There are no sun glyphs in 2b, but otherwise in all b and c glyphs. What about the a glyphs? As a rule there are no sun glyphs in a. However, as regards 1a it depends on where we decide that part of the text is to start. There is a sun glyph about 10 glyphs before 1b starts. And then there are sun glyphs in 4a. But 4a is an exception because that part of the text is extraordinary long. 4a also has the Matariki glyphs, which no other a part has. This reasoning leads up to an important question. I have sorted the text into a, b and c. As a rule sun glyphs are located in b and c, but not in a. The Matariki glyphs are - as a rule - located only in b. The b and c parts are very regular as regards the repetition of various glyphs, not so the a parts. All this lead me to suppose that we have a calendar with 12 repetitions, 6 with Matariki visible, 6 with Matariki not visible. But why is the text arranged like this? If it was a calendar, then we would expect this order: 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 5b, 1c, 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c. Now we have instead 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b etc. Given that Matariki is visible in b but not in c, then I can find two explanations: 1. The text first is about something in general (1a), then about the first period with Matariki visible (1b), and then (1c) about what in this period is visible on the other side of the earth (no Matariki visible). Etc. 2. The text first is about something in general (1a), then about the first period with Matariki visible (1b), and then (1c) about what will happen after six months (no Matariki visible). Etc. If I have to chose I like 1 better than 2. We have already met people who are very aware about what happens on the other side of the earth. But - why do I have to chose between the two alternatives? They give two pictures of the same thing, because after half a year we will be on the opposite side and we may as well describe this now rather than later. |