A passing mention must be moreover made of the two movable festivals celebrated by the Mexicans, in which they scattered broken egg-shells on the roads and streets as a rite of thanksgiving for "the life bestowed upon the chicken in the shell" by the divine power. In the image of this festival contained in the "Life of the Indians," the egg-shells are represented at the foot of a tree bearing seven blossoms; the seated divinity in front of this wears a bird-mask and carries a staff with a heart in his hand. These festivals were named respectively, seven flowers and one flower.
Briefly summarizing the foregoing data, we find it proven that, deeply impressed with the wonderful renewal of life in nature, the ancient Mexicans rendered periodical thanksgiving for this in its various forms. The budding tree, the young shoots of the maize, all seedlings, the broken egg-shells from which the young chickens had emerged, were adopted as emblems of the renewal of life. The child was likewise looked upon as the renewal of the human race and every four years a thanksgiving festival "of renovation" was solemnized in which children took a special part. In my work on the Calendar system I shall show how far this festival "of new birth" coincided with astronomical phenomena. From Landa we learn that in the Maya months "Chen or Yax," on a day designated by the priest, a festival was celebrated named Ocna: "the renovation of the temple in honour of the Chacs, the gods of the maize-fields." This was held each year ... all idols and incense-burners were renewed and if necessary the building was rebuilt or renovated and, "in commemoration of this, an inscription in the native characters was fixed to the walls."
Referring to other chapters of Landa's work we find that, as in Mexico, the Yucatec children received a "child's name" at birth which was changed when, having accomplished the third year, they were "reborn" and received a new name, _i. e._ the combined name of their father and mother. On attaining puberty they obtained an individual name which they preserved during life-time. A knowledge of the social organization of these people enables one to grasp the full importance and significance of these changes of name, which were accompanied by ritual observances and betokened the enrolment of the children into their respective classes and sub-classes and a consequent reorganization of certain departments of the State. It appears that in ancient times the ceremonial of the "new birth," or re-naming of the children, took place every four years, simultaneously with the thanksgiving feast for the "continuation of the human race."