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- Folks,
-
- This following job description was found in one of the Books of Chilam
- Balam [1] written sometime after AD 1593 by the priests of the Classic
- and Postclassic Maya civilization. Obviously, the Maya priest corps had
- ambitious expectations for new hires, so that only truly outstanding
- candidates need apply. I offer this as an example to be used in
- recruiting Internet engineering staff and in formulating the
- requirements for policy-based routing. The ennumeration has been added
- for possible future reference.
-
- 1. To impersonate and invoke the deity
-
- 2. To offer food and drink to the idols
-
- 3. To effect the drawing of the pebbles and regulate the calendar
-
- 4. To read weather and other omens in the clouds
-
- 5. To study the night sky and interpret the appearance of the
- celestial bodies
-
- 6. To determine the lucky and unlucky days for various mundane
- activities by the casting of lots
-
- 7. To perform the numerous rituals of the cup, plate, etc.
-
- 8. To work miracles
-
- 9. To concoct medicinal herbs into ceremonial drinks
-
- 10. To predict the future
-
- 11. To announce the times for various agricultural and other activities
-
- 12. To insure adequate rainfall
-
- 13. To avert or bring to a timely end famine, drought, epidemics,
- plagues of ants and locusts, earthquakes
-
- 14. To distribute food to the hungry in time of need
-
- 15. To cut the honey from the hives
-
- 16. Tp determine the compensation to be placed on the crossroad altars
-
- 17. To read from the sacred scriptures the future road of the katun
- [calendar round]
-
- 18. To design and supervise the carving of stelae [stone monuments],
- the manufacture of word and clay idols, and the construction of
- temples
-
- 19. To construct tables of eclipses and heliacal risings of planets
- [such as are found in the Dresden Codex]
-
- Reference
-
- 1. Makemson, M.W. The Book of the Jaguar Priest, a translation of the
- Book of Chilam Balam of Tizimin, with commentary. Henry Schuman,
- New York, 1951, p. 141.
-
- Dave sends
-