12 Cavac.
13 Kan.
----------------------------------
1 Muluc.
We think the above explains the origin of the Mexican cycle of fifty-two
years. The Mayas either never had this cycle, or had abandoned its
use.<77> The Mexicans however, used this period of time, and they
numbered their years in it in such a way that we can not explain it,
unless we suppose they derived it in some such a way as just set forth.
We give a table showing the order of the years in a cycle, and also
notice that all that was needed was the number and name of the year to
show at once what year of the cycle it was. The year seven Calli,
for instance, could never be any other year than the twentieth of the
cycle.<78>
ARRANGEMENT OF YEARS IN A MEXICAN CYCLE.
No. Name of the Years.
1 Tochli...... Acatl......... Tecpatl...... Calli..........
2 Acatl....... Tecpatl....... Calli........ Tochli.........
3 Tecpatl..... Calli......... Tochli....... Acatl..........
4 Calli....... Tochli....... Acatl........ Tecpatl........
5 Tochli...... Acatl......... Tecpatl...... Calli..........
6 Acatl....... Tecpatl....... Calli........ Tochli.........
7 Tecpatl..... Calli......... Tochli....... Acatl..........
8 Calli....... Tochli........ Acatl........ Tecpatl........
9 Tochli...... Acatl......... Tecpatl...... Calli..........
10 Acatl....... Tecpatl....... Calli........ Tochli.........
11 Tecpatl..... Calli......... Tochli....... Acatl..........
12 Calli....... Tochli........ Acatl........ Tecpatl........
13 Tochli...... Acatl......... Tecpatl...... Calli..........
Illustration of Day Date.
---------------Illustration of Year Date.--------------
To express the dates, they of course painted the hieroglyphic of the
day, and dots for the number of days. This cut, for instance, expresses
the day-date "seven Acatl." They generally wrote the dots in sets of
five. Seven was sometimes expressed in the above manner. When they
wished to express a year-date, they made a little frame and painted in
the hieroglyphics of the year, and dots for the number. This date here
expressed is their thirteen Acatl, which, by the above table, is seen to
be the twenty-sixth year of the cycle.
We have already dwelt too long on this part of the
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