288 ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 



ception of the assignment of the offering-glyphs to the various 

 cardinal points which will be discussed later (p. 290) this is almost 

 the only case where a clear relation can be made out between 

 the various animals and the signs for the four directions. There 

 is no definite relation as is seen, for example, in the Vaticanus 

 3773, 17, 18 where the quetzal is noted perched on the tree of 

 the east, the eagle on that of the north, the humming bird on 

 that of the west, and the jaguar on the tree of the south. 



Copulation. The conception, the period of pregnancy, 

 the infant baptism, and possibly, the naming of children are 

 shown in both the Tro-Cortesianus (91-95) and the Dresden 

 (13-23). Animals are frequently shown copulating with various 

 gods or with one another. In Dresden 13c, the deer and god M 

 and the vulture and the dog; in 19c, the vulture and a woman; 

 in Tro-Cortesianus 91 d, a god and a woman; and in 92d, an 

 armadillo and a deer both with female figures. These animals 

 probably represent in some way the totems of the man or woman 

 in question and are shown in place of the human figure. The 

 Lacandones, a Maya people, show at the present time the re- 

 mains of a totemic system (Tozzer, 1907, pp. 40-42). The 

 deer (Ke) gens is found at the present time. In the greater 

 number of cases where copulation is shown a god and a female 

 figure are pictured. The presentation of the new-born chil- 

 dren by women with bird head-dresses, also occurring in this 

 same section of both manuscripts, is discussed later (p. 291). 



Animal sacrifices. Various ceremonials occurring at 

 intervals throughout the Maya year which included sacrifices 

 to the gods, evidently took up a large part of the time 

 of the people. Animals composed by far the major part of 

 the gifts made to the gods. This was especially true in regard 

 to the ceremonies occurring at the beginning of each year. Ac- 

 cording to the Maya calendar there were four days only which 

 could come at the beginning of the year and these came in suc- 

 cession. Landa (1864, pp. 210-233), the first Bishop of Yuca- 

 tan, gives a minute description of the rites of the four years 

 which were named according to the initial day. He also relates 

 the manner in which the various animalsare employed as offer- 



