Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/162

96 couches or seats found in the ruins of Yucatan as to induce us to believe that they have the same signification in both places, or that the figure in our plate refers to that which was represented in the older sculptures and paintings. The peculiarity in the figure of our plate is that the personage seated on the couch is here symbolized by a deer's head, and that on the cheek of the. right head there is one of the death symbols. Is the deer's head here a symbol of the personage represented as seated on the couch in the sculptured tablet of the Palenque palace, and the Beau Relief in stucco! We have no means by which to determine this, but it is my opinion it is.

I suggest, as a possible explanation, that this singular head-dress is a symbol used to denote the peninsula of Yucatan, or, rather, Etel-ceh, the name by which it was known in ancient times. Ceh, as is well known, is the Maya word for "deer." Etel signifies "companion," and Etelet, from "hand to hand'" or "side to side." Hence it may be intended as a symbol of dominion.

This, I am aware, is a somewhat visionary guess, and I give it as such; still it is not impossible that it is substantially correct.

On the jaw of the head, looking to the right, is an imperfect character, which, from evidence found elsewhere in the Manuscript, I am satisfied is a variant of Cimi.

We find that the same deity represented in the second division of Plate VII assumes a different form. The scene appears to be an open, grassy prairie, leading us to infer that here the javelin is being hurled at game, although none is figured.

In the lower division of Plate VII, and extending into the margin of VIII, is a series of five similar blue figures, each seated on a large character like the one here shown.