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TRANSLATIONS
The 72 glyphs in the Mamari moon calendar can be found, through studying the glyphs and the structure, to be evenly divided in 36 + 36. The glyphs and the structure do not, however, support a further division into 4 groups with 18 glyphs in each. Neither can we find support for a division of 72 into 3 groups with 24 in each. 2 is, in other words, a characterstic of the month. Only by increasing 29.5 into the double 59 nights, a lunar double-month, will it be possible to think of 'quarters' for the moon. Yet, with a month defined as 28 nights the week will be such a 'quarter'. The double-month of mother nature is here disconnected from the conceptual structure. Half a month will be thought of as a waxing moon fortnight and the other half as a waning moon fortnight, each divisible in half. In K, we have concluded, only half the year is mapped, the 'waxing sun' half. The reconstructed number of glyphs of K is *97 + *95 = *192, which can be divided into two 'quarters' ą 96 glyphs, a sign that the reconstructed total 192 may be right. With new year and niu being associated, we should not find two places in the K text with niu glyphs. In G, on the other hand, with a text covering the whole year, we should find niu glyphs both at midwinter and at midsummer. Indeed there is only one niu glyph in K, viz. Ka3-16 with 5 'feathers' in front and at the beginning of the first period:
Niu, therefore, ought to be at the beginning of each half year (but possibly also at other locations). If the number of glyphs is 192 and if the 1st half of the year is described, then the 1st half of the year (from midwinter and forward) could be divided in two halves with 96 glyphs (= days) in each half. On the other hand, 192 might be 182 + 10 with 182 = 91 + 91. These two alternatives can be tried by looking for glyph number 96 respectively glyph number 91 (with surroundings) and see what they can tell us.
Seven weeks amounts to a quarter (7 * 13 = 91), and then a 'spooky' time arrives. At Ka5-13 (96) there is a headless bird with a fist in front, from which dangles maro with two 'feathers', and then only one more glyph is needed on side a to reach an odd number, meaning 'continue on next side'. Manu kake at Kb1-7 has ordinal number 104 (= 8 * 13) and may indicate spring equinox. 192 - 104 = 88 'proves' it has nothing to do with the structure of the calendar. Both 91 and 96 are possible midglyphs, both are marked, but 96 is stronger marked than 91, because then follows side b. If 186 days constitute summer (which was suggested because 6 * 31 = 186), then summer could be divided in two unequal parts, 96 + 90:
I regard it as unlikely that there was any difference of opinion among the creators of the rongorongo texts as to how many days there were in the 1st half year. The number of days in summer and winter may have been more difficult to reach a consensus about. Likewise the end of the year can be defined in severalt different ways, as we have seen. The simple model to continue testing against the text in G is therefore:
We should find one niu at the beginning of the text on side a, because G is parallel with K here, but also one more niu immediately beyond glyph number 192. That is the suggestion to be tested:
Ga2-29 has ordinal number 59 and corresponds to the 5th kuhane station Te Kioe Uri. A new station, the 4th kuhane station Te Manavai, begins at Ga3-1. Uncertainty here comes in: Where should be begin to count? Not necessarily with Ga1-1. Maybe from Ga2-27, maybe from Ga3-1. Counting from Ga1-1 (which is in agreement with 59 at niu) leads to 96 at Ga4-13 and to 192 at Ga7-23:
Ga4-13 is, it appears, 'parallel' with where K the 1st quarter ends (91):
That is, though, not important. We know that the texts of G and K are different in expressions and structure, for instance is the sign consisting of two 'eyes' at Ka5-8 probably due to the text covering only half the year and 91 may be regarded as a midpoint. What is important is henua at Ga4-12 and the fact that there is a 'spooky' henua in Ga4-13, signs of a change of season. Not until period 16 will there be (in G) another kiore + spooky henua, and these two periods (11 and 16) are unique in that respect. 96 appears also in G to be some kind of cardinal point. Ga7-23 has 16 'feathers' and is followed by Ga7-24 where we can count 7 * 24 = 168. It is reasonable to assume the 16 glyphs from Ga7-12 up to and including Ga7-27, both glyphs being of the unusual type ika hiku ('tail fish'), to refer to a transitional period 20 days long:
En passent it should be noted that the peculiar double eye signs in Ga7-25--26 and Ga7-29 could be the same sign as in Ab1-73:
These 9 glyphs constitute the last (3rd) group in a sequence with 26 glyphs. The fact of 16 'feathers' at Ga7-27, reminding about 16 * 29.5 = 472 and the 16 first kuhane stations, indicate a season ends here. At Maunga Hau Epa, we should remember, the discussion lead to interpreting the kuhane following a curve as being equivalent (or at least similar) to the tip of haś glyphs. So far OK. Next prediction is the existence of a niu glyph beyond (and not too far away from) Ga7-23:
Only Gb2-28 and Gb3-8 are possible candidates. And why shouldn't there be 2? The 2nd cycle has arrived. We are close to Hua Reva (Gb3-5), where water quenched the fire:
Maybe Gb3-8 is a mixture between niu and Hanga Takaure:
The first niu arrived at position 59, and the other two - half a cycle later - arrives around 5 * 59 = 295. Half a cycle then becomes 4 * 59 = 236 glyphs long, or equal to 472 / 2. One niu appears at Te Kioe Uri and two at Hua Reva (the first station without Te or Nga). The hypothesis has survived:
It could be added that one niu will come not far from the beginning of the 1st half year and two niu glyphs not far from the beginning of the 2nd half year. It is not certain that the distances from the beginning to niu should be the same in all rongorongo calendars. So far we have:
However, we must be careful and note other possibilities, there are 7 niu glyphs in my catalogue, and Ga3-13 looks rather similar to Gb3-8:
298 - 72 = 226. Or, counting short, 225 = 9 * 25. 472 - 225 = 247 = 13 * 19.
The numbers are encouraging. What do the glyphs say?
Haś in Ga3-14 could indicate the end of an old season (from which a new season will be rising in Ga3-15). And the old season in question could begin with Gb3-8--11 (beyond Hua Reva):
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