If we wish 182 to be the basic feature of the structure on side a, it apparently leaves an open gap of 392 - 364 = 28 glyphs in the center of the text:
We can then add more information by documenting also the consequences of measuring to 168 instead of to 182:
The central portion of side a will now be 4 fortnights long and we can identify the central structure as:
Both Ca8-12 and Ca8-25 are tagata rere glyphs, though looking in opposite directions and also in most other respects opposites (e.g., looking up respectively down, 'arms' up respectively down, slim respectively thick, straight neck respectively bent neck, open 'beak' rescpectively closed, 'toes' in front respectively at the back). Ca7-1 and Ca7-14 are also showing a sign of reversal - the 'stem' (or rather path of the sun) from which the 'hua fish' is hanging down in Ca7-14 is at the back, while the similar 'stem' in Ca7-1 is in front. It now remains to identify the nucleus of the central portion of side a, those 28 days between Ca7-14 and Ca8-12:
The exceptional reversed moe bird ought to mean 'end' (rather than 'beginning' which is the meaning of the non-reversed glyph), and it is glyph number 196 (= 392 / 2). Its identification as a sign of 'turning around' is confirmed by multiplying 7 * 28 = 196. The result of this multiplication agrees with the position of Ca7-28 as counted from Ca1-1. Turning the tablet around to look at side b we can use the same type of multiplication to identify the glyph of central importance on that side:
It is Rogo at Cb7-24, because 7 * 24 = 168. However, 348 / 2 = 174. Position 174 is at the next Venus glyph (Cb8-3). A new glyph line is beginning in between and therefore Cb8-3 can be the next day of Venus although only 6 days have passed since Rogo. 8 * 3 = 24 and 168 + 24 = 192. While side a evidently is based on measuring fortnights, side b seems to be based on number 6. Adding 6 to 174 we will reach 180 and then a new season comes in Cb8-10 (also a day of Venus). Obviously there is a break in time between Cb8-9 and Cb8-10 (cfr the 'nicks' on the maro strings). Atariki at Cb8-12 apparently marks the end of the central portion on side b. Many more interesting signs appear above, but let us leave them aside, and conclude by observing that two of the seven tagata rere glyphs on side b appear among the 18 central ones above. Cb8-11 comes 14 days beyond Rogo and Cb7-23 is the glyph immediately before Rogo. |