ect system of rotation of periods, regulating office, labor,
etc., was instituted. It is not possible for me to enlarge here upon the
features and merits of the system which I do not hesitate to term one of
the most admirable and perfect achievements of the human intellect. My
present purpose is to lay stress upon the fact that, in Mexico, the major
calendar-signs were borne as titles by the rulers of the four quarters who
presided in rotation over a year--the name of this and of their title being
always in correspondence.

Nezahualcoyotl, the lord of Tezcoco, is recorded as possessing the title
Ome Tochtli=2 Rabbit, and would obviously have presided over the calendar
periods of that name. This inference is undoubtedly corroborated by Nunez
de la Vega's following statement, quoted by Boturini:(44)

"Instead of the Mexican signs Acatl, Tecpatl, Calli and Tochtli, the
Tzendals, inhabiting Chiapas, employed in their Calendar the names of four
of their chieftains: Votan, Lambat, Been and Chinax.... They also figured
a man named Coslahuntax, as seated in a chair...." Boturini remarks that
this person should more correctly be named Imos or Max and was "the head
of the 20 lords who were the symbols of the 20 days of the Calendar. Being
the principal and initial sign, Coslahuntax represented in himself the
period of thirteen days." As Dr. Brinton rightly notes(45) the name of the
personage should be Oxlaghun tax, literally signifying "the thirteen
divisions or parts."

We thus see that, whilst the names of the chiefs of the four quarters
constituted the four major calendar-signs, one supreme lord embodied the
attributes or "powers" of the 13 divisions of warriors and principal
division. Thus the 13 divisions seem to have been regarded as 12 plus an
all-embracing 1.

Nunez de la Vega continues: "In the representations of their calendar they
painted seven black persons, corresponding to the seven days of their
reckoning." Boturini adds: these seven black men were no other than the
principal priest-rulers of this nation.... "They held in great veneration
the 'lord of the black men,' who was entitled Yal-ahua." Boturini comments
on this utterance and explains that the latter was no other than the
high-priest.

I point out the evident identity of Yal-ahua to the Mexican
Yoal-tecuhtli=the lord of the Night, one of the titles given to Polaris
and to his earthly representative, the high priest of the Earth and
nocturnal cult. As a