. Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America. Mayas; Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America; Mayas; Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America; Inscriptions, Mayan; Maya calendar. Here the reckoning reverts to the 5-day period. It is multiplied by 72, making an ahau ; that by 20, making a katun ; that by 20 again, making a cycle; and that by 13, making a great cycle. The last multiplier is the outflaring trinal character at the top. It is a 13 sign, duplicated to balance the glyph. The two 20 multipliers appear
. Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America. Mayas; Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America; Mayas; Indians of Mexico; Indians of Central America; Inscriptions, Mayan; Maya calendar. Here the reckoning reverts to the 5-day period. It is multiplied by 72, making an ahau ; that by 20, making a katun ; that by 20 again, making a cycle; and that by 13, making a great cycle. The last multiplier is the outflaring trinal character at the top. It is a 13 sign, duplicated to balance the glyph. The two 20 multipliers appear only in the first of the symbols given above—or, rather, only in that does the single one extend all the way to the bottom, as is commonly the case. There should be two separate signs, however, as shown in some of the glyphs; but I have selected these particular specimens for another purpose, which I shall presently state. The 20 sign in the first glyph looks like anything but the same sign in the other two, and resembles a fish more than anything else. Yet they are identical in character, both representing the feathered dragon—the fringed jaw alone of which, reduced to the cursive comb- like character, is the commonest sign for 20. The evolution of this character is so curious and interesting that I herewith give a series of glyphs—all taken from great- cycle symbols—showing the gradations :. The reason why I selected the particular symbols given above is that I think the number of the great cycle is specifically stated in them. Close observers will have noticed several peculiar things about the great-cycle character. The most peculiar of these is that, while the form of the katun symbol is preserved in it fully in every other respect, the cauac sign disappears from the superfix and is replaced by some other character. In more than three-fourths of the dates in the 54th great cycle a dragon's head occupies its place; a tiger's head predominates in the 55th, while the
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Keywords: ., booksubjectindians, booksubjectindiansofmexico, booksubjectmayas
