THOMAB] INTERPEETATION OF CHARACTERS. 161 



A free translation of the column would then be about as follows: 



" Facing the south, place the tortilla of maize on the pan of burnt clay 

 and turn it six times (or elevate it, or march with it six times)." 



The meaning of the transverse lines is similar, except as to direction, 

 until we reach the last character, which I have reason to believe refers to 

 the deer. But it also contains another element, represented by the circle 

 at the lower margin inclosing little dots, probably the equivalent of the h- 

 character of the column. 



The line and column in the upper division of Plate XI appear to be 

 of similar import, but varied in the cardinal points and in one of the char- 

 acters. I am not prepared to attempt an interpretation of this group, but 

 am inclined to believe, from the presence of the ik symbol, that it refers to 

 exorcising the evil spirit. 



The groups in the middle and lower divisions of Plate XIV (Fig. 16, 

 p. 99), which are to be taken in columns, and read from the top downwards, 

 are evidently of similar import. 



Take, for example, the second (third, if the day column is counted) 

 from the left of the middle division, I would suggest something like the fol- 

 lowing interpretation (reading from the top downwards) : 



North (?) tortilla (or maize). (?) the olla. 7 (?) 



Fig. 98. 



The third compound or double character is possibly a pictograph to 



represent venison, or deer hams. Brasseur supposes it to be a variant of 



the Cimi character, but this I think very doubtful. 

 11 M T 



