76 
INTERPRETATION OF MAYA GLYPHS BY THEIR 
PHONETIC ELEMENTS.—PARY?P I. 
BY HILBORNE T. CRESSON, A-M., M.D. 
PROCEEDING with the analyses begun in Part I of this 
article, there is on Plate II, fig. 14, a glyph which appears 
in the Codex Cortesianus, Plate 16, among a series of five 
glyphs just above an ideo-phonetic drawing of Hun Aomul. 
In fig. 171, Plate I (see Sctence, No. 567, vol. xxil.), atten- 
tion has already been called to one of this series of glyphs 
and the suggestion made that the phonetic elements com- 
posing it recall the name of Awkwlkan. It is but a variant 
of fig. 160, Plate I; see analysis of the glyph given in 
Part I of this article. The glyph to the left of this, the 
analysis of which is given on Plate II, figs..226, 227, 228 
to 234, reads ah chun Kan, and by reference to the Codex 
Cortesianus, Plate 16,it will be seen that there is still 
another which is a variant of it, repeating ah-chun-can. Next 
to it, reading from right to left, is the glyph referred to 
above, fig. 14, which we analyze on Plate II, figs. 15, 16, 
17, 18, 19, 20, as Xakanwk=“the revolving wind.” 
Reference will be made to this presently. The last 
of the series (See Plate 16, Cortesianus) issthe glyph 
Plate II, figs. 240 to 245, the elements of which 
as in the glyphs shown at figs| 1 to 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 
of the plate (see day signs of Landa; Troano 6), express 
‘“¢Hun-ki”; the 7 and 7/ do not seem to be expressed in 
any of the glyphs of Mun-AKimil. Other examples of 
abbreviation are to be remarked, as in the day sign Jfw/uc, 
generally expressed ‘‘u-uk,” and in the day sign Zamat, 
generally expressed ‘‘Lamak,” at times ‘‘am-ak” (see 
glyphs day sign Zamak in Chilan Balam of Kaua); at 
tines °o aie? Or Sale’ (GES WOAMNO OG, um, WS gO, gu, 32, 
34). In looking over a series of analyses of the day 
signs, all of which interpreted by my list of phonetic 
elements have yielded the names suggested by Landa, the 
names of the day signs AZwluc and Lamat are less clearly 
expressed by the elements composing them than those of 
the other day signs. The glyph fig. 10, Plate Il, taken 
from the Chilan Balam of Kaua, gives a series of these 
elements which are similar to those we have derived from 
the codices; using the elements fig. 11 as Av, and fig. 12 
as un, we obtain ‘‘hun” or ‘“‘hu-un”=/un. The syllable 
Ki is derived from the value assigned this element on my 
phonetic list (see Part I of this article, Sczence, No. 567, 
page 326), Plate I, figs. 1andz=fav/s; thus: Ka, Ke, Az. 
Vowel fluctuation, I repeat, must not be overlooked in 
this method of interpretation now described by me; in 
fact it is my opinion that the Maya glyphs can never be 
interpreted without considering it as an important factor 
in the work. The method of the Touaregs of the Sahara 
in deciphering their manuscripts affords a clue, for it is 
said that when the natives undertake this difficult task 
they begin by spelling the consonants aloud . applying 
to them in succession the various vowels until a word is 
found that makes sense. In fact, it is absolutely neces- 
sary to proceed in a like manner in the Maya script, only, 
instead of chanting, the combinations can be worked out 
with pencil and paper. In an endeavor to interpret a 
series of glyphs the amount of labor that this requires 
can be duly appreciated. The rest of this article will 
simply be devoted to an explanation of these fluctuations, 
adding, where necessary, a few remarks upon the inter- 
pretations made. 
Fig. 21 is a well known compound glyph, variants of 
which frequently appear in the hieratic script and the 
codices, especially in the Peresianus (Plates 2to1o). The 
phonetic elements of one of its components, Fig. 22, it will 
be seen by reference to figs. 23, 24, 25, Plate 1L—dacad. 
