The Mexican Zodiac. 3 



The inverted V, called by Gama a triangle, at the top of 

 the head, indicates the first and last day of the month. On 

 the right is an oval symbol, which may be Echatl (wind) ; 

 the one on the left probably represents Tepactli (silex). 

 Underneath the tongue are two squares, each containing five 

 indications = 10, which may belong to Ollin, or motion of 

 the sun; to its right are circles and a head, or I Ozomatli 

 (ape), 22nd of June, in the 26th year of the cycle; to the 

 left is a figure called I Quiahuatl (rain), 22nd of March in 

 same year of the cycle. 



The third circle contains twenty divisions, representing, 

 by Zodiacal signs, the twenty days of the month of the priests, 

 which differed from the common month. These are read from 

 the left, beginning under the left point of the upper ray. The 

 sigus of Sea Animal, Wind, House, Small Lizard, Serpent, 

 Death, Deer, Eabbit, Water, Dog, Ape, Twisted Grass, Reeds, 

 Jaguar, Eagle, Bird, Motion of the Sun, Silex, Rain and 

 Flower. House, Rabbit, Reeds, Silex, stood in the middle of 

 each small period of five days forming the weeks. A repe- 

 tition of thirteen times of the above four would be equal to 

 fifty-two, or the cycle of years. 



Each of the eighteen months (not represented in this 

 Zodiac) had its name, already alluded to, from some natural 

 objects characteristic of the particular season, or from, 

 some festival or employment, as To glean. Trees bud. 

 Victims flayed alive. Yigils of the priests. Grand Peni- 

 tence. Garlands of Maize tied round the necks of the 

 Idols. Eood of Maize. Festival of Young Warriors. Fes- 

 tival of Old Warriors. Little Festival of the Dead. Great 

 Festival of the Dead. A Broom- cleansing of Canals. A Para- 

 sitic Plant. Festival of Rural Divinities. Sacred Flamingo. 

 Standard of one of the Principal Gods. Descent of Water 

 and Snow. 



In the fourth circle are a number of squares, each con- 

 taining five indications = 190. It has heretofore been pre- 

 sumed that the four angular objects called rays covered twelve 

 squares (but there is too much room for the said twelve 

 squares) ; if so, the fifty-two squares, each containing five 

 indications, would give 260, or the period of twenty-one series 

 of thirteen days ; however, I only make 190. I may observe 

 that outside the 190 indications there are 70 of a doorway 

 appearance; adding these two numbers, we get 260, which 

 fact may be worth noticing. 



The large angular objects, said to be sun's rays, may, I 

 think, rather represent the four cardinal points. There are 

 also four smaller angular sub-divisions, and four of a square 

 form (somewhat like the sign for Tepactl or silex), making in 



