Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/67

Rh supposition further, as not one day out of three ever falls on the day given if these black numerals denote the days of the month.

We will next proceed on the supposition that these indicate the months. In that case the dates given in the present example will be 9 Oc, 9 Ik, 9 Ix, 9 Cimi, and 9 Ezanab of the 15th month (Muan). In this the feast, religious ceremony, or whatever the date refers to, occurs always in the same month, and so far agrees with what is left on record in reference to religious ceremonies and observances. As only the day and month are given, it is possible, as heretofore stated, to find four dates to each day. Now, let us hunt out, by the use of our condensed calendar, the years on which these several dates fall. Commencing with 9 Oc, we look first for this day in the Cauac column; having found it to be the twelfth day of the month, we run our eyes along the twelfth transverse line of figures until we reach the figure 9, which we find to be in the eighth column (the one with 11 at the top); counting back fifteen months (including the one 9 is in) we reach the column with 4 at the top The year is therefore 4 Cauac. We next find Oc in the Kan column; it is here the seventh day of the month, and 9 is in the fifth column (the one with 3 at the top); counting back fifteen months (going towards the left until we reach the first column, and then to the thirteenth, and moving back toward the left), we reach the fourth column (with 9 at the top). The year is therefore 9 Kan. We next find Oc in the Muluc column, and by the same process obtain the year 1 Muluc. Next we find Oc in the Ix column, and by the same process ascertain the year to be 12 Ix.

Pursuing the same method with the other days, we obtain the following result:

Now, let us construct a table (No. VIII) of years for one cycle, as this includes all possible variations in the numbers and names of the years, and see where those obtained will fall. Marking each of the years with a star, we find that they belong to one continuous period. So far the result is favorable, and what will probably attract the attention of those who have