The Maya Chronicles Part 17

22. 1610; this year those of Tekax were hanged.

23. 1611; this year the towns were written down by the Judge.

NOTES.

The entire omission of the introductory paragraph of the Mani chronicle, with its references to the Quetzalcoatl myth, is noteworthy.

As neither chronicle begins with the beginning of an Ahau Katun, it is obvious that some era was fixed upon in later days from which to count the Katuns backward in time to the dawn of tradition, as well as forward.

2. On the name _Chacnabiton_ see page 123.

3. _Canpahal_ I take to be an old form of _canchahal_ or _canlaahal_, both of which mean to learn or learn about. On _Zian can_ see page 124.

4. I am at a loss for the exact bearing of the expression _lai tzolci Pop_. Pop is the first month in the Maya year; _tzoolol_ is "to be counted in order" (_Dicc. Motul_); the preterite in _ci_ would seem to justify the rendering "since then Pop was counted in regular succession;" (see remarks on the effect of _ci_, on page 106); in other words, that the calendar was adopted at that time, which was also at the beginning of an Ahau Katun, and, by the count given (supplying the katuns not mentioned by the writer) thirty katuns, 600 years, since their traditions began.

6. _Chuccu_, pa.s.sive of _chucah_, to seize, take possession of.

_Zatahob be_, "they lost the road," probably meant, in a figurative sense, that they were prevented by intervening unfriendly tribes from continuing their intercourse with the western coast. _Biciob_, evidently for _binciob_. The expression _yalan che_, _yalan haban_, _yalan ak_, has already been explained (page 126).

13. _Ocnakuchil._ The derivation of this word is stated to be from _ocol_, to enter, _na_, the houses, _kuch_, the crow or buzzard, the number of the dead being so great that the carrion birds entered the dwellings to prey upon the bodies.

In the account of Ahpula's death _ca ?ococ_ should, I think, read _ca ma ?ococ_, "when not yet was ended."

FOOTNOTES:

[136-1] _Disertacion sobre la Historia de la Lengua Maya Yucateca_, in the _Revista de Merida_, 1870, p. 128.

[138-1] cankal.

[138-2] canlaahal.

[139-1] uinicob.

[139-2] binciob.

[142-1] uchuc.

[142-2] ximbal.

[143-1] tikaxob.

III. THE RECORD OF THE COUNT OF THE KATUNS.

_From the Book of Chilan Balam of Chumayel._

The village of Chumayel is about six leagues east of Mani, and within the boundaries of the province anciently ruled by the Xiu family.

The copy of the Book of Chilan Balam which was found there was a redaction made by an Indian, Don Juan Josef Hoil, in 1782. Like all these volumes it is a sort of common place book, in which were copied miscellaneous articles from much older ma.n.u.scripts. One of these bears the date 1689, but most of them have no date attached. Hoil's original is, I believe, in the possession of the Canon Crescencio Carrillo y Ancona, of Merida. A fac-simile copy, by the hand of the late Dr.

Berendt, is in my possession.

At the close of the volume, ff. 40-44, are found three summaries of the ancient history of Yucatan, which are those I am about to give. They have never been translated from the original, nor published in any form, and they contain details of interest. They are evidently from different sources, and are also different from those previously given.

TEXT.

U kahlay u xocan katun.o.b uchi u chictahal u Chicheen Ytza uchi lae lay ?iban ti cab lae uchebal yoheltabal tumen hijmac yolah yohel te ti xocol katun lae.

1. VI. Uac ahau uchci u chictahal u chicheen Ytza.

IIII. Can ahau lae.

II. Cabil ahau.

XIII. Oxlahun ahau tzolci pop.

XI. Buluc ahau.

IX. Bolon ahau.

VII. Uuc ahau.

V. Ho ahau.

III. Ox ahau.

I. Hun ahau.

XII. Lahca ahau.

X. Lahun ahau; paxci u chicheen Ytza; uchi oxlahun uu? katun cacahi chakanputun ti yotochob u katunil.

2. VI. Uac ahau.

IIII. Can ahau; chucci u lumil tumen.o.b Chakanputun.

II. Cabil ahau.

XIII. Oxlahun ahau.