2 The Mexican Zodiac. 



diameter. Our engraving represents a full-face view, and con- 

 sequently cannot display a slightly ornamented rim seven 

 inches deep. This rim is, however, indicated by the shadow 

 at the bottom, which the reader will observe. In order to 

 understand the symbolical representations, it is necessary to 

 remember that the Mexican year was divided into eighteen 

 months of twenty days each, each month being named 

 after some incident, or natural object, as will be presently 

 explained. 



The months were divided into weeks, not of seven, but of 

 five days each, and the days of the month were designated by 

 words signifying a sea animal, the wind, a house, a small 

 lizard, a serpent, death, a deer, a rabbit, water, a dog, an ape, 

 twisted grass, a reed, a jaguar, an eagle, a bird, the motion 

 of the sun, silex or flint, rain, and a flower. The cardinal 

 points were designated in the same singular method. Their 

 first point was in the east, and represented by a cane, west 

 was named a house, north a flint, and south a rabbit. Having 

 made these preliminary remarks, we shall proceed to describe 

 the circles of the Zodiac. 



. The several rings are nearly circularly drawn, but the 

 bottom so-called " ray" is not equi-distant to the rays on 

 either side of it. 



The face in the centre is supposed to represent the sun. 

 In the forehead are two circular bodies (all circles, dots, or 

 ovals are intended for digits) having between them a figure 

 with three curves, the sign of II Acatl (reed). This means 

 the Reed, or thirteenth day of some month in the second year 

 of the Mexican cycle of fifty-two years. From two circles, 

 probably meant for ears, drop two ovals, containing nine 

 circles and ovals in three lines, and one underneath, = 20, 

 which is the number of days in the month. Underneath the 

 chin, and on each side of the elongated tongue (symbol of 

 speaking), there are six dots and ovals. 



Within the next or second large circle are, first, four 

 parallelograms, supposed to be in allusion to the belief 

 that the sun had died four times. The first to the 

 right represents IV Ocetotl (jaguar), answering in this 

 place to our 22nd of May, in the first year of the cycle ; 

 the second, IV Atl (water) ; the third, IV* Quiahuitl (rain), 

 26th July; the fourth, Ehecatl (wind). These four symbols 

 are also said to represent the four weeks of a month. The 

 two lateral figures denote claws, said to be symbolical of two 

 ancient astrologers, man and wife, who were represented as 

 eagles or owls. 



* The exact meaning of the numeral IV, as applied in these cases, 

 is not quite understood. 



