Volume 1

Mayan calendar systems / by Cyrus Thomas.

  • Cyrus Thomas
Date:
1900-1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Mayan calendar systems / by Cyrus Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/158 (page 714)
    I am firmly convinced, for reasons which will be shown hereafter, that they are nothing more than orders of units or multipliers. Therefore, when they are spoken of as “time periods,” or by the names given, this must be borne in mind. The typical and usual form of the ahau is shown in the first three glyphs of figure 9 (a, J, c). This symbol denotes 360 days, which must be multiplied b}^ the numeral—usually at the side—to obtain the full number of days indicated. The name ahau as here used must not be confounded with the day-name Ahau.^ The use of the same name for two different purposes is unfortunate and confusing. The usual form of the katun is shown in the first two glyphs of fig- Pax Kayab Cumhu Uayeb Fig. 14—The month symbols. ure 10 (a, h). The attached numeral, if 1 or 2, is frequently at the top, though usually at the side. As this s}mibol repi’esents 7,200 days, the number of days indicated is 7,200 multiplied by the attached numeral. The usual cycle symbol is shown b}^ the first ghph of figure 11 (a). As the cjmle is 144,000 days, 144,000 must be multiplied by the attached numeral to obtain the total number of days. The great cjmle will be referred to hereafter, and the other forms of the chuen, ahau, katun, and cycle will be discussed as the series by which their values are determined are examined. > The day name is always written with a capital, the ahau denoting a period with a small letter.