Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/210

144 This character (Fig. 50) has already been referred to as occurring on Plates ZX-XXIII of the Manuscript and 25-28 of the Codex, and as being used to denote the "stone heap" on which the Uayeb idols were placed. The reasons given for this belief I think warrant me in assuming it to be correct. Referring to the Lexicon we find that piz signifies "a stone serving to form the divisions in a Katun or cycle"; ppic, "stones placed one upon another, serving to count the intervals in a cycle"; ppiz, "a stone on a fishing line," and tun, stone in a general sense. As the connection in which it is found relates to the end and commencement of periods of time, I take for granted that if it represents a word it is either the first (piz) or second (ppic).

This combination (Fig. 51) found on the back of the spotted dog in Plate XXI, appears from Landa's statement, as already shown, to represent "bread of maize." The usual form of the combination, Fig. 51. which is found very often, is given in Fig. 52, but the order in which the characters are placed is frequently the reverse of that given in the figure. I think I have presented good reasons for believing that the characters shown in Fig. 53 are used to denote -"east" and "west." The one marked a I have concluded denotes East—in Maya likin or lakin; the one marked b, West—chikin. Whether this conclusion be correct or not, I think there can be no doubt that one denotes one of these cardinal points, and the other the other cardinal point. This being admitted, we are not left in doubt as to the signification of the lower part of these compound characters, as it must be the hieroglyph for kin, "sun" or "day."

The characters for the other cardinal points—north and south—are given in Fig. 54. As there is yet some doubt as to their assignment I pass them for the present, allowing the conclusion heretofore reached in reference to them to stand.

The character shown in Fig. 55, when placed on a figure, denotes,