Aids to the Study of the Maya Codices | Page 2

any attempt to decipher them on the supposition that they contain
true alphabetic characters must end in failure. Although enough has
been ascertained to render it more than probable that some of the
characters are phonetic symbols, yet repeated trials have shown beyond
any reasonable doubt that Landa's alphabet furnishes little or no aid in
deciphering them, as it is evidently based on a misconception of the
Maya graphic system. If the manuscripts are ever deciphered it must be
by long and laborious comparisons and happy guesses, thus gaining
point by point and proceeding slowly and cautiously step by step.
Accepting this as true, it will be admitted that every real discovery in
regard to the general signification or tenor of any of these codices, or of
any of their symbols, characters, or figures, or even in reference to their
proper order or relation to one another, will be one step gained toward
the final interpretation. It is with this idea in view that the following
pages have been written and are now presented to the students of
American paleography.

It is impracticable to present fac simile copies of all the plates and
figures referred to, but it is taken for granted that those sufficiently
interested in this study to examine this paper have access to the
published fac similes of these aboriginal documents.
CHAPTER I.
THE NUMERALS IN THE DRESDEN CODEX.
Before entering upon the discussion of the topic indicated it may be
well to give a brief notice of the history and character of this aboriginal
manuscript, quoting from Dr. Förstemann's introduction to the
photolithographic copy of the codex,[261-1] he having had an
opportunity to study the original for a number of years in the Royal
Public Library of Dresden, of which he is chief librarian:
"Unfortunately, the history of the manuscript begins no further back
than 1739. The man to whom we owe the discovery and perhaps the
preservation of the codex was Johann Christian Götze, son of an
evangelical pastor, born at Hohburg, near Wurzen, in the electorate of
Saxony. He became a Catholic, and received his education first at
Vienna, then in Rome; became first chaplain of the King of Poland and
elector of Saxony; later on, papal prothonotary; presided over the Royal
Library at Dresden from 1734, and died holding this position, greatly
esteemed for learning and integrity, July 5, 1749. This sketch is taken
from his obituary notice in Neue Zeitungen von gelehrten Sachen, Nr.
62, Leipzig, 1749. In his capacity as librarian he went to Italy four
times, and brought thence rich collections of books and manuscripts for
the Dresden library. One of these journeys took place in 1739, and
concerning its literary results we have accurate information from a
manuscript, in Götze's handwriting, which is found in the archives of
the Royal Public Library, under A, Vol. II, No. 10, and bears the title:
'Books consigned to me for the Royal Library in January, 1740.' Under
No. 300 we read: 'An invaluable Mexican book with hieroglyphic
figures.' This is the same codex which we here reproduce.
"Götze also was the first to bring the existence of the manuscript to

public notice. In 1744 he published at Dresden The Curiosities of the
Royal Library at Dresden, First Collection. As showing what value
Götze attributed to this manuscript, the very first page of the first
volume of this work, which is of great merit and still highly useful,
begins as follows: '1. A Mexican book with unknown characters and
hieroglyphic figures, written on both sides and painted in all sorts of
colors, in long octavo, laid orderly in folds of 39 leaves, which, when
spread out lengthwise, make more than 6 yards.'
"Götze continues speaking of this book from page 1 to 5, adding,
however, little of moment, but expatiating on Mexican painting and
hieroglyphic writing in general. On page 4 he says:
"'Our royal library has this superiority over all others, that it possesses
this rare treasure. It was obtained a few years ago at Vienna from a
private person, for nothing, as being an unknown thing. It is doubtless
from the personal effects of a Spaniard, who had either been in Mexico
himself or whose ancestors had been there.'
"On page 5 Götze says:
"'In the Vatican library there are some leaves of similar Mexican
writing, as stated by Mr. Joseph Simonius Asseman, who saw our copy
four years ago at Rome.'
"Götze therefore received the manuscript as a present on his journey to
Italy at Vienna and took it with him to Rome. Unfortunately we know
nothing concerning its former possessor. A more accurate report of the
journey does not seem to exist; at least the principal state archives at
Dresden contain nothing concerning it, nor does the General Directory
of the