A Possible Solution of the Number Series on Pages 51 to 58 of the Dresden Codex

by Carl E. Guthe

The great bulk of the difference groups as expressed by the lower number series are 177, the only departure from these being the designation of the 148-day groups and the extra 178-day group at the end of the first third. The complete disregard of all of the six normal 178-day groups by the lower numbers seems to imply that no attempt was made to have the latter agree with the actual differences in the upper numbers, a conclusion which is strengthened by the fact that none of the lower numbers shows evidence of the clerical errors in the differences of the upper numbers. It seems most probable that the lower number series was intended merely as a guide to indicate the position of the five month periods and to place emphasis on the extra intercalary day added in the 23d column, without attempting to have this series accurate.

The presence of the 178-day group in column 7 instead of 6 has been discussed at some length under the description of the errors. The scribe, realizing that in neglecting to put in this 178-day group, the first one of the series, a serious error had been committed, may have attempted to erase the incorrect record in column 6; then, realizing that four numbers and three glyphs would have to be altered, decided to correct this mistake—although it was of more importance than the other two errors—as he had the former ones, i.e., by making the correction in the next column.

The very similar irregularity in the last third of the manuscript, the placing of the 148-day group one column ahead of its expected position, cannot be explained in the same manner. It is very evident that this column has been deliberately placed where it is. That it does not have to do with the month sequence is evident, since it does not affect it. It must then affect the ecliptic part of the series, for it causes a short season to occur six months earlier than expected. Upon comparison of Tables VI and X, it will be seen that all of the dates of the 148-day group occur during one of the eclipse groups given in Schram’s table. However, had the 148-day group under discussion been placed in the 59th column, as uniformity demands, this number, 10,216, would not have fallen in one of the eclipse groups given in Table VI. This tends to show that there was some reason other than regulating the difference groups to agree with the eclipse seasons, for the position of the 148-day groups. This reason, as yet undetermined, is possibly associated with the pictures, which immediately follow the 148-day groups.

Finally there remain only the totals of the series to be considered. The total of the upper number series records 11,958 days. Sixty-nine eclipse seasons complete 11,958.39 days, less than half a day more than the recorded number. This close agreement and the failure to add the extra intercalary day to the upper number series at the end of the first third, give rise to the belief that the upper number series is a calendar in itself, and records a means by which dates of probable eclipses may be reckoned. The units of the count were eclipse seasons expressed as lunar months, 69 of which are represented in the calendar recorded on these pages.

The Mayas undoubtedly knew the relation of the eclipses to the moon, at least in a vague way, and felt that it was necessary to associate this eclipse calendar in some way with the lunar calendar, composed of 29-and 30-day months. Therefore the day series is found immediately below the upper number series. This series of days constitutes a lunar calendar which coincides as closely as possible with the eclipse calendar. It may be the formal lunar calendar of the Mayas, but it may also be an adaptation of the formal calendar to the eclipse periods. The day series varies from the eclipse series in two places only. At the end of the first third of the series, it was necessary to add one day to the lunar calendar, an addition strongly pointed out in the record, but not to the eclipse calendar, because of the increasing error between the revolutions of the moon and the calendrical lunar months. Therefore, throughout the remaining two-thirds of the series, the lunar calendar was one day in advance of the eclipse calendar. At the end of the series, since 405 of the moon’s revolutions complete 11,959.89 days, and the day series only 11,959, one more day should be added, in order to keep the error as small as possible. This was accomplished by changing from the middle to the lower line of days.

On page 52a, immediately preceding the calendar, are four day signs with numbers. One of these, 12 Lamat, is the zero day of the day series, but is associated with the middle line of day glyphs and not the upper line, as might be expected. The series of days which come, calendrically speaking, just before and after the actual series, may have been placed in the record to show that slight variations from the average were to be expected. The entire record is based on the middle line of days until the end of the series. Here the day just below the last day of the middle line is 12 Lamat, the end of 46 tonalamatls (260-day cycle), and the zero day of the recorded series. The tonalamatl was probably as easily used by the Mayas as “60 days” and “90 days” are used now. The entire calendrical system of the Mayas is based on the cycle principle. The series recorded in these pages was probably also a cycle, and in order to repeat it, 12 Lamat must again be used as the zero date. If to these arguments is added the fact that an additional day is necessary to keep the calendar in accord with the synodic revolution of the moon, there remains little doubt but that the users of this calendar added the extra day by going from the middle to the lower line of day glyphs, thereby keeping the error between the moon and the calendar as low as possible, completing the 46th tonalamatl, and at the same time making it possible to repeat the recorded series as a cycle. If the series is repeated once, at the end of 810 months, or about 66½ years, the eclipse calendar will be behind the average eclipse season .78 days, and the lunar calendar will be in advance of the synodical revolutions of the moon only .22 days.

In general, then, the irregularities in the calendar recorded on these pages fall into two groups, those which are clerical errors of the scribe and do not therefore affect the solution advanced, and those which do not appear to be of the clerical type. In the light of the solution advanced, it has been shown that there are perfectly logical reasons for the latter group of apparent irregularities.

CONCLUSION

On pages 51 to 58 of the Dresden Codex occurs a series of numbers, running continuously through all the pages except the upper halves of the first two. This series records a period of 11,960 days, divided by means of columns into sixty-nine unequal subdivisions, of 177, 148, and 178 days, of which the first is the most frequent.