Manik Meaning: The Deer Day Sign of the Maya Calendar

Manik' is the seventh of the twenty day signs of the Maya 260-day calendar. It is associated with the deer, the animal of the corresponding Aztec sign, Mazatl, and with hunting.

The sign and the hand

The Manik' glyph usually shows a hand, often in a grasping gesture, rather than a deer. Scholars still discuss what the hand represents; the deer association comes from the parallel sign in the Aztec calendar and from later Maya usage.

The deer

Deer were among the most important animals hunted by the Maya, and they appear frequently in Maya art and ceramics. Among K'iche' Maya daykeepers today, the seventh day is called Kej, "deer".

Manik' and Tohil

Some modern sources equate Manik' with Tohil, a god of the K'iche' Maya known from the Popol Vuh. That equation is not supported by the historical sources for the day sign and is best left aside.

Manik' in jewellery

A Manik' design references the deer, the Maya calendar and a birth date in the 260-day count.

Take a look at the AURYN design, or read our guide to the twenty Maya day signs.