At first sight the GD24 glyphs seem easy to distinguish in the flow of strange glyphs in Tahua. However, there are difficulties. If there is a 'normal' (without additional signs) GD24 in Tahua, we probably find it in these glyphs (Ab3-48, Ab3-51and Ab8-65):
In Ab2-13, on the other hand, we see signs in 1) a thicker glyph 2) holes with ovoid shape:
In Aa5-12 the glyph is leaning and the holes have yet another shape:
In e.g. Aa8-22 the holes are closed (an acceptable variant of GD24):
Also acceptable as GD24 are glyphs which have 'oval heads', e.g. Ab2-66 and Ab4-34:
In Aa2-72 and Ab6-77 the two 'heads' are vertically assymmetric:
Still, we should identify the left (respectively right) part of these glyphs as indicating GD24. In Ab3-58 the GD24 form is twisted:
and the characteristics seem to be a mixture between GD24 and GD49. Similarly, in Ab4-48 we probably see a mixture between GD24 and GD32:
So far we are on fairly secure ground. But there are instances where the two 'holes' in GD24 appear disjointed, e.g. in the complex glyph Ab7-25:
If we accept that (which I think we should), then there will be more of the same kind, but without any clear limit from which GD24 no longer is represented. As next (accepted) example we have Aa5-6:
where we recognize the general structure in Ab7-25, but where the left 'hole' has been 'hidden' as the space between the legs. Where there is only one 'hole' (or the other 'hole' so well hidden that I easily will miss it), e.g. in Aa6-77, Ab7-53, Ab8-62 and Ab8-71:
I have not found that the GD24 characteristics are well enough represented in these glyphs. Though I suspect that the head in all four glyphs above represents the upper 'head' of GD24. In Ab2-62 we recognize the pattern from Ab7-25 and Aa5-6 (see above):
Possibly there is an allusion to GD24 in the two dangling 'balls', but I do not find this as sufficient reason for including the glyph in GD24. On the other hand, and after some doubt, I have decided to include the two strange successive glyphs Aa6-25 and -26 as one example of GD24:
But Ab3-76, with two 'heads', is too far away to be included in GD24:
Ab4-26, though, I feel belongs to GD24:
The open 'hole' is a not unusual feature of GD24, and combined with the appearance of the ('double-holed') sun I feel pretty sure that I am right. Similarly, Aa2-9, which at first sight may appear as something else than GD24, I have also included under GD24:
Both 'holes' - if they once were such - are open in the glyph. Aa8-43:
is somewhat similar to Aa2-72:
But in Aa8-43 the GD24 part is inverted and the 'hand' is pointing inwards instead of outwards. If Aa2-72 is an example of a glyph with GD24 traits (which I have decided earlier above), then it follows that Aa8-43 also should be an example of GD24.. Ab2-43 possibly alludes to GD24, but I have not included it:
The same goes for Ab2-64 (just two glyphs away from Ab2-62 - see above) and Ab2-9:
This exercise with GD24 makes me wonder what guiding star we should have. Is the purpose to easily find glyphs of a certain type? Or is the purpose to identify glyphs which 'belong together' according to what the designer presumably had in mind? I think we should not strive to imagine what the designer had in mind. Had that been the goal, then I would have included more glyphs (e.g. Ab2-9) under GD24. |
