724 Buschmann über die aztekifchen Ortsnamen. 



Alphabctical symbols , expressing syllables or sounds; not words, but grouped; 

 and the groups disposed in rows: such is the graphic System oj the mo- 

 numcnts of Otolum, near Palenaue, the American Thebcs: consimilar to the 

 groups of alphabctical symbols used by the ancient Lybians, Egyplians, Per- 

 sians: and also the last graphic System of the Chinese, callcd Venlze, in- 

 venlcd by Sse-koang. Seine 8" Claffe find: Cursive symbols in groups, and 

 the groups in parallel rows: derived from the last (which are chiefly monu- 

 mental), and used in the manuscripls of the May ans, Guatimalans etc.: con- 

 similar to the aclual cursive Chinese, some demotic Egyptian, and many mo- 

 dificalions of ancient graphic alphabets, grouping the lelters or syllables. — 

 Der zweite Brief an Champollion , vom Februar 1832 (Atlantic Journal 

 p. 40-44), behandelt das Alphabet von Otolum, mit den libyfchen Alpha- 

 beten verglichen, ausführlich: eine Vergleichung, welche wieder auf die 

 grofsartige Idee der Atlanten gegründet ift und diefelbe weiter befeftigt: 



I have the pleasure (p. 40) to present you , hereto annexed, a tubulär and comparative view 

 of the Atlantic alphabets of the 2 Continents (') , ivilh a specirnen of the Groups of Letters or 

 Glyphs of the monuments of Otolum or Palenque: which belang to my l' series of graphic 

 signs, and are in fact ivords formed by grouped letters or Elements as in Chinese characters .... 

 fVhen I began my invesligation of these American Glyphs, and became convinced that they 

 must have been groups of letters, I sought for the Elementary Letters in all the ancient known 

 alphabets, the Chinese, Sanscrit and Egyptian above all; but in vain.... Bul in the great va- 

 riety of Egyplians form (sie) of the same letters, L thought that L could trace some resem- 

 blance wilh our American Glyphs . . . However, Ihis first examination and approximation of 

 analogy in Egypt and Africa was a great preliminary step in the enquiry. L had always be- 

 lieved that the Atlant es of Africa have partly colonized America ... ; this belief led me to search 

 for any preserved fragmenls of the alphabets of Western Africa and Lybia, the land of the 

 African Atlant es, yet existing under the names of Berbers , Tuarics , Shelluhs etc. This was 

 no easy task; the Atlantic antiquilies are still more obscure than the Egyptian. No Champol- 

 lion had raised their veil; the city of Farawan, the Thebes of the Allantes , whose splendid 

 ruins exist as yet in the Mountains of Atlas, has not even been described properly as yet, nor 

 ils inscriptions delineated. However L found at last in Grarnay (Africa Illustrata) an old 

 Lybian aiphabet , which has been copied by Purchas in his colleclion of old alphabets. I was 

 delighted to find it so explicit, so well connected with the Egyptian (p. i 1 ), being also an Acro- 

 stic aiphabet, and above all to find that all ils signs were to be seen in the Glyplis of Otolum. 

 Soon afler appeared in a Supplement to Ciaperton and Denharn's travels in Africa another 

 old and obsolete Lybian aiphabet, not acrostical, found by Denham in old inscriptions arnong 

 the Tuarics of Targih and Ghraat , west of Fezan: which, although unlike the first , had yet 



(') Die Sclirifüafeln, aufweiche der Verf. fich, als feinen Brief begleitend, bezieht, möchten 

 nicht veröffentlicht feyn; dem Atlantic Journal find fie nicht beigegeben. 



