What is a logical
method? If you are not sure, then know that it is a method or activity that
produces a predictable pattern or sequence. Predictability follows a logical
pattern. Understanding the logic underlying a pattern is key to the accuracy of its
predictability; or not. Many folks believe that the Indian used a method to produce
360 distinct day-names. But, no one is certain of its makeup. To answer this important
question, a close look at an eyewitness report eliminated all possibilities but one when
viewed in perspective.
The flood of treasure-hunters that immigrated to the new world, after the siege of
Tenochtitlan 1521, had little use for Native time-management, imposing their own.
The European civil system supplanted the Native system, which was paved over. Diego
Duran, who arrive in 1543 at age six and grew up with nahua playmates, became
fluent in the indigenous culture very early, embodying "little Spanish-Indian
boy." Even he didn't fully grasp the local day-counting methods, but his
observations do offer a small glimpse with big implications. What the confused
description of events inadvertantely show is: whatever logical method that the Natives did
apply, numbers were being employed to define the civil weekday.
From:
The Book of Rites & Gods and the Ancient Calendar
by Diego Duran
Page 394:
“In ancient times the year was composed of eighteen months, and thus it was
observed by these indian people. Since their months, were made up of no more than twenty
days, these were all the days contained in a month, because they were not guided
by the moon but by the days; there fore, the year had eighteen months. The days
of the year were counted twenty by twenty.
“Each of the twenty days of the month had its name and symbol to designate
each day. This is similar to the way in which we name the days of the week:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so forth. In this same manner the people indicated the
twenty days of their month, in the order which is shown in our illustration [Plate 36]. It
is well to give the names of these symbols. They are: Cipactli, which was the first figure
and which means Head of Serpent. And when [the people] called it a head, I think that they
understood it to be the beginning of the month, or its first day. The second day was
called Wind; the third, House; the fourth, Lizard; the fifth, Serpent; the seventh, Deer;
the eighth, Rabbit; the ninth, Water; the tenth, Dog; the eleventh, Monkey; the twelfth,
Wild Grass; the thirteenth, Reed; the fourteenth, Jaguar; the fifteenth, Eagle; the
sixteenth, Buzzard; the seventeenth, Motion; the eighteenth, Flint Knife, nineteenth,
Rain; and the twentieth and last, Flower.
“At the beginning of each month, on the day which we have called Head
of Serpent, a most solemn feast , as we shall see later in the description of the
calendar...
“Everyone knows that the year is made up of three hundred sixty-five days. But
the number of these days divided into twenties makes up eighteen scores. These were the
months of the years, but the five days which were left over were held by
this nation to be unlucky, nameless, and profitless. Thus
they remained as blanks; there were no symbols for them, or
number[s]. And so they were called nemontemi, which
means "days left over and profitless." These fell at the end of February,
on the twenty-fourth, the day of the glorious Saint Matthias, in the month when we
ourselves adjust the year. The natives also observed this day, and thus the
year ended and a new year began...
"Aside from giving names to the days of the month, these twenty symbols, or
characters, were used for telling the fortune of those born on them...
"The symbols representing each day of the month functioned as letters. In
general, these painted characters were used as picture writing, describing native history
and lore, memorable events in war, victories, famines and plagues, prosperous and adverse
times.”
.
Page 360:
Native Days and Numbers from Duran's
exhibits:
.
 ..
. .
Page 187:
“And thus the feast of knights and noblemen was held in honor of their god the
Sun, and was called Nauholin, which means Four Motion.
With this name it was solemnized according to the high position of the persons whose feast
it was. The feast was celebrated twice a year: the first time on March 17 and the other
[260 days later] on the second day of December - that is, on the two occasions on which
the number Four Motion or Movement fell in the year. To better understand this, it is
necessary to know that the native week covered a thirteen-day period and
after the thirteen days had terminated, the count from one to thirteen began again. The
months contained only twenty days, and for each of twenty a sign was designated. These
signs were twenty, each having its own, just as we say Monday, Tuesday, and so forth. This
way the days of the month were indicated, and among them was the sign ollin, in the form
of a butterfly. When this sign (counting, as they did, the weeks by thirteen) fell on the
number four (which occurred only twice a year), the feast called Four Motion was
celebrated splendidly, as we shall see."
 The fact that the
event is mentioned to have occurred twice a year, 260 days apart, may indicate that this
is a regular annual event with the start point calibrated from a recurring astronomical
event. A full consideration of the eyewitness' statements shows that is not the
case, from which some confusion has prevailed. The over-riding reality is that the
event was recurring on a 260 day interval; not characteristic of a xiuhpohualli.From a New Year day of March 1, Duran's account noted the date of March
17 for Nahiolin [aka: Nahui Ollin] following the Spring equinox by 6 days.
(see footnotes for details) The Julian calendar was in use at that time. This
would be March 27 on the Gregorian calendar.
.
.Note:
1. The Julian calendar was being referenced by Spanish
friars. For Gregorian equivalent, add 10
days.
2. The year 1571 is an arbitrary date. It was during the
working years of the first chroniclers whose
journals .
were compiled over the course of many years. .
|
Based
on Duran's comments regarding 4 Motion and from the diagrams to the right, it becomes
obvious that the only time that 4-Ollin would fall on the days this eyewitness
has indicated would be the first occurrence after the Native New Year. That means he
was onhand to observe the "trecenas" of the New Fire ceremony at the
beginning of the seventeenth cycle. This would place the Julian date at 1571.
It is important to understand that the word "trecena" being used to
describe a 13-days cyle, in reality is "trece cena"
a two word Spanish phrase meaning 13 banquets or feasts. Look it up in any
Spanish/English dictionary. It relates to the xiuhmolpilli
and "Binding of a Complete Bundle of Years"
that took place every 52 years.
All indicators point to a logical systematic way for a Native to keep an appointment.
Since the days of the "metzli" were designated by symbol, the
only thing undefined are the eighteen numbers. On currently available codices
where a time designation was intended only the tonalmatl was cited. The
documents were spiritual in nature. The 20 x 13 combo offer zero ability to have 360
distinct day-name combinations as required by the xiuhpohualli.
Because it is not specifically spelled out by obvious example, for convenience, the
European mind tries to make the Native day-counting scheme fit the familiar month/day
model. Fortunately, the year-counting scheme of the 52 years xiuhmolpilli
was detailed beyond refute and bears scant resemblance to European schemes. But, it
does offer a glimpse of the logical method of naming the years. (illustration below)
The Natives were utilizing a logical method to distinguish 360 uniquely designated days,
as with the 260 count. According to eyewitness, in the case of the tonalpohualli,
symbols are used as "week"-signs with the days being
represented as dots (i.e.: numbers). But, in order to have 360 distinct day-tags
that were composed of the same symbols and dots, and since the symbols were used for the
days, there is only one way to configure the remaining variable of 18 numbers. Here
lay the criteria for the "analogous form" that could be represented as a
mechanical gear array. To define a configuration that best matched the given
criteria, and through testing would prove or deny any inherent validity of its analogy.
. |
 |
Page 359:
Nexiuhilpiliztli - Completed Binding of a Perfect
Circle of Years
Xiuhmolpilli
- 52 years cycle => Naming of the Years
.
For => Aztec Calendar
animation <=
Click here!
|
|
influx, that they burned
the Native papers and imposed the Julian system. By a thorough reflection on the words of
a uniquely qualified human being who experienced a rendevous with destiny, any interested
researcher can approach an adequate explanation. The Logical Method that fits
the overall criteria is the mechanics by which the animated Aztec
Calendar is based. It is a single solution that best fits the
given criteria.
