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.

    93/116 page 939
    we see the years indicated by the symbols for Tochtli, Acatl, Tec]iatl, and Calli, and numbered in regular succession. Here, as in case of the days, the numbering is from 1 to 13, this order being rep<‘ated throughout. There is in this series one continuous stretch of 208 ( = 1X 52) years without a single break in the order of the }ears or of the numbers. We have in this fact proof not only that the years were numbered as in the Mayan calendar, and were of the same length, the 365 being completed by the addition of five days at the end, as was stated by the early writers (for only in this way can this succession be accounted for), but also presumptive evidence, although not positive proof, that there was no provision for bissextile years, unless it Avas made by counting unnumbered and unnamed days. As the }mars are numbered from the day numbers as they come in regular succession, there could be no additional numbered and named days without mak- ing a jog in the numbering of the years. The assumption that there were added days which were neither named nor numbered is a mere su](position based on the seeming need of them; there appears to be no proof of it in the codices. On plates 59-62 of the Mendoza codex Ave find numerals used to state the different ages of youth from 3 to 15. These are given by the little circles already described, all of them in this instance being- blue. From 3 to 6 they are placed in single straight lines. The other numbers are giAmn thus: 12 8 9 10 11 i:i 14 15 While there are indications of the tendency to count bv fii'es, it seems a little strange that the arrangement of the dots in 7 and 8 should ha\m Auiried from this rule. Attention is called to these seem- ingly unimpoi-tant points in vieAv of Avhat has been said in the preced- ing part of this paper in reference to the Mexican method of counting as indicated Iia the names of their numerals. In the lists of years on the first seA'en plates of this codex the numbers above 5 are arranged in almost every instance by fives or Avith regard to 5. lIoweA’er, it is necessary to bear in mind that most, if not all, of this codex is
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