Chapter 5

Making the necessary omissions in No. II, which I point out in the prefatory note to it, it will be found that all five agree tolerably well in the length of time they embrace. Nos. III and IV begin at a later date than the others, but coincide as far as they go.

The total period of time, from the earliest date given, to the settlement of the country by the Spaniards, is 71 katuns. If the katun is estimated at twenty years, this equals 1420 years; if at twenty-four years, then we have 1704 years.

All the native writers agree, and I think, in spite of the contrary statement of Bishop Landa, that we may look upon it as beyond doubt, that the last day of the 11th katun was July 15th, 1541. Therefore the one of the above calculations would carry us back to A. D. 121, the other to B. C. 173.

The chief possibility of error in the reckoning would be from confusing the great cycles of 260 (or 312) years, one with another, and assigning events to different cycles which really happened in the same. This would increase the number of the cycles, and thus extend the period of time they appear to cover. This has undoubtedly been done in No. II.

According to the reckoning as it now stands, six complete great cycles were counted, and parts of two others, so that the native at the time of the Conquest would have had eight great cycles to distinguish apart.

I have not found any clear explanation how this was accomplished. We do not even know what name was given to this great cycle, nor whether the calendar was sufficiently perfected to prevent confusion in dates in the remote past.

I find, however, two passages in the collection of ancient manuscripts, which I have before referred to as the _Codice Perez_, which seem to have a bearing on this point; but as the text is somewhat corrupt and several of the expressions archaic, I am not certain that I catch the right meaning. These passages are as follows:--

U hi[c]il lahun ahau u [c]ocol hun uu[c] katun, u zut tucaten oxlahunpiz katun [c]iban tu uichob tu pet katun; la hun uu[c] katun u kaba ca bin [c]ococ u than lae, u hoppol tucaten; bay hoppci ca [c]ib lae ca tun culac u yanal katun lae. Cabin [c]ococ uaxac ahau lae u hoppol tucaten lae. (Page 90.)

U hi[c]il Lahun Ahau u [c]ocol u nuppul oxlahunpez katun [c]iban u uichob tu pet tzaton lo hun (_sic_) uu[c] katun u kaba ca bin [c]ococ u than lae, ca tun culac u yanal katun ca bin [c]ococ uaxac Ahau lae; hu hoppol tucaten bay hoppci ca [c]ib. (Page 168.)

_Translation._

At the last of the tenth ahau katun is ended one doubling of the katun, and the return a second time of thirteen katuns is written on the face of the katun circle; one doubling of the katuns, as it is called, will then finish its course, to begin again; and when it begins, it is written that another katun commences: when the eighth katun ends it begins again (_i. e._, to count with this eighth as the first of the next "doubling").

At the last of the tenth Ahau Katun is ended the joining together of thirteen katuns (which is) written on the face of the katun circle; one doubling of the katuns, as it is called, will then finish its course, and another katun will begin and will end as the eighth katun; this begins a second time, as it began (at first) and was then written.

In other words, if I do not miss the writer's meaning, the repetitions of the great cycle of thirteen katuns were not counted from either of its terminals, to wit, the thirteenth or the second katun, but from the tenth katun. These repetitions were called _uu[c] katun_, the doubling or foldings over of the katuns, and they were inscribed on the circle or wheel of the katuns at that part of it where the tenth katun was entered. These wheels were called _u pet katun_, the circle of the katuns, or _u met katun_, the wheel of the katuns, or _u uazaklom katun_, the return of the katuns. I have several copies of them, and one is given in Landa's work, but I know of none which is a genuine original, and, therefore, it is not surprising that I do not find on any of them the signs referred to adjacent to the tenth katun.

For the convenience of the reader I have drawn up the following chronological table of the events referred to in the Chronicles, arranging them under the Great Cycles and Katuns to which they would belong were the former numbered according to the regular sequence given on page 59. I have also inserted the katuns which were omitted by the native chroniclers, but which, according to that sequence, are necessary in order to complete their records in accordance with the theory of the Maya calendar. The references in Roman numerals are to the different chronicles.

