Penn in Hand: Selected Manuscripts

Annals of the Cakchiquels

Manuscrito cakchiquel ó sea memorial de Tecpan-Atitlan (Solola) [manuscript] : historia del antiguo reino del cakchiquel, dicho de Guatemala / escrita en lengua cakchiquel por don Francisco Ernantez Arana Xahila y continuado por don Francisco Diaz Gebuta Queh.

[Sololá, Guatemala? between 1619 and 1650?]

50 leaves : paper ; 310-314 x 210 (260-275 x 180) mm. bound to 320 x 240 mm.

Early seventeenth-century transcription in Cakchikel of a collection of documents concerning the Cakchikel Indians of Guatemala, who historically had established their capital in Iximché (Tecpán), and later, during colonial times, were living in Sololá. The manuscript is a fragment, ending abruptly. Most of the documents were composed by various members of the Xahila family, especially Francisco Ernantez Arana Xahila and Francisco Diaz Gebuta Queha. The title page, in Spanish, was evidently provided by abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg sometime after his taking the manuscript into his possession in or around 1855. The early portion of the manuscript (p. 1-17) is a record of village and family incidents, including births, baptisms, and marriages, as well as accounts of disputes and the collection of contributions; the dates cited in those pages range from 1586 (p. 9) to 1619 (p. 15). The remainder of the manuscript (18-96) mainly chronicles the history of the Cakchikel Indians, from their legendary beginnings at Tulan until the early 17th century, with some aspects concerning relations with the Tzutuhil and Quiché Indians. A significant juncture in the chronicle, visually highlighted in the text, is marked by an internal revolt of a lineage group which took place at Iximché in the late 15th century (p. 48), and subsequent events are dated according to the length of time after this revolt. The arrival of the Spanish in 1524 is reported (p. 56). The writer of the final pages (p. 92-96) identifies himself as Don Pedro Elías Martin, whose account begins in 1584 (p. 92), when he became governor, and extends until 1596 (p. 96).

Ms. codex.

Title from title page (p. i).

Pagination: Paper, ii + 2 (newer paper) + 48 + iii; [i-iv], 1-96; modern pagination in pencil, lower center, as well as modern foliation in pencil, lower right recto; all leaves of the manuscript are mounted on guards.

Layout: Written in approximately 33 to 38 long lines, with use of section markers and headings.

Script: Written in a non-cursive hand in indigo ink (Brinton), with marginal notes in Spanish in a different hand; title page is probably in the hand of abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg.

Decoration: Various pictographic symbols drawn in ink (p. 48, 49).

Binding: 19th-century half leather; upper cover detached.

Origin: Probably transcribed in Sololá, Guatemala, between 1619 (p. 15) and 1650 (Brinton).

UPenn Ms. Coll. 700, Item 221

Berendt-Brinton Linguistic Collection. Item 221

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Coll. 700