[Aztlan] T528 Stones

[David Hixson]

Forwarded Message From Karen Bassie (note links to
illustrations below):

Karen Bassie wrote:

In Maya art, the motif used to represent a mountain
was first given the nickname kawak monster because its
body is often decorated with elements that are found
on the T528 sign used to represent the day name Kawak.
While it was long believed that the mouth of this
monster represented a cave, Dave Stuart definitively
demonstrated that the entire motif represented the
word witz “mountain”. He also identified the syllabic
rendering of the word witz in the hieroglyphic text as
well as the logographic sign that represents this
word. The latter sign is a variant of the T528 sign,
and these witz glyphs function in the hieroglyphic
texts as place names. Other signs can also be added to
these various witz glyphs to specify particular
mountains.

In addition to its use in the day name Kawak and in
the glyph for mountain, the T528 sign appears with
phonetic complements that indicate it is read tuun
“stone” in certain contexts. For the Maya, one of the
most important stones was the limestone used every day
to create lime for processing corn, and for
constructing buildings. Although it does not represent
the word for cave, the T528 sign is a stylized drawing
of a limestone cave in a cutaway, profile view. The
mouth is pictured as an overhanging shelf with a
cluster of stalactites hanging from it. Early
researchers referred to the hanging stalactite element
as a “grape cluster” because of its visual similarity
to this fruit. This is also the modern nickname used
by spelunkers for such cave formations (see first
attachment). Beneath the “grape cluster” is an element
composed of striations of stripes and water beads. As
noted by Nick Hopkins when I first presented my
interpretation in 1987, stalactites are referred to as
teeth in several Maya languages. In many examples of
witz monsters, the teeth of the monster have the form
of T528 tuun “stone” signs which further reinforces
this sign’s association with limestone and cave
formations. On the north wall of the Preclassic San
Bartolo murals, the tooth of the witz monster has the
form of a stalactite that is marked with striations of
black stripes and beads as does the formation to the
left (see attachment 2).

Each day in the 260 day cycle was thought to be ruled
by a specific deity. We know that the day in the 260
day cycle on which a person was born was thought to
dictate the fate or destiny of the person. The same
was true for time periods. As Landa explained, the day
in the 260 day calendar that began the 365 day solar
year dictated the fate of that year. These day lord
deities are still venerated in some highland
communities. The 13 day numbers are also viewed as
deities, and these number deities also affect the fate
of the time period. In Classic Period inscriptions,
the 13 numbers are often illustrated as specific
deities. All k’atun and tuun periods end on Ajaw
dates. In terms of the k’atun cycle, the same day
number and day name will not occur for 13 k’atuns so
each k’atun within this 13 k’atun cycle was ruled by a
different number deity. The same is true for the tuun
period (360 days), it takes 13 tuuns before the same
day number and day name repeat. There are numerous
Classic Period texts that refer to the setting up of
T528 tuun stones on the tuun and k’atun. So what did
these T528 tuun stones represent?

The Maya believe that mountains were manifestation of
their gods. In highland Guatemala , each of the four
Yearbearers is identified with specific mountains, and
there are often references to 13 mountain deities. So
it is not a huge leap of faith to suggest that each of
the 13 number deities was also identified with a
mountain. I think it is highly likely that the tuun
and k’atun stones represented the mountain deity who
was ruling that particular time period. As an example,
on Quirigua Stela A, the text refers to the 9.17.5.0.0
Period Ending on 6 Ajaw 13 Kayab, and the setting of a
6 Ajaw stone. The north side of the stela illustrates
the number six deity performing a dance.

http://www.famsi.org/aztlan/uploads/cave_grapes.jpg

http://www.famsi.org/aztlan/uploads/stalagmite_formation.jpg


 
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