It is a variant of the day sign Been and was evidently used 
by the scribe to express Ze, derived from its phonetic value 
SCIENCE. 
of da v/s. The next component is fig. 26, where we have 
the curved aspirate line, fig. 27=xa v/s, cha v/s, the- 
serpent curve, fig. 28=Aan, chan, Ka v/s, and the parallel 
line=zf, derived from one of its values of ka v/s. We 
have here a repetition in a new combination of the word 
wakau-ik = “The Revolving Wind,” which has already 
been suggested by the glyph fig. r4, Plate IJ. The ele- 
ment fig. 30 isin fact closely allied to the x, ch, and sh 
sounds, the curved element, fig. 28, supplying the mono- 
syllable Aw, this associated with the curved aspirate line, 
fig. 127, gives xan or xakan or shakan. The rest of the pho- 
netic elements composing this glyph, fig. 31, repeats 7A, fig. 
32=Cha, fig. 33=kun, fig. 357k. The enclosing outline of 
this glyphis not unlike the single curved Az line, fig. 34, 
and it seems like a variant of fig. 228, also a Aa element 
and a component of the compound glyph, fig. 226, with 
the element fig. 227 placed above, this element, fig. 227, 
also appearing in fig. 21, fig. 32, just above fig. 33. “The 
enclosing outlines of certain glyphs have at times an ideo- 
graphic significance which it would be well for Maya 
paleographers to bear in mind. In this-case fig. 33 has 
for its principal phonetic element a motive obtained from 
the serpent line, fig. 192, Plate I, Sczence No. 567; see 
also fig. 122, Plate I. The outline enclosing it is adapted 
to the curve of this element and is evidently a determinative 
sign, being purely ideographic. The glyph fig. 27, there- 
fore, repeats Bacab xakan tk=‘* Bacab of the revolving 
wind,” or, still better, ‘‘ Of the shifting or changing wind.” 
Vhe sense intended is evidently Bacab=‘‘ruler,” xakan 
2k= ‘changing wind,” or ‘‘wind that blows from the cardinal 
points.” As this glyph is intimately associated with the 
éacab and chak cult in the Peresianus, the interpretation, 
it cannot be denied, is a probable one. If space per- 
mitted much interesting material, the results of analyses 
of glyphs in other codices, could be brought to support the 
truth of the interpretation given. . 
Fig. 36 isa glyph which appears in the Codex Peresianus, 
Platez7. Its phonetic elements and their values are given 
in figs. 37, 38, 39, 49=xakan vk, a third repetition of this 
sentence. ‘The glyph fig. 36, Plate Il, is attached to the 
support of arepresentation of a straw house («ami/-na); see 
Plate 17, Peresianus. Underneath the house is the repre- 
sentation of Awku/kan in the act of turning over or revolv- 
ing, symbolizing the sentence xakan-ik (or it may be chak, 
kan, 0k=Chak, or ‘‘ God of Serpentsand Wind”). There 
are some interesting facts in connection with this figure, 
which is ideo-phonetic. Its ideographic sense, the action 
of revolving, has just been suggested. Tle color of the 
garment covering the body of the chak is green=.xan, on 
which are small squares of a darker green color arranged © 
by twos (= Ca) and by fours (=an), suggesting xakan; 
the black squares attached to the roof arranged in pairs= 
Ka v/s (=2) or ik, together with the red color back of 
the figure (=c/ac) and the vellow colors of the straw roof 
(Aan=yellow). All of these accessories are ikonomatic 
and recall Chak-kan-ik or xakan-ik, supporting the inter- ~ 
pretation that wehave made of the glyph fig. 36, Plate II, 
which is attached to the support of the roof of the straw 
house. Jam loth to consider all of these facts the result 
of mere accident; there is too much method in their 
arrangement. ‘The colors used are without doubt ikono- 
matic. On Plates 15, 16, 17, 18, Peresvanus, there are 
many repetitions of the words, chak-ikal = “‘ the hurricane ” 
and “‘xakan-ik” = ‘‘the revolving” or ‘“‘whirlwind.” We 
find the sentences repeated in the Dresden Codex and in 
certain parts of the script of Palengwe—notably on the 
bas-reliefs representing Kukul-kan as Chak of Water and 
Wind, that atone time stood at the right and left of the 
doorway of the temple of the Four Winds and Chaks at 
Palenque (so called Temple of the Cross); ‘‘the cross” 
being simply, as.Brinton first suggested, a wind symbol. 
Vol. XXIII. No. 575 
