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6. There is no sign of any Turtle so far in the G text. The first honu - a most promising such - arrives in glyph number 72 (= 360 /5 = 432 / 6 = 504 / 7):
I remember having read somewhere that the Maya Indians said there was another Turtle (in addition to the one at Orion) and this other one was in the region of Gemini. What right ascension corresponds to glyph number 72? 64 + 72 = 136. 408 + 136 = 544. 544 = 09h 04m. A good candidate is according to my astronomy book Alsuhail (λ Velorum) at 09h 06m. The letter lamda should indicate a 'total darkness' and the need to light a new fire. Alsuhail is of course Al-Suhail, one of the names of Canopus. It makes sense. "... the universal Arabic title [of α Carina] was Suhail, written by Western nations Suhel, Suhil, Suhilon, Sohayl, Sohel, Sohil, and Soheil, Sahil, Sihel, and Sihil; all taken according to Buttman, from Al Sahl, the Plain." (Allen) But as to Alsuhail at 09h 06m Allen has not much to say: "λ, 2.5, in Vela is Al Sufi's Al Shuhail al Wazn, Suhail of the Weight; and, with γ and ζ, one of the Muhlīfaīn." Then a quick look in Wikipedia can lead us on to γ Canis Majoris: "It [γ Canis Majoris] has the traditional name Muliphein, not to be confused with Muhlifain, which is Gamma Centauri; both names derive from the same Arabic root ... muħlifayn." Allen's comments regarding γ Canis Majoris: "γ [the form like λ inversed], 4.5, is Burrit's Muliphen that properly belongs to δ and to stars in Columba; but the Century Atlas has it Mirza." ... Royer cut away a portion of Canis Major, and constructed Columba Noachi therewith in 1679. The part thus usurped was called Muliphein, from al-mulipheïn, the two stars sworn by, because they were often mistaken for Soheïl, or Canopus, before which they rise: these two stars are now α and β Columbae. Muliphein is recognized as comprehending the two stars called Had'ár, ground, and al-wezn, weight ... Alas, Alsuhail is not in the 7th hour and we have to wait until later with further investigations into the different positions of Suhail. But we should remember that according to the kuhane of Hau Maka there was a place with a beautiful level land (cfr Al Sahl) on Easter Island, Anakena, where the King should live. |
