The Nahuatl, Tzental, and Quiche-Cakchiquel names of this day are the ordinary terms in these languages for “monkey.” Dr Brinton thinks the Maya name, which does not appear to have any signification in this language as a separate word (though chuenche is “aborao, tuble,” “a certain tree”), is derived from a Tzental term, chiu, which is applied to a particular species of monkey. He and Dr Seler refer to the chouen in a legend of the Popol Vuh, which undoubtedly stands in close relation to batz or “monkey,” there spoken of as hunbatz. As these words in the Quiche myth appear unquestionably to refer to a species of the monkey tribe, or mythical persons under the symbolism of monkeys, the conclusion they reach is probably correct, and justifies the belief that the Maya name should be interpreted “monkey.”
The origin of the symbol is uncertain, and Dr Seler makes no attempt to explain it. The difference between the simple form with the three teeth only (plate [LXVI], 2) and the typical Chuen symbol indicates a difference in the word equivalents, or in the signification if ideographic. It is possible that Brasseur is right in rendering the former by co, which signifies “tooth;” in which case we may be justified in assuming that the additions in the Chuen symbol give the additional phonetic elements in the word. It may be, as supposed by some authors, that it was intended to represent the front view of an open mouth of some animal, as chi is the Maya word for mouth.
Maya, eb; Tzental, euob; Quiche-Cakchiquel, e or ee; Zapotec, pija; Nahuatl, mallinalli or itlan.
There are comparatively few variations in the symbol of this day; some, however, are of sufficient importance to render recognition doubtful but for their presence in the day series. That given by Landa is seen in plate [LXVI], 4; the form most usual in the Tro. and Cort. codices is that shown in [LXVI], 5; the variations seen in [LXVI], 6, 7, 8, are from the Dresden Codex, and that in [LXVI], 9, is from the Peresianus.
This character occurs very seldom, if ever, except as a day symbol, hence it is presumed to be purely ideographic or pictorial. There is, however, a deity symbol found in the Tro. Codex (plate [LXVI], 10) in which we see apparently the chief characteristic of the eb symbol. Here, however, instead of a dot-bordered tooth, there is a dot-bordered dark stripe which runs downward entirely across the face. This is accompanied usually by the numeral prefix 11. The symbol of the same deity as found in the Dresden Codex is shown in plate [LXVI], 11. Here the stripe is reduced to a single broken line. Dr Schellhas contends that he is a Death god and the equivalent of the Mexican Xipe. That he is a god of the underworld in the Tro. Codex is apparent from his ornaments and the dotted lines on his body or limbs; yet in two instances—plates 5a and b—he is represented as a traveling merchant. Whether the deity in the Dresden Codex is the same as that of the Tro. Codex is not positively certain, but the presence of the numeral 11 with the symbol, and in some instances the dotted lines on the body of the deity, indicate that the two are identical. Whether this deity glyph bears any relation to the day symbol is, however, doubtful. The only names of Maya deities I find with buluc (“eleven”) as a prefix are Ahbuluc-Balam and Buluc-Ahau (?). The first, which signifies “He of the Eleven Tigers,” was one of the idols made at the festival of the new year Cauac. On one of the four plates of the Dresden Codex representing the festivals of the new year (26a) we observe that the image carried by the chac is a tiger-like animal marked with dotted lines. Whether this is to be connected with the deity above mentioned is doubtful. The other name, Buluc-Ahau, mentioned by Landa, is the name of one of the signs of the Katun given in his figure of the cycle, and, although he uses the word “idol,” does not appear to refer to any particular deity.
In regard to the names of the first three calendars, Dr Seler remarks as follows: