One of the things which impressed Corti.s, when he first came in contact with the mes sengers sent out by Montezuma. was that some of them were busily emphiyed in making paint ings of the Spaniards; their costumes, arms, and different. objects of interest, giving to each its appropriate color. These were to convey to :Montezuma an idea of the conquerors in picture writing, and is the first notice we have of its in ancient America. In symbolic and picture writing the Mayas approached very close ly to phoneticism, and recent progress has been made in an interpretation of the codices of the Nallua and 3lixtee group, as well-as signal suc cess in the decipherment of the hieroglyphics of the Mayas, preserved in codices, tablets, and stet:0. Of the latter class of inscriptions certain dates and methods of counting have been worked out, and in some instances about 40 per vent. of the inscriptions have been successfully deciphered. Besides the two known systems of pietographie and hieroglyphic writing. explorations in oaxaea have recently revealed a third and distinet form of inscription among the Zapotecs.
The complex calendar system of the Taras cos, Nalwas, Alixtees, Zapotees. Totonacs, and Mayas is the same. and is a remarkable evidence of the high culture which they had attained. but the Mayas had more extended measures for the computation of time than the Nalnas. Recent investigation of the calendar revealed vari ous periods and elaborate computations and a knowledge of the movements of certain planet-.
The general scheme of the calendar proper was the division of the year into two unequal parts. three hundred and sixty days being the year. di vided into eighteen months of twenty days eaeh: at the end of the last month five days were added to round out the true solar year: and each of the twenty-day periods had its own name and symbol, but. the days were not numbered from one to twenty. 11111 from one to thirteen. lty this method of numeration the day bearing the same 11;11111' and number did not recur until the thirteen month: had elapsed: this made a pe riod of two hundred and sixty days. Nvlikh, among the Aztccs. was (-tilled Tonalamall: it was a year within a year. and was used for divina tory or religious purposes. There were. also, 111:1111' 11111(.1- intricacies in the Mexiean calendar. some of which have not yet been explained.
In studying Mexican artifacts. we are some what handicapped by the immense number (.f clever f r111111.1 1.011111 11:1V1' been made during ro ccut year+, and which have found their way into all collections and musenms. :1 ii Inst 1,1 nning to ...Indy in a systematic way the a relict- ologY of this region, and further research will inapiestionably prove that the early neetnints of the Mexican civilization, handed down to us in the writings of the eye-witnesses of the Spanish Conquest, and the histories of the early mis sionaries, as Sahagan, Duran. De Lancia. and others, were not very greatly exaggerated.