THOMAS. 1 THE PALENQUE TABLET. 207 



Another fact which should he taken into consideration is that U 2 

 appears to be identical with the two similar parts of this character. It 

 undoubtedly denotes a month or day. If a month, it is impossible for me 

 to determine which; if a day, it is undoubtedly Cauac, or the Cliiapan 

 equivalent, CaJiogh. 



Turning to the middle plate between pages 158 and 159, Stephens's 

 Central America, Vol. I, we observe that the third group from the bottom 

 of the right column appears to be substantially the same as this (A B 3). 

 Here the two characters at the right are placed one above the other and 

 appear to be Imix symbols, and the head that of a monkey. There are 

 also some small additions not found in the other, but allowance must be 

 made for the fact that the characters on tliis statue are not so carefully 

 drawn as those on the Tablet. 



The next character below (A B 4), if we follow the rendering of the 

 first, will contain the sound ^ ch-c, and A B 5 that of |>' x. The next (A 

 B 6) I think is the symbol for Chuen or contains the sound chu A B 7, I 

 am inclined to believe, is the symbol for likin or lakin, "east" or "rising sun." 



A 10 refers to a vessel of some kind, as I infer from the vase symbol 

 at the bottom. C 13 probably represents a word or words with tlie sounds 

 ca-2^ or 2^-ca. Although F 2 has a central mark somewhat resembling that 

 in Ik, I strongly suspect it to be the symbol for the month Miian. 



In R 1 we see the bread symbol precisely as on the back of the dog, 

 Plate XXI, and in the middle division, Plate III*, of the Tro. Manuscript. 



E 6, U 4, V 14, and X 12 probably denote tortillas of maize {ppecuah). 



I shall not attempt an explanation of the central scene, but will call 

 attention to a few points in reference to it. 



Crosses of some form with birds on them are found in three or four of 

 the aboriginal manuscripts, as Plate III* of the Manuscript Troano, Plate 

 30 of the Dresden Codex, and in one or two of the Mexican Codices. It is 

 true none of them are so regular or so true as this, but they are evidently 

 intended as representations of the cross and to symbolize the same general 

 idea. Certain characteristics belong to all of them, as follows: First, they 

 arise out of something that has life, as an animal or person; second, a vege- 

 table growth therefrom, as a tree; third, the knobs at the ends of the arms, 



