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 N o t e s o n M i d d l e A m e r i c a n A r c h a e o l o g y a n d E t h n o l o g y Carnegie Institution of Washington Division of Historical Research No. 20 May 1, 1943 Maya epigraphy: directional Glyphs in Counting J. Eric S. Thompson below the main element, and which is the so-called torch or vulture symbol. The glyphs on page 126c, d, are merely head variants of Directional Glyph A. The prefix and postfix are unchanged although the latter may become an infix. The head is that also used as the variable element of the Initial Series Introducing Glyph when the month is Zotz. Beyer considered it to be that of a mythical serpent; I think it may represent that of a fish, in view of the details which appear to represent fins. Furthermore, in at least one Directional Glyph A (Stela 32, Naranjo), the “comb” sign, which is a known symbol for fish, replaces the central element. Directional Glyph A frequently stands between a Secondary Series and a Calendar Round date, and indicates that the count is forward to that date; that is, the Secondary Series is to be added to some other date to reach it. Occasionally it occurs with a date which is forward from the preceding one, but where the Secondary Series is suppressed. Directional Glyph B (Fig. 20.1e, f) resembles Directional Glyph A except that the prefix is absent and a second postfix is added. This additional postfix takes the form of two crescents flanking a variable element which usually is composed of two or three small circles in a line. Sometimes, for lack of space, one of the crescents may be eliminated. There are also head variants of this glyph (Fig. 20.1g, h). The change in affixes radically alters the meaning of the glyph. Directional Glyph B indicates the departure point of a count forward or, quite probably , the result of a subtraction. Unfortunately, we The manner in which the Maya may have indicated whether a Secondary Series was to be reckoned backward or forward has puzzled Maya epigraphists for nearly half a century; and our inability to find the answer to this problem has hampered research, since in the many cases of suppressed starting or ending points of counts it has not been possible to make a reliable reconstruction and thereby fix with certainty the dates with which unknown symbols were associated. J. Thompson Goodman identified in a general manner a number of directional symbols in his epochal study of Maya glyphs. One of these forms has been generally accepted as indicating a Secondary Series count, but the others have been ignored by all subsequent writers on Maya epigraphy. Goodman, as was so often the case, came closer to the truth than those who followed him but failed to realize the complete meanings involved in these symbols. Actually there are. affixes to mark whether the associated Secondary Series should be counted forward to or from the juxtaposed Calendar Round dates. They correspond roughly to our plus and minus signs. Direction Glyph A(Fig. 20.1a, b) consists of three elements. The first is a prefix, which may be to the left or above the main body of the glyph. This is a well-known character, which occurs in other combinations with a meaning such as “leading to,” “falling on,” or, perhaps, “ending.” The second and main element is also found in many other compounds. For instance, it serves as a variant of the day sign Muluc. The third element is a postfix, placed to the right or Maya Epigraphy: Directional Glyphs in Counting  cannot be certain as to the order in which glyphs are to be read. If they are to be read in the order in which they occur, Directional Glyph B, whenever it occurs with the second of the two dates joined by a Secondary Series, must convey the idea of a backward count or subtraction. At any rate whenever found with a Secondary Series it is always associated with the earlier of the two conjoined dates. Many Secondary Series have neither of these two directional glyphs, and few give both. A text which illustrates well the use of Direction Glyph A is that of the Panel of the 96 glyphs at Palenque. This contains five Secondary Series: four counted forward, one counted back...

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