308 ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 



fig. 13) the fish is clearly associated with the operation of fish- 

 ing as two figures are seated on the edge of a body of water in 

 the act of casting a net. An eel is shown in the water under 

 god B in Dresden 65b (PI. 6, fig. 7) and fish are shown just below 

 the claws of a crocodile in text figure 1. In Dresden 44a god 

 B holds a fish in his hands. As will be pointed out later (p. 314) 

 this god is frequently associated with water. In Dresden 44c a 

 fish appears between god B and an unidentifiable deity. In the 

 Maya codices the greater number of representations of fish are 

 in connection with sacrifice. In Dresden 27 (PI. 6, fig. 6) the 

 fish is pictured resting on two Kan signs, the symbol of maize 

 or bread, and these in turn on a flat bowl. In Dresden 29b 

 (Pi. 5, fig. 9) the fish is represented between the red and black 

 numbers of the tonalamatl. Here again the fish is shown as an 

 offering. 



In two cases only do we find the fish used as a part of the 

 head-dress and in each case the fish is graphically shown as held 

 in the mouth of a heron. One of these is in the Dresden Codex 

 36b (PI. 5, fig. 3) and one in the stone carving of the Temple of 

 the Cross at Palenque (PI. 15, fig. 5). Fish are often repre- 

 sented on the stone carvings as feeding upon a water plant. 

 This is seen in the border at the bottom of the Lower Chamber 

 of the Temple of the Tigers at Chichen Itza (PL 5, figs. 2, 4; PI. 

 6, fig. 2) . In several instances at Copan fish are shown as form- 

 ing the sides of the Great Cycle glyph at the beginning of an 

 Initial Series (PI. 6, figs. 14-17). It has often been suggested 

 that as the word fish in Maya is kai (usually written cay), there 

 may be some phonetic significance here, combining the fish, 

 kai, with the usually drum-Hke sign for stone, tun, making kai 

 tun or katun. This is the term usually given not to the Great 

 Cycle but to the period composed of twenty tuns and is probably 

 derived from kai meaning twenty and tun, a stone. 



AMPHIBIA 



Frogs. Figures undoubtedly representing frogs (Maya 

 tmUs or uo) or toads are found in several places in the codices 



