Note 208-2 — DAY SYMBOLS OF THE MAYA YEAR

There appears to be much confusion among writers who have referred to this subject in regard to the “Black Deities” of the codices. Dr Brinton’s remarks on this subject in his late work, “A Primer of Mayan Hieroglyphics,” does not clear up the confusion. Apparently he has not discovered that quite a number of these are merely black figures of well-recognized deities not thus usually colored. It appears also, judging by his statements, that Dr. Brinton has failed to identify the characteristics by which the different deities of this class are to be distinguished. Dr Schellhas, in his excellent paper “Die Gottergestallen der Maya Handschriften,” fails also to properly distinguish between these deities. Dr Seler, whose profound studies have thrown much light on the Maya hieroglyphs, fixes quite satisfactorily the characteristics of some of these deities, yet he confounds others which should have been separated.