SYNOPSIS OF MAYA CHRONOLOGY.

_Great Cycle._ _Katun._

I. 8 They leave Nonoual (I.) 6 4 2 II. 13 They arrive at Chacnouitan (I.) 11 9 7 5 3 1 12 10 8 Chichen Itza heard of (II.) 6 Bacalar and Chichen Itza discovered (I, II, III.) 4 Ahmekat Tutulxiu arrives (I?, II.) 2 III. 13 _Pop_ first counted (_i. e._ calendar arranged) (II, III.) 11 Remove to Chichen Itza (I.) 9 7 5 3 1 Abandon Chichen Itza; remove to Champoton (I, II.) 12 10 Abandon Chichen Itza; remove to Champoton (III.) 8 6 Champoton taken (I, II.) 4 Champoton taken (III.) 2 IV. 13 11 9 7 5 3 1 12 10 8 Champoton abandoned (I, II, III.) 6 The Itzas houseless (I.[TN-10] II, III.) The [TN-11]well dressed" driven out (IV.) 4 Return to Chichen Itza (I, II.) 2 Uxmal founded (I.) The League in Mayapan begins (I.) V. 13 Mayapan founded (V.) 11 9 7 5 Chichen Itza destroyed by Kinich Kakmo (IV.) 3 1 The last of the Itzas leave Chichen Itza (IV.) 12 10 Uxmal founded (II.) 8 Plot of or against Hunac Ceel (I, II, III.) Zaclactun Mayapan founded (IV.) Chakanputun burned (IV.) 6 War with Ulmil (I.) 4 The land of Mayapan seized (II, III.) 2 VI. 13 11 Mayapan attacked by Itzas under Ulmil and depopulated by foreigners (I.) 9 7 5 Naked cannibals came (IV.) 3 1 Tancah Mayapan destroyed (IV.) 12 10 8 Mayapan finally destroyed (I, II, III, V.) 6 The Maya league ended (V.) 4 The pestilence (II, III, IV.) 2 Spaniards first seen (I, II.) Smallpox (III.) VII. 13 Ahpula died (I, II, III.) The pestilence (I.) 11 Spaniards arrive (I, II, III, IV, V.) Ahpula died (IV.)

I. THE SERIES OF THE KATUNS.

_From the Book of Chilan Balam of Mani._

The first chronicle which I present is the only one which has been heretofore published. On account of its comparative fullness it deserves especial attention. It is taken from the Book of Chilan Balam of the town of Mani.

This town, according to a tradition preserved by Herrera, was founded after the destruction of Mayapan, and, therefore, not more than seventy years before the arrival of the Spaniards. Mayapan was destroyed in consequence of a violent feud between the two powerful families who jointly ruled there, the Cocoms and the Xius or Tutul Xius. The latter, having slain all members of the Cocom family to be found in the city, deserted its site and removed south about fifteen miles, and there established as their capital a city to which they gave the name Mani, "which means 'it is past,' as if to say 'let us start anew.'"[89-1]

At the time of the Conquest the reigning chief of the Tutulxius was friendly to the Spaniards, and voluntarily submitted to their rule, as we are informed with much minuteness of detail by the historian Cogolludo.[90-1] We may reasonably suppose, therefore, that this chronicle was brought from Mayapan in the "Books of Science," which Herrera refers to as esteemed their greatest treasure by the chiefs who broke up their ancient confederation when Mayapan was deserted. Hence the records ran a better chance of being preserved in this province than in those which were desolated by war. As I have already said (page 65) a large number were destroyed precisely at Mani by Bishop Landa, in 1562.

