Numeral systems of Mexico and Central America / by Cyrus Thomas.

  • Cyrus Thomas
Date:
[1901]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Numeral systems of Mexico and Central America / by Cyrus Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    75/116 page 921
    counts lierein o-iyen. This, for exam])le, is probably true of the Huas- tecan count, where the simple term xl is used to denote l,o0O, and also in the count from 200 to 900 in this s}stem and in some others. All the preceding- lists showing- the count from lO upward wdiich belong- to the Mexican and Mayan groups, except that of the Tarahu- mari, pertain to the vigesimal system and in method of counting- bear a strong- general resemblance one to another, yet when they are closely examined minor ditferences are found which have an important bear- ing- on the question of the origin and relationship of these systems. Of these variations we notice the following: 'I'he Nahuatl count follows strictly the quinar^'-vigesimal system, as has been already stated, 5 and 15, as well as 20, being- basal numbers. The count is always from a lower number, that is to say, the minor numbers ai-e always added to a number passed; thus 41 and 42 arc formed by adding- 1 and 2 to 40, and not by counting- the 1 aiid 2 on the next or third score, as we have seen was the rule among- some of the Mayan tribes, as the INIaya proper or Yucatec, the Quiche, C'akchiquel, Pokonchi, Quekchi, Mam, Ixil, and probably most of th(' .'southern tribes of the group, but not among the Huasteca, who formed the northern otfshoot. The count of the latter, though, like the others of the Mayan group, fundamentally vigesimal to 900, is, like the Nahuatl, bv additions of the minor numbers to a number passed as 20+10 to form 90 and 2x20+10 to form 50. The numeral system of the Mayan tribes generally differed from the Nahuatl, Zapotec, Mazatec. Trike, Mixe. and Zoque systems—all of which are regularly (luinary-vigesimal, and generally add the minor numbers to the pre- ceding- base—in being more nearly decimal-vigesimal, and in adding the numbers above 4<i to the following- ba.se, as 1 on the third scoi-e, or thii’d 20, to form 41. In the Mayan dialects the count is never based on 5 except, as has heretofore been suggested, from 6 to 8, and in one dialect from h to 9. So far, therefore, as these differences are concerned, they tend toward grouping- together the systems of the Nahuatlan, Zapotecan. and Zoquean tribes, as contrasted with the Mayan; but the term Nahuatlan is used here as referring- only to the stock in its limited .sense—the Aztecan branch—as the rule does not hold good throughout, when we pass into the Sonoran branch. However, the grouping on these points is interesting as it is in harmony with other data. In one peculiarity, however, the Zapotec count differs from the Nahuatl and approaches the Mayan .systems. From 55-59, 75-79, and 95-!»9 the numbers are obtained by subtraction from the next higher base—thus, for 55 they say ce-caa quiona or ce-caayo <juwna; that is, 5 from ()0. For 5*5-59, 7*)-75>. and 95-99 they have two methods of counting-—thus for 5*5 they say cr-cnin/o ijino))a-h!-fobi; that is. 5 from
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