Day Symbols of the Maya Year: Sixteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1894-1895, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, Pages 199-266.
Day Symbols of the Maya Year: Sixteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1894-1895, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, Pages 199-266.
Archaeology & Anthropology, History - Ancient, Religion/Spirituality
Published in 1897, 'Day Symbols of the Maya Year' by Cyrus Thomas is a scholarly analysis of the Maya calendar, focusing on the significance of its day symbols. The work examines linguistic, historical, and cultural aspects of the Maya civilization and contributes to the understanding of their calendrical practices and cosmology. Thomas discusses the phonetic and symbolic interpretations of these glyphs, referencing the work of notable scholars and providing a detailed examination of each day symbol, including variations across dialects.
About Day Symbols of the Maya Year: Sixteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1894-1895, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, Pages 199-266.
Chapter Summaries
- Introductory
- Thomas establishes his theoretical framework, arguing that Maya hieroglyphs represent a transitional stage between ideographic and phonetic writing. He clarifies his position on phoneticism and presents the comparative day names across different calendar systems.
- The First Day
- Analysis of the Imix symbol across Maya, Tzental, Quiche-Cakchiquel, Zapotec, and Nahuatl calendars. Thomas argues the symbol is phonetic with 'm' as its chief element and compares it to similar mythological concepts across cultures.
- The Second Day
- Examination of the Ik symbol meaning 'wind' or 'spirit.' Thomas provides extensive evidence for its use in storm and wind contexts, challenging Dr. Seler's alternative interpretations.
Key Themes
- Academic Methodology
- The work demonstrates rigorous scholarly analysis through systematic comparison of symbols across different codices and linguistic evidence from multiple Maya dialects.
- Cultural Preservation
- The study represents an effort to decode and preserve ancient Maya knowledge systems, recognizing the sophisticated nature of their writing and calendar systems.
- Linguistic Evolution
- Thomas explores how Maya day names evolved across different dialects and regions, showing the dynamic nature of language and cultural transmission.
Characters
- Cyrus Thomas(protagonist)
- The author and primary researcher analyzing Maya day symbols. He presents his interpretations of Maya hieroglyphs and challenges existing theories about their phonetic nature.
- Dr. Seler(major)
- A prominent German scholar of Maya hieroglyphs whose interpretations Thomas frequently references and disputes. He represents the established academic authority on Maya writing systems.
- Dr. Brinton(major)
- An American scholar of Maya linguistics and mythology whose work on day names and calendar systems Thomas both cites and critiques throughout his analysis.
- Bishop Landa(major)
- The 16th-century Spanish bishop whose documentation of Maya symbols and alphabet forms the foundational reference for all subsequent Maya hieroglyphic studies.
- Dr. Schellhas(minor)
- A German scholar who collaborated with Dr. Seler on Maya deity identification and hieroglyphic interpretation.