I find among the memoranda of Dr. Berendt reference to four "Books of Chilan Balam," of Mani. These dated from 1689, 1697, 1755 and 1761, respectively, but I have not learned from which of these Pio Perez extracted the chronicles he gave Mr. John L. Stephens. Dr. Berendt adds that it was from one which was in possession of a native schoolmaster of Mani, who, having the surname Balam, claimed to be descended from the original Chilan Balam![91-1]

The first publication of the document was in the Appendix to the second volume of Mr. Stephens' _Incidents of Travel in Yucatan_ (New York, 1843). It included the original Maya text, with a not very accurate translation into English of Pio Perez's rendering of the Maya. From Mr. Stephen's volume, the document has been copied into various publications in Mexico, Yucatan and Europe.

The other attempt at an independent translation was that of the Abbe Brasseur (de Bourbourg), published at Paris in 1864, in the same volume with Landa's _Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan_. The text he took from Stephens' book, errors and omissions included, and his translation is entirely based on the English one, as he evidently did not have access to the original Spanish of Pio Perez.

The most important recent study of the subject has been made by Dr. Valentini, who published the notes of Pio Perez on his translation, and gave a general re-examination of ancient Maya history, with a great deal of sagacity and a large acquaintance with the related Spanish literature.[92-1] He is, however, in error in stating that he was the first to publish the notes of Perez, as they had previously been printed in a work by Canon Carrillo.[92-2]

Much use of this chronicle has been made by the recent historians of Yucatan, Don Eligio Ancona and the Canon Crescencio Carrillo y Ancona; but I am surprised to find that they have depended entirely on the previous labors of Pio Perez, Stephens and Brasseur, and have made no attempt to verify or extend them.

Dr. Berendt, although earnestly devoted to collecting and copying these records did not, as Dr. Valentini observes, ever attempt a translation of any of them.

No hint is given as to the author of the document, nor do we know from what sources he derived his information. It has been plausibly suggested that it was an epitome of the history of their nations, which was learned by heart and handed down from master to disciple, and which served as a verbal key to the interpretation of the painted and sculptured records, and to the "katun stones" which were erected at the expiration of each cycle and inscribed with the principal events which had transpired in it.

The Abbe Brasseur placed at the head of his edition of this chronicle the title, in Maya:--

"LELO LAI U TZOLAN KATUNIL TI MAYAB,"

which he translates--

"SERIES DES EPOQUES DE L'HISTOIRE MAYA."

This is an invention of the learned antiquary. There is no such nor any other title to the original. It is simply called in the first line _u tzolan katun_, the arrangement or order of the katuns. The word _tzolan_ is a verbal noun, the past participle of the passive voice of _tzol_, which means to put in order, to arrange, and is in the genitive of the thing possessed, as indicated by the pronoun _u_. Literally, the phrase reads, "their arrangement (the) katuns."

TEXT.

1. Lai u tzolan katun lukci ti cab ti yotoch Nonoual cante anilo Tutulxiu ti chikin Zuiua u luumil u talelob Tulapan [95-1]chiconahthan.

2. Cante bin ti katun lic u ximbalob ca uliob uaye yetel Holon Chantepeuh yetel u cuchulob. Ca hokiob ti petene uaxac ahau bin yan cuchi uac ahau, can ahau, cabil ahau, cankal haab catac hunppel haab, tumen hun piztun oxlahun ahau cuchie, ca uliob uay ti petene, cankal haab catac hunppel haab, tu pakteil, yetel cu ximbalob lukci tu luumilob ca talob uay ti petene Chacnouitan lae; u anoil lae 81 ---- ---- ---- 81.

3. Uaxac ahau, uac ahau; cabil ahau kuchci chacnouitan Ahmekat Tutulxiu; hunppel haab minan ti hokal haab cuchi yanob chacnouitan lae; lai u habil lae ---- ---- ---- 99 anos.

4. Laitun uchci u chicpahal tzucubte Ziyan caan lae Bakhalal; can ahau, cabil ahau, oxlahun ahau, oxkal haab cu tepalob Ziyan caan ca emob uay lae; lai u habil cu tepalob Bakhalal [96-1]chuulte laitun chicpahci Chic[=h]en Itza lae ---- ---- 60 anos.

