o. Variations of the same, of uncertain origin.
p, pp. Again the face in profile.
x. The first figure is easily recognised as the human hand, the second as a face in profile, emitting breath from the mouth.
u. The first sign represents the ear, the second is of uncertain derivation.
z. This seems to be a vase of some kind.
It is evident that many of these signs have received abbreviated and conventional forms quite remote from their original figures, precisely as we know occurred in the Phenician and derived alphabets. The variations are numerous and puzzling.
It will be observed that the basis of most of them is a head seen in front or in profile. Bearing this in mind, and fixing definitely the differential marks, which alone were deemed of importance by the native artists, we could venture with considerable confidence on the interpretation of manuscripts and inscriptions, did we not meet with very serious obstacles in other directions.
One of these is the resolution of the groups referred to by Landa as las partes juntas. In these the rounded "Calculiform" letters are arranged in quadrilateral masses, each representing a phrase, name, or title. We may seek the origin of this arrangement in what philologists call the incorporative, or "polysynthetic" character of the Maya in common with all other American tongues, which tends to the expression of an idea with all its modifications, in one intricate grammatical synthesis. These groups must first be separated in their component parts, and then arranged in proper order. Some of them read from right to left, and alternately from top to bottom and bottom to top; or, to illustrate by a diagram, as if we were to write the word marvelous, thus:—
O L M
U E A
S V R
But the artist had no hesitation in changing this arrangement, if another would allow him to compose a neater group. Especially is this the case on the sculptures, where the love of ornamentations constantly obscures the design and renders the letters almost unrecognisable, precisely as the fashion is at the present day to adorn the walls of our [churche] with inscriptions in ornamental and Gothic characters, hardly legible to unpracticed eyes.