The Maya Chronicles

The Maya Chronicles, by
Various

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Title: The Maya Chronicles Brinton's Library Of Aboriginal American
Literature, Number 1
Author: Various
Editor: Daniel G. Brinton
Release Date: December 28, 2006 [EBook #20205]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Transcriber's Note

A number of typographical errors and inconsistencies have been
maintained in this version of this book. They have been marked with a
[TN-#], which refers to a description in the complete list found at the
end of the text. One error that was corrected is also listed at the end of
the text.
Oe ligatures used in the original text have been expanded. The
following codes are used for characters that are not able to be
represented in the text format used for this version of the book.
[c] small open o [C] capital open o [=h] h with stroke [)o] o with breve
[)u] u with breve [k] tresillo

LIBRARY
OF
ABORIGINAL AMERICAN LITERATURE.
No. 1.
EDITED BY
D. G. BRINTON

BRINTON'S LIBRARY OF ABORIGINAL AMERICAN
LITERATURE. NUMBER 1.

THE MAYA CHRONICLES.

EDITED BY DANIEL G. BRINTON
AMS PRESS NEW YORK

Reprinted from the edition of 1882, Philadelphia First AMS EDITION
published 1969 Manufactured in the United States of America
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 70-83457
AMS PRESS, INC. New York, N.Y. 10003

TO THE MEMORY OF CARL HERMANN BERENDT, M.D.,
WHOSE LONG AND EARNEST DEVOTION TO THE
ETHNOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS OF AMERICA HAS MADE
THIS WORK POSSIBLE, AND WHOSE UNTIMELY DEATH HAS
LOST TO AMERICAN SCHOLARS RESULTS OF FAR GREATER
IMPORTANCE,
THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED.

PREFACE.
The belief that the only solid foundation for the accurate study of
American ethnology and linguistics must be in the productions of the
native mind in their original form has led me to the venturesome
undertaking of which this is the first issue. The object of the proposed
series of publications is to preserve permanently a number of rude
specimens of literature composed by the members of various American
tribes, and exhibiting their habits of thought, modes of expressions,
intellectual range and æsthetic faculties.
Whether the literary and historical value of these monuments is little or
great, they merit the careful attention of all who would weigh and
measure the aboriginal mind, and estimate its capacities correctly.
The neglect of this field of study is largely owing to a deficiency of
material for its pursuit. Genuine specimens of native literature are rare,

and almost or quite inaccessible. They remain in manuscript in the
hands of a few collectors, or, if printed, they are in forms not
convenient to obtain, as in the ponderous transactions of learned
societies, or in privately printed works. My purpose is to gather
together from these sources a dozen volumes of moderate size and
reasonable price, and thus to put the material within the reach of
American and European scholars.
Now that the first volume is ready, I see in it much that can be
improved upon in subsequent issues. I must ask for it an indulgent
criticism, for the novelty of the undertaking and its inherent difficulties
have combined to make it less finished and perfected than it should
have been.
If the series meets with a moderate encouragement, it will be continued
at the rate of two or three volumes of varying size a year, and will, I
think, prove ultimately of considerable service to the students of man in
his simpler conditions of life and thought, especially of American man.

CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
§ 1. The Name Maya, p. 9. § 2. The Maya Linguistic Family, p. 17. § 3.
Origin of the Maya Tribes, p. 20. § 4. Political Condition at the Time of
the Conquest, p. 25. § 5. Grammatical Observations, p. 27. § 6. The
Numeral System, p. 37. § 7. The Calendar, p. 50. § 8. Ancient
Hieroglyphic Books, p. 61. § 9. Modern Maya Manuscripts, p. 67. § 10.
Grammars and Dictionaries, p. 72.
THE CHRONICLES.
INTRODUCTORY p. 81
I. The Series of the Katuns, p. 89. Text, p. 95. Translation, p. 100.
Notes, p. 106.

II. The Series of the Katuns, p. 136. Text, p. 138. Translation, p. 144.
Notes, p. 150.
III. The Record of the Count of the Katuns, p. 152. Text, p. 153.
Translation, p. 158. Notes, p. 163.
IV. The Maya Katuns, p. 165.