Representation of Deities of the Maya Manuscripts | Page 9

the moon; the second
probably represents simply a head, while the third and fourth are those
of god D, the moon-god. This passage, the meaning of which is
unfortunately still obscure seems to contain a definite explanation of
god D.
J. Walter Fewkes has made god D the subject of a special, very detailed
monograph (The God "D" in the Codex Cortesianus, Washington, 1895)
in which he has treated also of gods B and G, whom he considers allied
to D. He believes D to be the god Itzamná, as do also Förstemann,
Cyrus Thomas and Seler, and sees sun-gods in all three of these deities.
Whether god D is to be separated from G and B as an independent deity,
Fewkes thinks is doubtful. Brinton again holds that god D is Kukulcan.
These different opinions show, at all events, on what uncertain grounds
such attempts at interpretation stand, and that it is best to be satisfied
with designating the deities by letters and collecting material for their
purely descriptive designation.
According to Förstemann the calendar day devoted to D is Ahau.

E. The Maize-God.
[Illustration: Figs. 21-27]
This god bears on his head the Kan-sign and above it the ear of maize
with leaves (Fig. 23); compare Dr. 9b (left figure), 11b, 12a, etc. The
hieroglyph is definitely determined (Fig. 21). The god is identical with
the figures recurring with especial frequency in the Madrid manuscript,
the heads of which are prolonged upward and curved backward in a
peculiar manner; compare Cort. 15a, 20c, 40 (bottom), Tro. 32*b (Figs.
25-27) and especially the representation in Dr. 50a (Fig. 24), which is
very distinct. This head was evolved out of the conventional drawing of
the ear of maize; compare the pictures of the maize plant in the Codex
Tro., p. 29b (Fig. 22) with the head ornament of the god in Dr. 9b (Fig.
23), 9a, 12a; what was originally a head ornament finally passed into
the form of the head itself, so that the latter appears now as an ear of
maize surrounded by leaves. Compare the pictures, Figs. 25-27. That
these gods with elongated heads are, in point of fact, identical with E is
plainly seen from the passage in Dr. 2 (45)c (first figure). There the
figure represented, which is exactly like the pictures in the Madrid
manuscript, is designated explicitly as god E by the third hieroglyph in
the accompanying writing.
The hieroglyph of this deity is thus explained; it is the head of the god
merged into the conventionalized form of the ear of maize surrounded
by leaves. When we remember that the Maya nations practised the
custom of artificially deforming the skull, as is seen in particular on the
reliefs at Palenque, we may also regard the heads of these deities as
representations of such artificially flattened skulls.
God E occurs frequently as the god of husbandry, especially in the
Madrid manuscript, which devotes much attention to agriculture. He
seems to be a counterpart of the Mexican maize-god Centeotl. The
passages in the Madrid manuscript (Tro. 29a and Cort. 39a, 40a) are
very remarkable, where the deity E is represented in the position of a
woman in labor with numerals on the abdomen; perhaps the underlying
idea is that of fruitfulness.

In the Codex Cort., p. 40, this grain-deity is pictured with a tall and
slender vessel before him, which he holds in his hands. It is possible
that this is meant to suggest a grain receptacle; to be sure, in the same
place, other figures of gods likewise have such vessels in their hands.
At any rate, it is interesting to note that in the passage already
mentioned (Dr. 50a) god E also holds a similar tall and slender vessel
in his hands.
According to all appearances the scene pictured in Dr. 50a has
reference to the conflict of the grain-god with a death-deity. The latter,
the figure sitting on the right, is characterized by a skull as a head
ornament (see Fig. 6) and seems to address threats or commands to god
E, who stands before him in the attitude of a terrified and cowed
individual.
Furthermore god E has nothing to do with the powers of the
underworld; he is a god of life, of prosperity and fruitfulness; symbols
of death are never found in connection with him. Brinton calls this god
Ghanan, equivalent to Kan; it is possible, too, that he is identical with a
deity Yum Kaax who has been handed down to us and whose name
means "Lord of the harvest fields".
According to Förstemann the day dedicated to this god is Kan.
F. The God of War and of Human Sacrifices.
[Illustration: Figs. 28-34]
This is a deity closely related to the death-god A, resembling the Aztec
Xipe, and