2. We will not now take us time to investigate what all these glyphs might say. One example will be enough:
Knowing that Friday is the day of Venus (which is common knowledge) the pair of 'suns' must be Venus as morning respectively evening star. The preceding glyph type is mauga ('mountain'). I suggest it represents the dark 8-night long phase when Venus is neither morning nor everning star. Maybe they thought Venus was hiding behind a mountain, or - more probable - the creator of the text used the mountain sign only as a way to indicate 'hidden from view'. In the ancient Egyptian system of signs a similarly looking form (nehet) was used for 'tree', and it is possible to hide among trees (like Charles II did in an oak). In a relief from the Amon Temple of Karnak the Syrian enemies of Pharaoh Seti I are depicted as hiding among trees:
(Wilkinson) The first of the glyphs is a combination of henua with 'strings across' and haga rave: Strings across henua ought to indicate 'nighttime'. You should not try to observe planets in the daylight. There are 7 of these 'stations' in the week, one for each of the planets. If we read the haga rave sign as 'haga' (which I believe is possible to do), then maybe the 7 glyphs of this kind are to be read out as popohaga, 'morning stars':
Wrapped up in a bundle is not so bad an idea either, because the Mayan wrapped up their long periods into bundles: "[Sahagun:] ... When it was evident that the years lay ready to burst into life, everyone took hold of them, so that once more would start forth - once again - another (period of) fifty-two years. Then (the two cycles) might proceed to reach one hundred and four years. It was called 'One Age' when twice they had made the round, when twice the times of binding the years had come together. Behold what was done when the years were bound - when was reached the time when they were to draw the new fire, when now its count was accomplished. First they put out fires everywhere in the country round. And the statues, hewn in either wood or stone, kept in each man's home and regarded as gods, were all cast into the water. Also (were) these (cast away) - the pestles and the (three) hearth stones (upon which the cooking pots rested); and everywhere there was much sweeping - there was sweeping very clear. Rubbish was thrown out; none lay in any of the houses." (Anthony F. Aveni, Skywatchers.) Popo is to go inside, into the dark and away from the daylight. Before the new 'morning fire' could be lit all sources of 'light' must be put away. |