If we assume
that the G
calendar describes the
travel of the
sun and the K
calendar the
travel of the
moon, then we
have an idea of
why there are so
many differences
between the two
calendars.
Period 6 may
stand for the
final of a
season, of the
sun in G and of
the moon in K.
For example,
light is thrown
on some of the
differences in
period 1:
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ga2-27 |
Ga2-28 |
Ga2-29 |
Ga3-1 |
Ga3-2 |
Ga3-3 |
Ga3-4 |
Ga3-5 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ka3-15 |
Ka3-16 |
Ka3-17 |
Ka3-18 |
Ka3-19 |
Ka3-20 |
Ka3-21 |
|
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eb3-20 |
Eb3-21 |
Eb3-22 |
Eb3-23 |
Eb3-24 |
Eb3-25 |
...
The
number
of
glyphs
and
the
details
vary
to a
rather
great
extent
between
the
texts,
but
that
should
not
worry
us -
it
is
typical
of
parallel
rongorongo
texts.
The
writers
allowed
themselves
liberty
not
only
as
regards
how
the
glyphs
were
designed
but
also
in
what
messages
to
deliver.
Redmarked
are
significant
similarities,
which
-
together
with
earlier
findings
regarding
the
calendrical
identity
of
period
1 in
G
with
period
7 in
E -
makes
the
parallel
between
the
cited
sequences
of
glyphs
definite.
The
ordinal
numbers
of
the
three
niu
examples
(29,
16,
21)
are
also
in a
way
'parallel'.
29
indicates
the
fallow
time
between
the
last
moonlit
night
(28)
and
the
first
(1
as
in
Ga3-1)
moonlit
light
of
next
month,
while
16
and
21
indicate
other
cardinal
points
(in
the
cycles
of
moon
respectively
sun)
... |
|
The
numbers
are
important
indicators
of
the
subject
matter
of a
rongorongo
text.
The
cycles
of
moon
and
sun
are
similar:
darkness,
new
light,
waxing
light,
maximum
light,
turning
around,
waning
light,
last
light,
darkness.
Therefore
the
glyphs
easily
distinguish
between
these
phases.
But
whether
the
subject
matter
is
moon,
sun
or
something
else
(the
life
cycle
of
some
other
'person')
is
harder
to
determine.
Counting
saves
the
situation.
We
have
earlier
seen
how
the
system
works:
|
moon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ca8-27 |
Ca8-28 |
Ca8-29 |
Ca9-1 |
Ca9-2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ga2-27 |
Ga2-28 |
Ga2-29 |
Ga3-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ka3-15 |
Ka3-16 |
Ka3-17 |
|
sun |
|
|
|
|
|
Ca5-17 |
Ca5-18 |
Ca5-19 |
Ca5-20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eb3-20 |
Eb3-21 |
Eb3-22 |
Eb3-23 |
Eb3-24 |
28
is
the
number
of
moonlit
nights
in a
month,
15
is
the
night
when
moon
is
full.
18
is
the
number
of
decades
(10)
in a
'year'.
G
and
K
tell
about
the
moon
in
the
1st
period
of
the
calendrical
year
- 29
and
16
point
at
the
dark
new
moon
phase
respectively
the
end
of
waxing
moon
-
while
in E
the
parallel
glyphs
do
not
'mention'
the
moon.
But
in E
we
see
the
7th
period,
not
the
1st
period
of
the
calendar.
Probably
moon
is
important
in
the
1st
period
of a
calendar.
Similarities
in
form
between
the
glyphs
tell
about
similarities
in
meaning.
In
Ga3-1
the
top
middle
part
is
similar
to
the
top
middle
part
in
Ca5-20.
Both
glyphs
presumably
tell
about
a
new
light.
Ka3-17
(which,
we
can
conclude,
informs
about
the
new
moon
light)
is
designed
similar
to
Eb7-6,
which
we
know
means
the
moon. |
...
In
the
G
calendar
the
1st
period
is
beginning
with
a
Rei:
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Ga2-27 |
Ga2-28 |
Ga2-29 |
|
|
|
|
Ka3-15 |
Ka3-16 |
The
glyph
numbers,
though,
spell
'final.
28
is
the
number
of
moonlit
nights
in a
month,
15
is
the
night
when
moon
is
full.
G
and
K
tell
about
the
moon
in
the
1st
period
of
the
calendrical
year
- 29
and
16
point
at
the
dark
new
moon
phase
respectively
at
the
end
of
waxing
moon.
The
end
of
last
year
is
in G
documented
at
the
beginning
of
the
1st
period,
yet
the
numbers
effectively
secures
a
correct
reading.
Ga3-1
is
the
1st
glyph
belonging
to
the
new
year
and
the
method
used
is
elegant:
27 +
28 +
29 =
84 =
2 *
42.
