POST CONQUEST MAYAN LITERATURE - Famsi

The followng material is a comparison of those phrases from "u uu3 katunoob I" and "u uuo
katunoob II" which are the same or which express similar ideas. These common phrases seem to be
tlie core of the of the katrin prophecies, intimating that there may well have been some basic formula
upon which katun prophecies were built. This basic formula may well have been witten down in
hieroglyphs. There seems to be an example of a basic formula for the 11 Ahau Katun on page 60 of
the Dresden Codex although on initial inspection there are few directly relatable ideas expressed in the
known glyphs which are also to be found in either of the Colonial katun prophecies dealing with 11
Ahau Katun. The Paris Codex also has a series of katun prophec~es, but again there seeins to be little
presently known material relatable to the Colonial niaterial on the katun prophecies presented in this
book. Perhaps as the hieroglyphs become better known more relationships will be found.
Aside from the phrases which are the same or similar, the phrase about the aspect of the katun
("(deity's name) u uich or "(deity's name) u uich ti yahaulil") is also given if present In either of the
katun prophecies. This phrase is such a common feature in katun prophecies that the lack of this
phrase would seem to indicate an oversight on the part of the scribe transcribing the passage
A phrase which is al~vays given in each katun prophecy is the place where the katun is established
("(place name) u heo katun"). It is mteresting to note that the place names given for four of the katuns
(from 9 Ahau Katun through 3 Ahau Katun) In "u uuo katunoob I" differ from those given in "n uuo
katunoob II". "U uuo katunoob II" gives "Ichcaanziho" (Merida) in all instances. Perhaps these place
names changed depending on political situations, power structures, etc., and "u uuo katunoob II"
reflected the realities of Spanish Colonial rule which was seated in Menda. In the edited version the
place names given in 'h uuo katunoob I" are used since it is felt that these place names reflect the
pre-Columbian political situation
On page 95 of the Codex Perez and on pages 80-81 of the Chumayel there is a list of towns at
which "the stone was created for each katun ("te chabi u tunil (place name)", presumably meaning
that the image of the katun was carved and set up at this tom). It is not clear whether there is any
relationship behveen the place at which this practice took place and the place where tlie katun was
founded.
INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPARISON OF
"U UU3 KATUNOOB 1" AND "U UU3 KATUNOOB IT"
The following table glves the list of town glven In "u uuo katunoob I" along s~de the lrsts from Codex
Perez and tlie Cliumayel The relat~onsliip between tlie Codex Perez and tlie Cliumayel 1s obv~ous. but
there seems to be no connection between these two hsts and the l~st from "LI U U katunoob ~ 1''
u U U katumb ~ I Perez l I, p. 95 Churnayel pp. 80-81 (G327-343)
11 a.k, lchcaanziho u hea katun ti ul spanolesob ma chabi
tunlli
kin mlox peten cttabi u tunile
9 a.k. Uucil Yabnal u heo katun ma cllab u tunili ma chabi u tunil lae
7 a.k. Mayapan u heo katun ma cllab u tunili ma ehabi u tunil lae
5 0.k. Zooil u hen katun ma eheb u tunili
3 0.k. Zuyua u heo katun ma ehab u tunill
1 a.k. Emai u heo katun te ckabi u tunil Ytzmale
12 a.k. Zaclactun u hea ketun te chabi u tunil Zizele te chabi. otz me1 utuni le
10 a.k. Lahun Chable u hea katun te chabi u tunil Kulche te mbi. GI wl u tunile
8 a.k. Lahun Chable, ltzmal u he:, te cttabi u tunil Hunacma te ehabi ken caba utunile
katun
6 a.k. Uucii Ysbnel, Uxmal u hsa te cttabi u tuntl Chacalnae te ehebi hunnacthlutunile
katun
4a.k. Uucil Yabnel, Chi Cheen ltza te chabl u tunil tilx Kulchee te ehabl at1 kuhe utunilae
u he3 katun
2 a.k. Zaciyapan, Zaclactun, etc. te chabi u tunil Eueane te ehabi chacalna u tunile
u he3 katun
13 a.k. Kinchil Caba, Cabal lxbach te chabi u tunil Calop petene te ehabi euan utunile.
Can, etc u he3 katun