9. Let us now consider the meaning of the glyph type tapa mea. It occurs twice in Tuesday:
Mars is the red planet and tapa mea means 'the red cloth'. The idea surely is to indicate a contrast to the 'black cloth', by which concept is meant not only 'falling on your face' (dying) but also the 'nightside journey' which follows. Mars seems to be a close relative of Sun, not only by cause of his colour but also because of his lively behaviour:  "Ancient people were fascinated with the periodic backward loops turned by Mars every two years." (Skywatchers) The evident signs of life which observations of Mars will reveal, probably once a long time ago determined the location of Mars in the cycle of the 'week' - to be where life is flourishing most intensely, viz. in late spring. 5 + 5 'feather' signs in Hb9-31--32 are presumably meant to refer to the 10 months of Sun (the front side of the year). A pair of tapa mea glyphs are also to be found in Aa8-28--29:
Mars in Aa8-28 has 7 'feather marks' in front and Mercury in Aa8-29 has equally many at the back side. Mercury should represent the 'black cloth' and therefore its tapa mea must be reversed. |
