[Aztlan] Meaning of Skyband glyphs

[Michael Grofe]

Dear Mike Geubel,

Here is a paper in which the authors, John Carlson and Linda Landis, analyze
the elements of the skyband, and they notice that there is a strong
correspondence with the Haab patrons, which appear as the variable element
in the Initial Series Introductory Glyph at the beginning of Long Count
dates:

Carlson, John, and Linda Landis. 1980 "Bands, Bicephalic Dragons and other
Beasts: The Skyband in Maya Art and Iconography." Fourth Palenque Round
Table, Vol. 6, edited by Merle Greene Robertson and Elizabeth P. Benson, pp.
115–140. San Francisco: Pre-Columbian Research Institute.

Also see:

Carlson, John. "Sky Band Representations in Classic Maya Vase Painting." In
Maya Iconography, edited by Elizabeth P. Benson and Gillett G. Griffin, pp.
277–293. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

It is fairly well established that the variable K'IN sign in skybands that
you referenced represents 'sun' or 'day'. Some other common skyband elements
are more recognizable as 'moon', 'darkness', 'sky', and 'Venus' or 'star',
while others are more difficult to identify. There does not seem to be a
consistent order to their appearance, but it appears that there is a strong
correlation with the Haab patrons, which likely have astronomical origins of
some kind. But because the Haab drifts one day every four years from the
tropical year, establishing any precise sidereal locations is difficult.
That some of them appear to be planetary, solar, and lunar indicates that
others may represent the other visible planets, but if this is the case, it
is difficult to tell which ones would be which.

It does look like the skyband represents the path of the ecliptic in some
way, and I agree that the 'crossbands' is most likely to be the path of the
ecliptic crossing the Milky Way around Sagittarius. It would be very
interesting to explore the possible astronomical meanings of the other
signs.

Best,
Michael Grofe

>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Mike Geubel <mike.geubel at gmail.com>
> To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
> Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:41:42 +0100
> Subject: [Aztlan] Meaning of Skyband glyphs
> Dear all,
>
> I cannot find translations of the skyband glyphs, so it seems that no
> extensive research has been done on them; is this true?
> I only can find a  translation of the glyph containing two diagonal crosses
> in the book "Star Gods of the Maya", written by Susan Milbrath; she wrote
> the glyph with two diagonal crosses is the crossing of the Milky Way and
> the
> ecplictic.
>
> For the other sky band glyphs I cannot find any explaination, but I suggest
> that the glyph in attachment 1 (from Madrid Codex page 12b, in the skyband
> first sign from the right) is the sign for the winter solstice. Susan wrote
> in her book that page 12b in the Madrid Codex marks the beginning of the
> astronomical year, around the winter solstice (in this skyband are 4
> glyps).
> This same glyph appears right above the sign for Saggitarius in the Paris
> Codex; this was what triggered me, and with the same sign appearing in the
> Madrid Codex around winter solstice. I haven't found any translation for
> this sign, so apparently I am the fist person noticing this.
>
> I also suggest that the meaning of a second sign that appears in skybands
> is
> the sign for the 8-year Venus cyclus (attachment 2, from Dresden Codex page
> 74, third sign from the left in the skyband). This glyph is often
> translated
> as the sun, but many glyphs are translated as the sun. I think that the 8
> black bars are 8 solar years, and the 5 circles are the 5 Venus cycles.
>
> I wonder what you think about these two, and the other skyband glyphs.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Mike Geubel
>
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