We can then turn to the text of G to see if we can find those 58 incredibly dark nights at the very beginning of everything. In a way the year must begin again already from day 400, but several alternatives for a starting point for counting can be seen:
Earlier we have identified the honu without legs (he does not need any because he does not move) as positioned at winter solstice. From Gb6-26 to the end of side b there are 64 glyphs. I now suggest that even if winter solstice is observed at day 409 (counted from Gb8-30) the new calendar cycle will begin somewhat later (that is how our own calendar is constructed too). We could for instance chose as a starting point tamaiti (Gb7-3), because he probably personifies the spring half of the new year. If we do so, we can find 58 days, from tamaiti to the last glyph on side b there are 471 - 413 = 58 glyphs. Gb8-30 has number 472 but it has already been counted in order to reach 414 at Gb7-3. The consequences of this view must now be elaborated, so that there can no mistake. We must also rule out chance resemblances between H and G, e.g. the idea that the midwinter tamaiti at Gb7-3 just 'happens' to look like the midsummer tamaiti at Ha7-13:
In Ha7-13 the day number is 177 (= 357 / 3 + 58) = 6 * 29.5 and 236 = 8 * 29.5. The 'bulge' is at left in the summer tamaiti, but at right in the winter tamaiti. Furthermore, the summer child has two 'eyes', one at left and one at right. The winter tamaiti has another sign at left, where an 'eye' normally is expected. But here nothing can be at left, because Gb7-3 is the first glyph in the cycle of 14 lunar months. 7 * 13 (in Ha7-13) is equal to a quarter (91 days). In Gb7-3 we can count 7 * 3 = 21. Both 91 and 21 are examples similar to 11 (which is 'one more' than 10) - 91 is 'one more' than 90 and 21 is 'one more' than 20. The idea of 'one more' naturally associates to a newborn child. |
