a circle of minute 

 dots. Although there are other numeral characters on these four plates 

 denoting one, none except these two are thus distinguished. What is this 

 intended to signify? My answer is, it signifies that those two years are 

 the first of important periods that are included in, or at least begin in, 

 the time embraced by these four plates." Now let us test this by giving two 

 tables embracing the period covered by them, marking the Ahaues on one 

 according to the plan I have given, and on the other according to Senor 

 Perez's method. 



Table XIV commences with a Cauac year, and is of the usual form, 

 as heretofore aiven. Table XV begins with a Kan year, and is made in 



