Codex Peresianus

The design of these Mayan hieroglyphics is clear despite the deteriorated condition of the original manuscript
The written culture of the Maya comes to life through these symbolic characters and pictograms
They are rooted in the Mayans' magical religious worldview with strong astronomical and ritual connections

Codex Peresianus

Mexicain 386 Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Paris, France)

Description

Codex Peresianus

The Codex Peresianus is among the most important surviving documents of ancient Mayan culture. Although the condition of the original manuscript has deteriorated greatly, the design of its hieroglyphics are so precise that they are deemed invaluable in spite of their damaged state. This manuscript provides valuable insight into the written culture and worldview of the Maya, and ranks among the most important pre-Spanish sources from Central America.

Codex Persianus

From the three preserved Mayan manuscripts, the Codex Peresianus (the name being derived from a note on a piece of paper that has since been lost), is of the poorest quality. Around the borders the lime overlay is peeled off, so that a detailed analysis is only possible of the picture and figures remaining in the center of the page. However, despite its poor condition of preservation, this codex ranks among the most important pre-Spanish sources from Central America due to the extremely precise design of the hieroglyphics and fascinating content found within. On the 22 pages (11 leaves) of the remaining fragments, the characteristic written culture of the Maya comes to life through the combination of symbol characters and symbol pictograms which are rooted in the magical religious world view of the Mayans and contain strong astronomical and ritual connections. Due to the poor degree of preservation, the original manuscript in Paris is inaccessible to view with the exception of only 2 pages and therefore the cost of expenditure in the making of the facsimile is more than worthwhile and has made the entire work accessible for all to view as well as study.

Codicology

Type: Manuscript on parchment
Size / Format: 22 pages / 25.0 × 12.5 cm
Origin: Peru
Epochs: Pre-Colonial
Style: Pre-Columbian
Genre: Mythology / Prophecies
Astronomy / Astrology

Available facsimile editions:

Detail Picture

Codex Peresianus

Kʼatun

One side of the codex has a series of pages with the patron deities and associated rituals for a cycle of 13 kʼatuns, 20-year cycles of the Maya calendar. They all follow the same general arrangement: a standing figure on the left and a seated figure on the right, which is associated with a glyph indicating that they represent the ruling deity of each kʼatun. Each page also contains an ajaw day glyph, on which a ruler's kʼatun-ending rituals would fall.

Single Page

Codex Peresianus

Symbols from the Mayan Zodiac

The last pages of the codex are a zodiacal almanac consisting of five rows of 364 days each, which are then divided into 13 units consisting of 23 days each. Constellations are represented by zoomorphic iconography, such as the scorpion and peccary, a pig-like animal indigenous to Central America, which hang upside down from the ecliptic band.

Thorough examination has led scholars to conclude that the end of the zodiac cycle illustrated within the manuscript reflects the fatalist mindset of the Mayans and the possibility that the decline of the Classic Maya civilization and the abandonment of Maya cities in the southern Maya lowlands of Mesoamerica during the 8th and 9th centuries was the result of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Facsimile Editions

#1 Codex Peresianus

Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 1968

Publisher: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 1968

Binding: Folding book in half leather case with commentary

Commentary: 1 volume by Ferdinand Anders
Language: German

1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.

Price Category: € (under 1,000€)

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