An Introduction to the Study of the Maya Hieroglyphs

Nacon (official), duties, 13

Nahua, influence on Maya, 5-6

Naranjo (city)—

antiquity, 15

Stela 22, interpretation, 162-164

Stela 23, error in, 248

interpretation, 224

Stela 24, interpretation, 166-167

Supplementary Series, absence, 163-164

Normal date, fixing, of 61

Normal forms of time-period glyphs. See Time periods.

North Star, deification, 18

Numbers, expression—

high, 103-134

thirteen to nineteen, 96, 101, 111-112

Numerals—

bar and dot system, 87-95

examples, plates showing, 157, 167, 170, 176, 178, 179

colors, 91, 251

combinations of, for higher numbers, 105-107

forms, 87-104

head-variant forms, 24-25, 87, 96-104

plates showing, 167, 170, 176, 178, 179, 180

one to nineteen, bar and dot forms, 88-90

head-variant forms, 97-101

order of reading, 23, 129, 133, 137-138, 156, 170

ornamental variants, 89-91

parallels to Roman and Arabic systems, 87

solution, 134-155

systems, 87-134

comparison, 133

See also Vigesimal system.

transcribing, mode 138

See also Hieroglyphs; Thirteen; Twenty; Zero.

Numerical coefficients 127-128

Palenque (city)—

history, 15

palace stairway inscription, interpretation, 183-185

Temple of the Cross, tablet, interpretation, 205-207, 227

Temple of the Foliated Cross, tablet, interpretation, 180-181, 223-224, 227

Temple of the Inscriptions, tablet, interpretation, 84, 225-226

Temple of the Sun, tablet, interpretation, 181-182

Period-ending dates—

ending glyph, 102

examples, interpretation, 222-240

plates showing, 223, 227, 233, 235

glyphs, 77-79,102

katun used in, 222-225

nature, 222

tun used in, 225-226

Period-marking Stones. See Monuments.

Phonetic writing—

argument for, 26-30

traces discovered, iv, 26-30

Piedras Negras (city)—

altar inscription, interpretation, 227

antiquity, 15

Stela 1, interpretation, 210-213

Stela 3, interpretation, 233-235

Plongeon, F. Le, cited, 27

Ponce, Alonzo, on Maya records, 36

Priesthood, organization, 20-21

Prophesying, codices used for, 31

Prophetic dates—

examples, 229-233

use, 271-272

Quen Santo (city)—

history, 231

Stela 1, interpretation, 199-201

Stela 2, interpretation, 201-203

Quirigua (city)—

Altar M, interpretation, 240-242

five-tun period used at, 165-166

founding of, possible date, 221-222

monuments, 192

Stela A, interpretation, 179-180

Stela C, interpretation, 173-175, 179, 203-204, 226

Supplementary Series, absence, 175

Stela D, interpretation, 239

Stela E, error in, 247-248

interpretation, 235-240

Stela F, interpretation, 218-222, 239-240

plates showing, 218, 220

Stela H, interpretation, 192-194

Stela I, interpretation, 164-166

Stela J, interpretation, 215-218, 239-240

Stela K, interpretation, 213-215

Zoömorph G, interpretation, 186-187, 229-230, 239-240

Zoömorph P, interpretation 157-162

Reading, order of, 23, 129, 133, 135, 138, 156, 170, 268

Religion, nature, 16-21

Renaissance, commencement, 4

Rochefoucauld, F. A. de la, alphabet devised by, 27

Roman system of numbers, parallel, 87

Rosny, Leon de, cited, 27

Rulership—

nature, 12-13

succession, 13-14

Scarification, practice, 7

Schellhas, Dr. Paul, investigations, 265

Sculpture, development 2-3

Secondary-series dating—

examples, interpretation, 207-222, 233-240

plates showing, 207, 210, 213, 218, 220, 233, 235

explanation, 74-76, 207

irregular forms, 236

order of reading, 129, 137-138, 208

reference to Initial Series, 209-211, 217-218

starting point, 76, 135-136, 208-210, 218, 240-245

determination, 240-245

Seibal (city)—

antiquity, 15

Stela 11, interpretation, 230-231

Seler, Dr. Eduard—

cited, 2, 43, 199

on Aztec calendar, 58

on hieroglyphics, 30

Serpent numbers—

interpretation, 273-275

nature, 273

range, 32, 273

Slaves, barter in, 9

Southern Maya. See Maya, southern.

Spanish conquest, influence, 6-7

Spectacle glyph, function, 94

Spinden, Dr. H. J.—

cited, 187

works, 4

Stelæ—

character, 22

dates, 33, 83-84

inscriptions on, 22, 33-35

See also Monuments, and names of cities.

Stones, inscriptions on 22

Superfix, effect 120-122

Supplementary Series—

closing-sign, 152-153, 170

explanation, 152, 161

lack of, examples, 163-164, 175

position, 152, 238

Symmetry in glyphs, modifications due to, 23-24, 88-91, 128

Terminal dates—

determination, 138-151

importance as check on calculations, 154-155

position, 151-154

Textbooks, need for, vii

Thirteen—

glyphs, 96, 205

numbers above, expression, 96, 101, 111-112

Thomas, Dr. Cyrus—

cited, 31

on Maya alphabet, 27

Thompson, E. H., investigations 11

Tikal (city)—

Altar 5, interpretation, 242-245

antiquity, 127

history, 15

Stela 3, importance, 179

interpretation, 178-179

Stela 5, interpretation, 226

Stela 10, interpretation, 114-127

Stela 16, association with Altar 5, 244

interpretation, 224, 244

Time—

counting backward, 146-147

counting forward, 138-146

glyphs for, only ones deciphered, 26, 31

lapse of, determination, 134-155

expression, 63-64, 105-107

indicated by black glyphs, 251

marked by monuments, 33-35, 249-250

method of describing, 46-48

recording, 33-36

use of numbers, 134

starting point, 60-62, 113-114, 124-125

See also Chronology.

Time-marking stones. See Monuments.

Time periods—

full-figure glyphs, 67-68, 188-191

plate showing, 188

head-variant glyphs, 67-74

plates showing, 167, 170, 176, 178, 179, 180

length, 62

normal glyphs, 67-74

plate showing, 157

omission of, 128

reduction to days, 134-135

See also Cycle; Great Cycle; Haab; Katun; Tonalamatl; Tun; Uinal.

Tonalamatl (time period)—

graphic representation, 93

interpretation, 254-266

nature, 41-44, 265

relation to zero sign, 93-94

starting point, 252-253

subdivisions, 44

texts recording, 251-266

essential parts of, 265

use of glyph for "20" with, 92, 130, 254, 260, 263

used in codices, 251-266

plates showing, 254, 260, 262, 263

used in divination, 251

wheel of days, 43

See also Year, sacred.

Translation of glyphs—

errors, 154-155

methods, 134-155

progress, 250

Tun (time period)—

glyph, 70

length, 62, 135

use of, in Period-ending dates, 225-226

Tuxtla Statuette, interpretation, 179, 194-196

Twenty—

glyphs, 91-92, 130

need for, in codices, 92, 130

needlessness of, in inscriptions, 92

use of in, 254, 260, 263