5. Buluc ahau, bolon ahau, uuc ahau, ho ahau, ox ahau, hun ahau, uackal haab, cu tepalob Chichen Itzaa, ca paxi Chic[=h]en Itza, ca binob cahtal Chanputun, ti yanhi u yotochob ah Itzaob kuyan uincob lae; lay u habil lae ---- ---- 120.

6. Uac ahau chucuc u luumil Chanputun. Can ahau, cabil ahau, oxlahun ahau, buluc ahau, bolon ahau, uuc ahau, ho ahau, ox ahau, hun ahau, lahca ahau, lahun ahau, uaxac ahau paxci Chanputun; oxlahunkal haab cu tepalob Chanputun tumenel Ytza uinicob ca talob u tzac le u yotochob tu caten; laixtun u katunil binciob ah Itzaob yalan che, yalan [96-2]aban, yalan ak ti numyaob lae; lai u habil cu [96-3]xinbal lae ---- ---- ---- 260.

7. Uac ahau, can ahau, cakal haab, ca talob u he[c]ob yotoch tu caten ca tu zatahob chakanputun; lay u habil lae ---- ---- ---- 40.

8. Lai u katunil cabil ahau u he[c]cicab Ahcuitok Tutulxiu Uxmal; cabil ahau, oxlahun ahau, buluc ahau, bolon ahau, uuc ahau, ho ahau, ox ahau, hun ahau, lahca ahau, lahun ahau; lahun kal haab cu tepalob yetel u halach uinicil chic[=h]en Itza yetel Mayalpan; lai u habil lae ---- ---- 200.

9. Lai u katunil buluc ahau bolon ahau uuc ahau, uaxac ahau, paxci u halach uinicil Chic[=h]en Itzaa tumenel u kebanthan Hunac eel; ca uch ti Chacxibchac Chichen Itzaa tu kebanthan Hunac eel u halach uinicil Mayalpan ich paae. Cankal haab catac lahunpiz haab, tu lahun tun, uaxac ahau cuchie lai u habil paxci tumenel Ahzinteyut chan yetel Tzuntecum, yetel Taxcal, yetel Pantemit, Xuchueuet yetel Ytzcuat, yetel Kakaltecat; lai u kaba uiniclob lae uuctulob ah Mayelpanob lae ---- ---- ---- ---- 90.

10. Laili u katunil uaxac ahau lai ca binob u paa ah Ulmil ahau tumenel u uahal uahoob yetel ah Itzmal ulil ahau lae oxlahun uu[c] u katunilob ca paxob tumen Hunac eel; tumenel u [c]abal u natob; uac ahau ca [c]oci hunkal haab catac canlahun pizi; lai u habil cu [97-1]xinbal ---- 34.

11. Uac ahau, can ahau, cabil ahau, oxlahun ahau, buluc ahau chucuc u luumil ich paa Mayapan, tumenel u pach tulum, tumenel multepal ich cah Mayalpan, tumenel Ytza uinicob yetel Ulmil ahau lae, cankal haab catac oxppel haab; yocol buluc ahau cuchi paxci Mayalpan tumenel ahuitzil [c]ul tan cah Mayapan ---- ---- 83.

12. Uaxac ahau lai paxci Mayapan; lay u katunil uac ahau, can ahau, cabil ahau, lai haab, cu ximbal ca yax mani espanoles u yax ulci caa luumi Yucatan tzucubte lae oxkal haab paxac ichpaa cuchie ---- ---- ---- ---- 60.

13. Oxlahun ahau, buluc ahau uchci mayacimil ich paa yetel nohkakil; oxlahun ahau cimci Ahpula; uacppel haab u binel ma [c]ococ u xocol oxlahun ahau cuchie; ti yanil u xocol haab ti lakin cuchie, canil kan cumlahi pop, tu holhun zip catac oxppeli, bolon imix u kinil lai cimci Ahpula; laytun ano cu ximbal cuchi lae ca oheltab lai u xoc _numeroil anos_ lae 1536 anos cuchie, oxkal haab paxac ichpa cuchi lae.

