Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/85

Rh Whether the Dresden Codex commences the series with the same year as the Manuscript Troano is a point not yet decided; but from what is shown on Plates 25-28, Kan does not appear to be the first. I think there can be no doubt that these four plates represent the fetes and ceremonies of the supplementary days described by Landa (Relac. de las cosas, § § XXXVXXXVIII). The reasons for this opinion will be given hereafter. It is evident from the day-characters in the left-hand column that the plates are numbered in the proper order. These days—of which there are but two on a plate, though each is repeated thirteen times—are probably the last two of the supplementary days of the year. As those on Plate 25 are Eb and Been the year denoted must be Muluc or Ix; that is, the closing Muluc year or commencing Ix year. It is quite plain that the year Kan is not the one denoted. As I will refer more at length to these plates hereafter I will not undertake to determine anything further concerning them here, my only object at present being to show that neither Codex appears to commence the series of years with Kan.

Before closing the discussion in reference to the dominical day of the first year of the Ahau, it is proper to call attention to what Cogulludo says on this point. According to his statement in a quotation from his work, found elsewhere in this paper, the Indians fixed the first year of these periods to the east, to which they gave the name Cuch-haab; the second, called Hiix, they placed at the west; the third, named Cauac, at the south, and the fourth, Muluc, at the north. It is evident that Cuch-haab here is the equivalent of Kan, and if we take the numbers as this author gives them, Kan would be the first, but the order in which the other three follow each other would not agree with that found in the calendar. If we commence with Kan and follow the order of these years as given in the calendar, the order of the cardinal points would then be east, north, west, south. It is apparent therefore that this statement throws but little if any light on the subject. It is well known that the south, at which Cauac was placed, was, to some of the Maya nations at least, the point of departure or chief cardinal point. We have therefore as much authority for assuming it as the first of these periods as the simple fact that Cogulludo gives Kan as the first, especially as the number he gives applied to the lusters.