An Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs

by Sylvanus Griswold Morley

), and the whole number is to be read 20 + 6 = 26. This number, as we have seen in Chapter IV, would ordinarily have been written thus (†

): 1 unit of the second order (20 units of the first order) + 6 units of the first order = 26. As explained on page [92], however, numeration by position—that is, columns of units—was impossible in the tonalamatls, in which many of the numbers appear in a horizontal row, consequently some character had to be devised which by itself would stand for the number 20.

Returning to our text, we find that the "next black number" is 26 (20 + 6), and this is to be added to the red number 1 next preceding it, which, as we have seen, is an abbreviation for the day 1 Manik (see rule 2, p. [253]). Adding 26 to 1 gives 27, and deducting all the 13s possible, namely, two, we have left 1 (27 - 26); this number 1, which is the coefficient of the beginning day of the next subdivision, will be found recorded just to the right of the black 26.

The day sign corresponding to this coefficient 1 will be found by counting forward 26 in Table [I] from the day name Manik. This will give the day name Ben, and 1 Ben will be, therefore, the beginning day of the next subdivision (the third subdivision of the first main division).

The next black number in our text is 13, and proceeding as before, this is to be added to the red number next preceding it, 1, the abbreviation for 1 Ben. Adding 13 to 1 we have 14, and deducting all the 23s possible, we obtain 1 again (14 - 13), which is recorded just to the right of the black 13 (rule 2, p. [253]).[^[243]] Counting forward 13 in Table [I] from the day name Ben, the day name reached will be Cimi, and the day 1 Cimi will be the beginning day of the next part of the tonalamatl. But since 13 is the last black number, we should have reached in 1 Cimi the beginning day of the second main division of

the tonalamatl (see p. [253]), and this is found to be the case, since the day sign Cimi is the second in the column of day signs to the left. Compare this form with figure [17], i, j. The day recorded is therefore 1 Cimi.

The first division of the tonalamatl under discussion is subdivided, therefore, into three parts, the first part commencing with the day 1 Ix, containing 13 days; the second commencing with the day 1 Manik, containing 26 days; and the third commencing with the day 1 Ben, containing 13 days.

The second division of the tonalamatl commences with the day 1 Cimi, as we have seen above, and adding to this the first black number, 13, as before, according to rules 2 and 3 (p. [253]), the beginning day of the next subdivision will be found to be 1 Cauac. Of this, however, only the 1 is declared (see to the right of the black 13). Adding the next black number, 26, to this day, according to the above rules the beginning day of the next subdivision will be found to be 1 Chicchan. Of this, however, the 1 again is the only part declared. Adding the next and last black number, 13, to this day, 1 Chicchan, according to the rules just mentioned the beginning day of the next, or third, main division will be found to be 1 Eznab. Compare the third day sign in the column of day signs with the form for Eznab in figure [17], z, a'. The second division of this tonalamatl contains, therefore, three parts: The first, commencing with the day 1 Cimi, containing 13 days; the second, commencing with the day 1 Cauac, containing 26 days; and the third, commencing with the day 1 Chicchan, containing 13 days.

Similarly the third division, commencing with the day 1 Eznab, could be shown to have three parts, of 13, 26, and 13 days each, commencing with the day 1 Eznab, 1 Chuen, and 1 Caban, respectively. It could be shown, also, that the fourth division commenced with the day 1 Oc (compare the fourth sign in the column of day signs with figure [17], o), and, further, that it had three subdivisions containing 13, 26, and 13 days each, commencing with the days 1 Oc, 1 Akbal, and 1 Muluc, respectively. Finally, the fifth and last division of the tonalamatl will commence with the day 1 Ik. Compare the last day sign in the column of day signs with figure [17], c, d; and its three subdivisions of 13, 26, and 13 days each with the days 1 Ik, 1 Men, and 1 Imix, respectively. The student will note also that when the last black number, 13, has been added to the beginning day of the last subdivision of the last division, the day reached will be 1 Ix, the day with which the tonalamatl commenced. This period is continuous, therefore, reentering itself immediately on its conclusion and commencing anew.