Page:The Katunes of Maya History.djvu/29

21 The 18 months were as follows:—

1 Pop (16th of July.) 2 Uoo (5th of August). 3 Zip (25th of August). 4 Zodz (14th of September. 5 Zeec (4th of October). 6 Xul (24th of October). 7 Dze-yaxkin (ISthofiSTovember). 8 Mol (3d of December). 9 Dcheu (23d of December). 10 Yaax (12th of January). 11 Zac (1st of February). 12 Quej (21st of February). 13 Mac (13th of March). 14 Kaukin (2d of April). 15 Moaa (22d of April). 16 Pax (12th of May). 17 Kayab (1st of June). 18 Cumkū (21st of June.

As the table shows their year began with the first day of the month Pop, which corresponded to the 16th of July in our calendar, when, as Senor Perez observes, the sun was almost vertical over the Peninsula. The day itself was called Kin, Sun, the month U, Moon, and the 5 intercalary days were called nameless days, Xona-Kaha-Kia, not-name-Sun.

In the arrangement of their yearly calendar the Mayas proceeded as follows : Like the Mexicans they used a com- bination of the numbers 1 to 13, with the names of the 20 days of the month. Thej' called the first day of the month Pop (our 16 July) 1 Kan, the second 2 Chicchan, the third 3 Quimij, and so on. The fourteenth day was called 1 Caban, the fifteenth 2 Edznab, and the last or twentieth day 7 Akbal. The first day of the second month followed in correct numerical sequence with the name 8 Kan, the second with the name 9 Chicchan. Tlius repeating the 20 names of the days with the above combination of numbers from 1 to 13 they reached the 360th day with the name 9 Akbal. Then followed the intercalary week of 5 days bearing the names 10 Kan, 11 Chicchan, 12 Cimij, 13 Manik, and 1 Lamat.

The second year begins with 2 Muluc. In the same man- ner going on with the combination the first day of the third year was 3 Hix, then followed 4 Cavac, 9 Kan, 10 Muluc, 11 Hix, 12 Cavac, 13 Kan, 1 Muluc, 2 Hix, and so on. At the end of the 52d year the above-mentioned combination was