1 14 A STUDY OF THE MANUSCRIPT TROANO. 



which it falls. Because each one changes its position according to his own 

 count; yet, for all that, the dominical letter of the year which follows does 

 not fail to come up correctly."^ 



It appears that the Chiapenec, Tzendal, Soconuscan, Quiche, and Cak- 

 chiquel calendars began the list of days with Imox, following it with Ik or 

 Igh. This fact indicates a common origin of the calendars and of the people. 

 It also renders the statement of some of the old authorities, that the names of 

 the days were taken from the names of their deities and heroes, quite plausi- 

 ble. If this be true, we have possibly in the seven days here given the 

 names of the seven chief deities ; and the characters on the page are to be 

 read in columns, each column having at the top one of these sacred names. 

 The characters in the second line appear to accord with this view, as the 

 first four, counting from the left, are those which I have attempted to prove 

 indicate the four cardinal points. As a further examination of this plate 

 would require me to enter into a discussion of the characters themselves I 

 will defer further notice until I reach that subject. 



If the figures furnish us with any evidence by which to judge of the 

 contents, I decide without any hesitancy that Plates I*-X* of this part of 

 the work relate to one general subject, to wit, the work and festivals of the 

 apiarists. We may be somewhat surprised to find so large a portion of the 

 Manuscript devoted to the festivals of this limited class, whose industry was 

 generally considered of but minor importance except in certain localities. 

 But here again, as I believe, we detect the cunning of the priests. This was 

 a scheme to supply their board with honey. Moreover, it is quite probable 

 this Manuscript pertained to a section where the production of honey was 

 an important industry. 



The objection to the theory that these plates relate to these particular 

 festivals may be raised, that the insects represented by the figures on them 

 are not bees, but beetles (coleopterous insects). 



'Relaoion de las cosasde Yucatan, p. 636. YmiichodenotarBalgasieraprelaletrasquees doniiui- 

 cal en el primero dia de su ano, sin orrar ni faltar, ui veniv a salirotra de las XX alii. Unsavan tambicn 

 deste modo de coutar para sacar dcsfas letvas cicrto modo de contar para saeardeslas letras cierto modo 

 de contar que lenian ]-,ara las edades y otras cosaa quo aunque son para ellos curiosas, uo nos hazcu 

 aqui inucho al proposito; y por esso se quedaran con dezir que cl caracter o letra de que comenyava su 

 cuinta de los dias o kalendario, se llama Hun Tmix y es este el qual no tieue dia cierto ui seuelado 



euque craya. Porque cada uno le muda la propia cuenta y contado esso uo falta el salir la letra qui 

 viene por dominical el primero del auo que se sigue. 



