CENTRAL AMERICAlSr HIEROGLYPHIC WRITING. 7 19 



table in part to the fact that where the suggested signification may be 

 absohitely correct, no means, except where numbers come into play, 

 has been found to verify the conclusion. 



From what has been stated and the examples presented from the 

 inscriptions and codices, it is apparent, notwithstanding the number 

 of gl^'phs whose signification has been ascertained, that practically no 

 progress has been made in determining the phonetic equivalents of these 

 characters. In other words, no satisfactory evidence has yet been 

 presented to show that any of these glyphs are phonetic, although 

 there is sufiicient evidence that the language used was Maya. The 

 nearest approach to proof on this point is in regard to a few symbols, 

 such as tliat for the month Tzotz (fig. 4). The usual form of the 

 gl} ph is the conventionalized head of the leaf -nosed bat, and in one 

 instance (Stela D, Copan) the full form showing the wings and body 

 is introduced as the symbol of the month. As tzotz is the Maya word 

 for bat, it is possible the word relates to the symbol. Pop, the name of 

 another month, signifies in Maya literally a mat, or rug, the refer- 

 ence being apparently to the structure, and the chief feature of the 

 symbol for the month consists usually of interlacing like basket 

 work. These and a few other instances of similar character consti- 

 tute the strongest indications of phoneticism that have been observed, 

 but as the elements of these gl3^phs found where the character can not 

 be determined by other means furnish no aid in decipering them the 

 inference of phoneticism is doubtful. It is possible that some of the 

 characters are phonetic, yet it must be admitted that no satisfactory 

 proof thereof has 3'et been presented, although the author, with others, 

 thought but a few years ago that continued investigation would soon 

 produce this evidence. 



The general purport of the inscriptions has not been ascertained 

 with certaint}^, yet the fact that half of them belong to the classes 

 heretofore described — the numeral symbols, calendar symbols, etc. — 

 leads to the conclusion that thej^ contain little, if anything, relating to 

 the histor}' of the tribes by wdiom the}" were made. 



The indications that the Maya priests, by whom these inscriptions 

 were doubtless designed, if not carved, recognized a prime or ruling- 

 era from which a large portion of the initial time series are counted, 

 are so strong that most recent authorities who have devoted attention 

 to the subject have concluded to adopt the theory, at least tentatively. 

 We might hope that further research will prove that this has some 

 relation to Maya history were it not that the beginning was placed 

 about four thousand 3'ears prior to the time when the inscriptions 

 were made — a date so remote as to preclude the supposition that it 

 related to any noted event in the history of the tribes. 



