The Mexican Zodiac. 5 



the circular plane of the world, and that it was an Elysium of 

 green pastures and forests, the " happy hunting grounds" of 

 the Indians of the north? 



Pointing to XIII Acatl, the square symbol at the top of the 

 plate, are two angular figures, which Grama says are merely 

 indications of XIII Acatl. At their bases are objects like 

 pillars, each supporting six rings or circles, = 12. Can 

 this arrangement indicate the twelve solar months of the 

 year ? 



In all this region, indeed, all round what I call the flower 

 symbol, there are a series of diagonal lines, which may repre- 

 sent the sun's rays. 



At the bottom are two lizard-looking figures ; they have in 

 Gama's drawing 86 dots and 104 lines, = 190. Gama calls 

 the two profiles of heads at the bottom Tohnalteuhtli, which 

 is the first name on the list of nine Lords of Night. 



In a narrow circle near the edge are some sixty-five dots on 

 each side, or 130, twice this = 260, the days of the year of 

 the priests. In reference to the number 130, it may be stated 

 here that Gama supposed the stone Zodiac was for six months 

 of the year only, and that there was another for the other six 

 months. He also thought one faced the north and the other 

 the south. In this opinion I do not coincide. 



Outside the above-mentioned circle, and running partially 

 down the edge, are a series of oval indications, apparently 

 31 and 5 on one side, 32 and 5 on the other, = 73. Now 

 there were 73 cycles of 260 days to form the cycle of fifty-two 

 years, so that these ovals may have to do with this large 

 cycle. 



Eight holes, believed to be for gnomons, are found just 

 outside the rim of ovals, and vertical to the surface of 

 the stone. As this is so, I should conclude that the stone, 

 when in position, was laid flat, and not upright, as Gama 

 supposed. 



Over the two heads (in Gallatin's drawing) are series of 

 24 and 21 indications, = 45 (twice 45 = 90 x 4 = 360). I 

 make out 180 indications ; this doubled, would give 360 

 for the days of the year, not including the five interculary 

 days. 



Gama observes that " we have delineated on this stone the 

 dates of the five principal positions of the sun, from the 

 vernal to the autumnal equinox. Three of these, the two 

 transits of the sun by the Zenith (22nd May and 26th July), 

 and the autumnal equinox (22nd September), are the Mexican 

 days on which these phenomena occurred in the first year of 

 the cycle (I Tochtli) ; and the two others, the vernal equinox 

 (22nd March), and the summer solstice (22nd June), are the 



