[This article is part of the Learner's Maya Glyph Guide.]
CMGG entry for syllabogram xi

Variant: skull

                                      

MC  = K&H                 JM                            TOK.p22.r1.c3                MHD (Moot)

                                                                                                               Fenton Vase E3

                                                                                                               ya:xi

 

·    Distinguishing characteristics:

o A kidney-shaped eye, tips pointing left, with a dotted protector around most of it (except the left side) = inverted-C.

o A bone-jaw.

·    If the XIM logogram exists (Davletshin, Valencia 2018, see XIM), then this could be the origin of xi, under the acrophonic principle.

·    Do not confuse xi with the visually similar CHAM and JOL. The distinctive feature of xi is the dotted arc (“inverted-C”) around the eye.

·    Do not confuse xi with one example of MAAX, which is intended to be a monkey head even though it has some skull-like qualities (BMM9.p17.r17.c1, written MAX as BMM9 writes all vowels short).