 This glyph (Eb4-7) has exactly the same apperance as the one located two positions to the right (Eb4-9). They are examples of a type of glyph which I have included as a main type in my glyph catalogue. I have made a little table over the glyphs in Keiti which I regard as belonging to this type. Metoro regards these glyphs as pictures of turtles (honu) and I believe he is right. I will therefore call this type of glyph honu. The glyph Ga3-12 in period no. 3 of the year (according to Small Santiago) obviously also is a honu, though not unmarked. This is 'proved' by the parallel in London (Ka4-6):
So both in the beginning of the year and in the middle (period 12 of Keiti) there are turtles. Does that mean feasts where this rare food should be present? Perhaps, but I remember another possibility, which Barthel had proposed (according to Schuhmacher), viz. that the Easter Islanders used animals as symbols for numbers. Does honu means six? I have found evidence supporting that in the myth about Hotu Matua's arrival to the island, as there are six men and a mysterious turtle involved in the events. |
