Introduction

For many scholars this is the most enthralling sequence of bahroglyphs that has yet been discovered. It is the first series of paintings that forms a tightly-connected narrative, with a clear beginning and end. And it is the first series of paintings for which we later received solid confirmation of some early interpretations through journals written by Yeesha herself (Myst V: End of Ages). Yet much work remains to be done in analyzing this sequence, and many major details of the story are still obscure.

This sequence of 17 panels, designated BC1 through BC17 in the BSG taxonomy, was discovered in the lower of a pair of conjoined caves by explorers following Yeesha's "path of the shell". This cave is reached by means of a Bahro linking stone found in Kadish's office on Ahnonay, but the panels are invisible except when lit by special pellets produced on Er'cana and dropped into the central pool through an opening in the upper cave. Thus, poor lighting compounds the usual difficulties encountered when examining bahroglyphs; difficulties caused by crude materials, primitive drawing technique, and the rough rock used as a canvas. Fortunately, the scholarly community includes experts in photographic manipulation (especially Zardoz and Hogarth) who have been able to enhance these images and bring out some detail that would otherwise be lost.

The sequence tells the story of Yeesha's early adventures after parting from her parents. The panels are presented in a clockwise direction around the circumference of the cave, beginning with Yeesha's departure. Note that all of the glyphs and symbols found in the cave beneath the Cleft are found somewhere in this sequence. Their presence in the Cleft seems intended to emphasize their key role in unlocking the meaning of this sequence, as well as the meaning of panels found in other venues.

BC1-BC4: Life in the Cleft

BC1: Yeesha leaves home. There is little difficulty in making a complete interpretation of this panel. The staff-bearing figure on the right has Yeesha's name in mandala^* form overhead. Yeesha's name is readable in D'ni script, and we have seen this mandala in many locations, beginning with the wall at the bottom of the ladder leading down from the Journey Door in the Cleft. The figure with the staff is also found beneath the Cleft, and the combination of symbol and glyph identify Yeesha beyond doubt. The two figures holding hands on the left represent Yeesha's parents to a high degree of certainty, as confirmed by similar representations of Atrus and Catherine in the bahroglyph sequence found inside the caldera of the Volcano (VC1-VC11).

The mandala above Atrus and Catherine does not yet have a confirmed reading. Most D'ni linguists believe it is the word "home" written in "D'ninglish" (an English word written in D'ni script).

BC2: Yeesha arrives at the Cleft. Again a complete interpretation presents little difficulty. The Yeesha glyph and mandala appear next to a volcano glyph, also seen in the Cleft (glyph CL5), and above a depression in which rooms and rope bridges can be seen. The panel contains numerous depictions of desert wildlife, including a roadrunner (desert bird) in the lower left, a number of lizards (probably geckos), and an antelope (possibly pronghorn).

Note that elements of BC1 and BC2 can also be seen in panel VC7 in the caldera of the Volcano, which is also reproduced on the cover of the seventh journal of Yeesha in Myst V: End of Ages. That journal is concerned with Yeesha's departure from Tomahna and desire to spend time at the Cleft.

BC3: Yeesha meets with the local Amerinds^**. Ti'chelle Treelawnee has done extensive analysis of this panel, relating the component glyphs to the symbology of the Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo (Dineh) tribes that resided in that area of New Mexico. For example, the bear glyph above the head of the figure on the left is probably his name symbol. A detailed analysis of these symbols is beyond the scope of this presentation.

It is not clear to me whether the fish is being given to Yeesha or by Yeesha, or what she might have had to trade to these people. However, it looks like there are feathers and a paint pot next to Yeesha, and she may have used her artistic skills to create tradable artifacts, much as Anna did when living in the Cleft. (See the Book of Atrus.)

Of especial note are the three short, parallel lines at each of the cardinal points of the panel. The symbolism of these is obscure to me, but similar elements can be seen in other glyphs, such as BC5. It is possible they are somehow related to the three strokes of the "crying eye" or "mourning eye" glyph that will appear in some of the panels in this series.

BC5: Yeesha studying/practicing the Art? Two different enhancements of this panel are shown to help bring out some of the varied detail of this complex image. This is the first panel in the sequence to present serious difficulty to the interpreter, and almost seems out of order in the sequence.

In the center of the panel, Yeesha is writing in a book. It is uncertain, however, as to whether she is Writing an Age, or simply recording her experiences. However, the linked star pattern beneath her is also seen on the floor of the Nexus Age and in various places in the D'ni Cavern, and may be yet another symbol of the Art.

Yeesha is surrounded by the glyphs of 12 books with inscribed symbols, which we will see again in later panels. The books are surrounded by D'ni numerals that do not appear to be numbers of significance, and there are three lines of D'ni script below Yeesha. Many of the letters are difficult or impossible to read, but the lines do not seem to form words.

Within the circular frame are a number of remarkable elements drawn in white, best seen in the second enhancement of this panel.

• At top of the frame is the Crying Eye glyph, next to the glyph of a Bahro that appears to have a Crying Eye on its chest. These elements are reminiscent of the Bahro Gathering scene behind the bamboo grove in Eder Kemo (EK6), and are included in many other bahroglyphs. These two elements are flanked by symbols that remind one of symbols seen in Noloben.


• Between the Crying Eye and Yeesha is a representation of the D'ni Cavern, which contains the three central figures from EK7, the mysterious scene to the right of the Journey Door in Eder Kemo. There appears to be a book symbol (possibly the symbol of the Maintainers) above the head of the center figure, which also exists in the Kemo version when it is examined from the proper distance.


• On left side of frame is a register that contains elements of EK4, the Gahreesen panel in the Kemo Fountain Sequence. On the right side of the frame there appear to be some animal glyphs reminiscent of elements of EK16 in the Kemo Puffer-Garden Sequence.

With a couple of exceptions, the elements outside the frame are all related to other scenes found throughout Eder Kemo, including EK1, EK2, EK5, EK8, EK9, and EK12.

• The first exception are the figures in the lower left register containing the Ahnonay spheres from EK12. The large figure with the circle on his chest is almost identical to the figure to the right of the center figure of EK7, but with the addition of a glow around the head and a number of "follower" figures. These figures are placed closely enough to the Ahnonay glyph that they are almost certainly part of the same register.


• The second exception is on the center right side of the glyph, depicting a figure in a glowing arch or doorway above a book with a symbol connecting the left and right pages. Some believe that this is another representation of Yeesha, as the figure is more similar to the usual Yeesha glyph than it is to other glyphs representing humans, but I am far from convinced of this interpretation.

The most difficult aspect of interpreting this panel is in understanding why the bahroglyphs of Eder Kemo are represented here, if the panel is in its proper place in the sequence. By Yeesha's own words in her End of Ages journals, she did not learn about the Bahro until much later in her journey, as we will see. Does this scene simply foreshadow the knowledge she is soon to gain of D'ni history and the practice of the Art?

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^* Mandala: a decorative form of D'ni writing, usually presented in a circular frame, that joins the letters of a name or word through overlapping and shared strokes. The mandala may be set within a decorative border. (Yeesha's mandala is sometimes set within a border decorated by books, the spiral hand, and the desert bird.) To the best of my knowledge, the term "mandala" was first applied to this form of writing by BladeLakem in the DLF forums in June 2004.

^** Amerind: a contraction of "American Indian". I much prefer this term to the "Native American" designation, which I detest.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4