In
the
1st
period
in
the
E
calendar
number
42
instead
was
chosen:
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eb1-37 |
Eb1-38 |
Eb1-39 |
Eb1-40 |
Eb1-41 |
Eb1-42 |
Eb2-1 |
Tying
together
the
years
was
a
serious
business
... |
Clearly the moon
is suggested by
ordinal number
29, and that
should mean G
initially is
focused on the
moon - not on the
sun. In the 3rd
period the
ragi glyphs
indicate a
different path
in G compared
to K:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Ga3-10 |
Ga3-11 |
Ga3-12 |
Ga3-13 |
Ga3-14 |
Ga3-15 |
Ga3-16 |
 |
 |
 |
- |
- |
- |
 |
|
Ka4-4 |
Ka4-5 |
Ka4-6 |
Ka4-7 |
10 indicates the
sun and 4 the
moon (or the
earth - which is
no great
difference). If
Ga3-10 indicates
the end of the
sun (10), then
the top sign in
Ga3-11 very well
might indicate a
moon crescent.
In Ka4-5,
possibly, the
top sign
suggests the new
vegetation
created by the
crescent of the
moon - we can
see the
similarity with
the top part of
poporo glyphs:
The arm in Ka4-4
is bulging,
while the arm in
Ga3-10 is slim
like the blade
of a scythe.
At midsummer we
have also noted
these different
kinds of 'arms',
yet here with G
having the
bulging ones and
K having the
'knife blades':
|
8 |
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
Ga4-5 |
Ga4-6 |
Ga4-7 |
Ga4-8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ka5-2 |
Ka5-3 |
Ka5-4 |
Ka5-5 |
...
GD21
(hua
poporo)
in
Ga4-7
(respectively
in
the
parallel
Ka5-4)
announces
how
darknes
at
that
point
(summer
solstice)
overpowers
light
-
light
will
start
to
retire.
In
Ga4-6
we
notice
the
dent
as
if
from
a
blow
at
the
top
of
henua
(GD37),
a
sign
of
the
outcome
of
the
battle. |
Also - there are
2 'eyes' in the
hau tea
glyphs of K, but
only 1 in the G
glyphs; i.e.
exactly the
opposite pattern
of that in
period 3. At
hua poporo I
summarized:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ga4-7 |
Ka5-4 |
Ca1-19 |
Ca1-20 |
|
midsummer |
autumn equinox |
The
'black
drops'
are
not
really
black,
they
are
light,
and
they
represent
seasons
of
the
sun.
According
to
Vanaga,
poporo
haha
is a
sort
of
golden
thistle,
which
I
think
would
have
suited
the
'sun
berries'
better
as a
name.
Moreover,
haha
alludes
to
the
back
side,
and
also
means
'entrance'
-
entrance
to
the
back
side
(tu'a):
|
Haha
1. Mouth (oral cavity, as opposed to gutu, lips). 2. To carry piggy-back. He haha te poki i toona matu'a, the child took his father on his back. Ka haha mai, get onto my back (so I may carry you). Vanaga.
1. To grope, to feel one's way; po haha, darkness, obscure. 2. Mouth, chops, door, entrance, window; haha pipi, small mouth; haha pipiro, foul breath; ohio haha, bit of bridle; tiaki haha, porter, doorkeeper. Churchill. |
On
your
back
side
you
cannot
see
and
you
have
to
grope
(haha).
Metoro's
poporo
seems
to
point
forward
(if
we
read
popo-ro
as
raindrops)
- to
the
coming
tu'a
side.
The
hua
part
(of
his
hua
poporo),
on
the
other
hand,
points
in
the
other
direction
- to
the
time
when
sun
is
enabling
the
fruits
to
ripen.
Therefore,
the
glyphs
seem
to
tell
about
breadfruit
rather
than
nightshade
(if
there
were
only
two
alternatives
to
choose
from).
Ga4-7
and
Ga1-20
have
no
'fruits',
because
the
solar
'breadfruit
stem'
is
not
there.
Instead
a
lunar
'thread'
tells
about
the
tu'a
time.
First
comes
a
hua
season,
then
a
tu'a
season.
Comparing
Ga4-7
with
Ka5-4
we
can
see
the
shape
of
the
moon
at
bottom
right
in
Ga4-7
while
in
Ka5-4
the
moon
sickle
is
located
at
left.
At
left
in
Ga4-7
we
instead
find
the
solar
'breadfruit
stem'.
Both
sun
and
moon
are
referred
to
in
the
texts,
though
while
in G
focus
still
is
on
the
sun
the
text
in K
has
focus
on
the
arrival
of
the
moon
(tu'a)
season.
The
'berries'
in
the
hua
poporo
glyphs
indicate
how
the
'fruits'
are
ripe
for
harvest,
they
will
fall
and
a
new
dark
season
will
enter
(popo).
The
'balls'
(popo)
announce
the
coming
drops.
Maybe
- as
if
by
sympathetic
magic
-
the
fruits
will
fall
with
the
rain. |
It is as if in G
there is a
transformation
(in periods 8-9)
from sun to moon
and in K a
transformation
from moon to
sun.
Looking ahead
contra looking
back may also be
a necessary
factor to
acknowledge
while
interpreting the
rongorongo
texts,
especially if
sun is allotted
one part of the
cycle and moon
another. We have
earlier seen how
period 6 in the
E calendar
probably is a
kind of
overview:
