If phonetic, the word indicated should, according to Landa’s alphabet, be aspirated, which is found to be true of one of the forms given by Perez.
In certain series of the Dresden Codex, which appear to relate to the four year series or to the four seasons, especially those on Plates 29-31, a certain class of food animals seems to be assigned to each. The four following symbols are those used to express this idea:
No. 29. | Ceh? The symbol for game quadrupeds. The same idea appears to be indicated by the folded and tied quarter of a deer, as shown in [No. 11]. The head shown in the symbol is probably intended for that of the deer, though more like that of the rabbit. |
No. 30. | Cutz or Cax. The symbol for game birds, the head being probably that of the wild turkey (Cutz or Ahcutz). |
No. 31. | Huh. The symbol for food reptiles or the iguana. |
As the Kan figure is admitted to be a maize or bread symbol, it is readily seen that the object in view in connecting it with the animal figures is to indicate that they are used for food, and hence are proper offerings to the gods, which is equivalent to saying, to the priests.
No. 32. | Cay. The symbol for food fishes, or fishes in general, though as often on the Kan symbol or without any suffix. |
No. 33. | Cutz or Cax. In one of the two series of these food symbols, in Plates 29-31 of the Dresden Codex, in place of the bird symbol [No. 30] is that shown in symbol [No. 33]. It probably has, as Rosny supposes, the same signification, a supposition which is strengthened by the fact that it is found in the bird series on Plates 16c and 17c, same codex, and is represented by o in the preceding diagram. |