14. Laili ma [c]ococ u xocol buluc ahau lae lai ulci _espanoles_ kul uincob ti lakin, u talob ca uliob uay tac luumil lae; bolon ahau hoppci _cristianoil_; uchci caputzihil; laili ichil u katunil lae ulci yax _obispo_ Toroba u kaba; heix ano cu ximbal uchie 1544.

15. Yan cuchi uuc ahau cimci yax obispo de landa; ychil u katunil ho ahau ca yan cahi padre manii lai ano lae ---- ---- ---- 1550.

16. Lai ano cu ximbal ca cahi padre yok haa 1552.

17. Lai ano cu ximbal ca uli Oidor la ca paki Espital ---- ---- ---- ---- 1559.

18. Lai ano cu ximbal ca kuchi Doctor Quijada yax gob^or uaye ---- ---- ---- 1560.

19. Lai ano cu ximbal ca uchci c[=h]uitab lae 1562.

20. Lai ano cu ximbal ca uli Mariscal gob^or ca betab [99-1]thulub ---- ---- ---- 1563.

21. Lai ano cu ximbal ca uchci nohkakil lae 1609.

22. Lai ano cu ximbal ca hichiucal kaxob 1610.

23. Lai ano cu ximbal ca [c]ibtah cah tumenel Juez Diego Pareja 1611.

TRANSLATION.

1. This is the arrangement of the katuns since the departure was made from the land, from the house Nonoual, where were the four Tutulxiu, from Zuiva at the west; they came from the land Tulapan, having formed a league.

2. Four katuns had passed in which they journeyed when they arrived here with Holon Chantepeuh and his followers. When they set out for this country it was the eighth ahau. The sixth ahau, the fourth ahau, the second ahau (passed), four score years and one year, for it was the first year of the thirteenth ahau when they arrived here in this country; four score years and one year in all had passed since they departed from the land and came here, to the province Chacnouitan. These were years 81.

3. The eighth ahau, the sixth ahau; in the second ahau Ahmekat Tutulxiu arrived at Chacnouitan; they were in Chacnouitan five score years lacking one year; these were years 99.

4. Then took place the discovery of the province Ziyan caan or Bakhalal; the fourth ahau, the second ahau, the thirteenth ahau, three score years they ruled Ziyan caan when they descended here: in these years that they ruled Bakhalal it occurred then that Chichen Itza was discovered. 60 years.

5. The eleventh ahau, the ninth ahau, the seventh ahau, the fifth ahau, the third ahau, the first ahau, six score years, they ruled at Chichen Itza; then they abandoned Chichen Itza and went to live at Chanputun; there those of Itza, holy men, had their houses; these were years 120.

6. In the sixth ahau the land of Chanputun was seized. The fourth ahau, the second ahau, the thirteenth ahau, the eleventh ahau, the ninth ahau, the seventh ahau, the fifth ahau, the third ahau, the first ahau, the twelfth ahau, the tenth ahau; the eighth ahau Chanputun was abandoned; thirteen score years Chanputun was ruled by the Itza men when they came in search of their houses a second time; in this katun those of Itza were under the trees, under the boughs, under the branches, to their sorrow; the years that passed were 260.

7. The sixth ahau, the fourth ahau, two score years, (had passed) when they came and established their houses a second time, and they lost Chakanputun; these were years 40.

8. In the katun the second ahau Ahcuitok Tutulxiu founded (the city of) Uxmal; the second ahau, the thirteenth ahau, the eleventh ahau, the ninth ahau, the seventh ahau, the fifth ahau, the third ahau, the first ahau, the twelfth ahau, the tenth ahau; ten score years they ruled with the governor of Chichen Ytza and Mayapan; these were years 200.

