3. If the quartet in Gb6-21--24 should represent the 4 sky pillars, then we ought to require light to be visible in front. The alternative ending with July 4 fulfills this requirement because south of the equator Sun will move gradually higher and higher in the sky beyond midwinter:
My primary reading is different, because here spring is in front north of the equator, i.e. on Easter Island light will decline. The 4 depicted creatures (possibly hedgehogs, like pigs at a fence) have 'feather' signs of light at their backs and they are 'open' in front. Therefore my primary reading could fit for a reader north of the equator and my alternative reading be appropriate for a reader on Easter Island. The month Maro is the month of 'feathers', because in midwinter the hens grow an abundance of feathers. Feathers were used not only as gifts for the King but also to demarcate (form a fence around) his abode, according to Manuscript E: "... Nuku Keku was ... in charge of the feather garlands (maro), which served to mark the boundaries of the royal residence. He had pounded (the staffs with the feather garlands) into the ground. The middle (te tini) was located in front of the bay of Hanga Rua. The feather garlands went up, continued, and reached Puku Parari. They went up again and reached Puku O Heha. From Puku O Heha they formed (a line) to the side, to Aro Huri. From Aro Huri they turned again toward the sea and reached Maunga Koua, went down, went their way, and reached Hira Moko. (He) made a second line (? he rua taupa) of feather garlands ..." Considering the fact that the midnight culmination of Castor was in February 23, I suggest spring equinox north of the equator is the correct reading, especially as the G tablet was donated to the officers onboard the Chilean corvette O'Higgins (who were foreigners and not inhabitants of Easter Island). Yet, we can imagine a spring king is created (hakaariki) in Gb5-24 (where 378 can allude to the synodical period of Saturn). A kava ceremony in Gb5-25 (where 52 * 5 = 260) will then result in a pair of fresh eyes or faces (mata):
This exercise was necessary before moving on to the contents of other rongorongo tablets, because my intention is to try to coordinate different texts by way of the repetition of 4 glyphs of the same kind (a phenomenon which occurs seldom). The K text has no such quartet. |