Fig. 49.—The Use of Dots.
No. 4 I introduce from the Mexican pictography to illustrate the use of black dots. They have many significations which I have not traced in Mayan Codices, such as seed, salt, ashes, stars, sand, earth, and from the latter, place, region, world.[[126]] In the sign for the day, ix, I believe we see the dots with the signification xiix, “grain-husks.” A line or lines of dots mean “speech” or vocal sound, as attached to the drum, Fig. [44], No. 3; coming from the mouth of a dog, Cod. Tro., p. 20, singing, etc. Some have mistaken this for the sign of death. Dots in Maya are ua or ual, akin in sound to u, month, uil, food, and may be allusive for these ideas.
The kan and imix signs are often associated under two superfixes enclosing dots, as in Fig. [49], No. 1. These have been interpreted by Seler to indicate copal gum, or the burning of incense. The sign is associated with various deities, especially those of a beneficent character.
The same objects, however, occur elsewhere as superfixes over various glyphs, as Fig. [49], No. 2, where it is not easy to assign them any such meaning.
Fig. 50.—Linear Prefixes.
Modifications of Fig. 50, No. 1 are quite frequent. This sign has had various explanations, as typifying fire, lightning, or wind (Seler, Schellhas); but I believe it represents divine or magical power exerted by blowing. As I have explained in my Nagualism, “the act of blowing was the essential feature in the practice of the ‘medicine men.’ It symbolized the exercise and transfer of spiritual power.”[[127]] Where the deity is portrayed with this addition, he is in the act of exerting his divine influence. For examples, see the “bee god,” in Cod. Tro., pp. 5* and 10*, where the head is as in No. 2; and the scorpion, in Cod. Tro., p. 2, precisely like one in the Cod. Porfirio Diaz, lam. I. At times it also conveys the idea of speech, or vocal sound, or that from a drum, etc., e. g., Fig. [44], No. 3.
No. 3 represents the usual mode of portraying the antennæ of scorpions, insects, etc., of interest because the word for these in Maya, matzab, also means the rays of the sun and of light, and the figure might so be interpreted.
Dr. Förstemann believes that the circle of dots, as in the lower portion of No. 2, means “movement or precession;” as in Cod. Dres., p. 68. The