9. Then were the katuns eleventh ahau, ninth ahau, sixth ahau; in the eighth ahau the governor of Chichen Itza was driven out on account of his plotting against Hunac Eel; and this happened to Chac Xib Chac of Chichen Itza on account of his plotting against Hunac Eel the governor of Mayapan, the fortress. Four score years and ten years, and it was the tenth year of the eighth ahau that it was depopulated by Ah Zinteyut Chan, with Tzuntecum, and Taxcal, and Pantemit, Xuchueuet and Ytzcuat and Kakaltecat: these were the names of the seven men of Mayapan 90.

10. In this eighth ahau they went to the fortress of the ruler of Ulmil on account of his banquet to Ulil ruler of Itzmal; they were thirteen divisions of warriors when they were dispersed by Hunac Eel, in order that they might know what was to be given; in the sixth ahau it ended, one score years and fourteen; the years that passed were 34.

11. The sixth ahau, the fourth ahau, the second ahau, the thirteenth ahau, the eleventh ahau; then was invaded the land of the fortress of Mayapan by the men of Itza and their ruler Ulmil on account of the seizure of the castle by the joint government in the city of Mayapan; four score years and three years; the eleventh ahau had entered when Mayapan was depopulated by foreigners from the mountains in the midst of the city of Mayapan 83.

12. In the eighth ahau Mayapan was depopulated; then were the sixth ahau, the fourth ahau, the second ahau; during this year the Spaniards first passed and first came to this land the province of Yucatan, sixty years after the fortress was depopulated. ---- ---- ---- ---- 60.

13. The thirteenth ahau; the eleventh ahau took place the pestilence in the fortresses and the smallpox; in the thirteenth ahau Ahpula died; for six years the count of the thirteenth ahau will not be ended; the count of the year was toward the East, the month Pop began with (the day) fourth Kan; the eighteenth day of the month Zip (that is), 9 Imix, was the day on which Ahpula died; and that the count may be known in numbers and years it was the year 1536, sixty years after the fortress was destroyed.

14. The count of the eleventh ahau was not ended when the Spaniards, mighty men, arrived from the east; they came, they arrived here in this land; the ninth ahau Christianity began; baptism took place; also in this katun came the first bishop Toroba by name; this was the year 1544.

15. In the seventh ahau died the first bishop de Landa; in the fifth katun the Fathers first settled at Mani, in the year 1550.

16. As this year was passing the fathers settled upon the water ---- ---- ---- 1552

17. As this year was passing the auditor came and the hospital was built ---- ---- 1559

18. As this year was passing the first governor Dr. Quijada, arrived here ---- ---- 1560

19. As this year was passing the hanging took place ---- ---- ---- ---- 1562

20. As this year was passing the Governor Marshall came and built the reservoirs ---- 1563

21. As this year was passing the smallpox occurred ---- ---- ---- ---- 1609

22. As this year was passing those of Tekax were hanged ---- ---- ---- 1610

23. As this year was passing the towns were written down by Judge Diego Pareja ---- 1611

NOTES.

1. The introductory paragraph is not less obscure in construction than it is important in its historical statements, and I shall give it, therefore, a particularly careful analysis.

I have already explained the term _u tzolan katun_; _lukci_ is the aorist of _lukul_, which forms regularly _luki_, but the mutation to _ci_ is used when the meaning _since_ or _after that_ is to be conveyed; as Beltran says, "cuando el verbo trae estos romances, _despues que o desde que_, como este romance; despues que murio mi padre, estoy triste: _cimci in yume, okomuol_" (_Arte del Idioma Maya_, p. 61). _cab_ means country or place, in the sense of residence, whereas _luum_, used in the same paragraph, is land or earth, in the general sense. The _Dicc. de Motul_ says: "_cab_, pueblo o region; _in cab_, mi pueblo, donde yo soy natural." _yotoch_ is a compound of the possessive pronoun _u_, his or their, and _otoch_, the word for house when it is indicated whose house it is; otherwise _na_ is used; _otoch_ is probably allied to _och_ a verbal root signifying to give food to, the house being looked upon as specifically the place where meals are prepared.