The herald., 1895-05-12

the dynasty OF the Kans line Of
kings thus called.
The word signifies serpent. but has also
other meanings, Indicating power, t, he
able, " acknowledge, - power to do.
The English contains a long list of Maya
words. The snake was their EN- bem; 50
today the serpent or dragon is the central
figure on the banners of those eastern po-
tentates who bear the same title of Kan,
though now spet Kahn.
Woman seems to have been on an equal
footing with man. We find the female
face, portrait reproduced in painting and
in stone, holding as prominent place
as those OF the sterner sex. We made,
while there, the only fac smile existing
OF their fresco pa ntings. Women are de-
picted side by side with men al religious
ceremonies and even taking an active
part in battle and council. We find
superb buildings erected by order of a wo-
man in authority, to the memory of her
husband. According to the Maya trans
laton Of the names inscribed between the
pairs of the famous sphinXes in Egypt. it
would seem that she caused that monu-
ment to he carved i'll memory of her hus-
band, the Prince Cob (eopard). In the
Traon MSS. Maya we find that same wo-
man at war with the assassin OF her bus
band. She finally had to flee for her life
from the lower barbarans. and we believe
her to have been the one who gave rise to
the myth of Isis in Egypt. In the
Egyptian papyrus great woman is called
Mau Moo this having been the name of
This Maya woman. She was one of the
kans. symbols that were in use
among the Mayas were found in India, in
Egypt and many other places.
The mystery OF Americas ancient his
tory is here ID. lie Plongeon's achieve
ment in discovering the key to the Maya
hieroglyphics has now opened to students
opportunities for further and deeper in
vestigation. There is gap in time and
no bridge to span it. The record is de-
stroyed. We know nothing of what
woman did or was in Yucatan until 1900,
and it is probable that the same state of
affairs had existed for Il few centuries
previous to that.
The moral. polite people, the clean
homes, the health ana happiness found
by the Spaniards p-ove the presence and
power OF wise motl.ers and true wives.
The Spanish chroniclers from whom We
learn much that is good and not one
thing bad OF the Maya woman, shows
that they We're enlightened and not en-
slaved human beings. Moreover certain
customs would indicate that at an earlier
date their Importance in that country had
been great The line of descent was on
the side of the female. the mothers name
being the one always retained. The sys-
tenn was peculiar Suppose that man
named Can married woman whose sur
name was Chi. The surname OF their
offspring would be Canchi until they
married, when they would drop their
fathers name Can and retain the mater
nal name Chi. The contracting party,
bride or groom, do likewise; their off
spring would bear the com bined surnames
OF the two maternal grandmothers. drop
ping the one on the fathers side when
they in turn should be married. Since
the introduction of Spanish methods
this system is no longer in practice.
Much that we moderns were in clned to
| call idolatry was simpy veneration OF
ancestors, great men and wise women,
heroes and sages. All nations of an
tiquity deifed heroes and heroines who
enlightened the people with knowledge
or deed.
The Mayas worsniped one invisile god
ku and made no image to represent
that power. but they venerated the sun
and fire as manifestations of his power
for life. and his omnipotence.
Wild tribes among them, the Nahaults
invaded and conquered some portions of
| the land in the early centuries OF the
Christian era and introduced barbarous
rites and blood sacrifices. together with
, meaner objects of worship.
AS the Greeks had their MUSES., so had
the Mayas even at the time of the Span
ish conquest. The goddess of painting
(probably of literature also, as their writ
ings were painted in various colors) was
cal led Ix-cne- bel YAK. She was also god
dcss of weaving figures into cloth" (tap-
| estryO One Interpretation OF her name