ARCHAEOLOGY. 269 



sacrificial rite. A double row of hieroglyphs around the periphery completes 

 the carving on this unique piece of Maya sculpture. 



Several new inscriptions were located in the National Museum of Archae- 

 ology and History at Mexico City; a small stela from Ocosingo, or more 

 correctly from the archaeological site of Toning, near by, and two stelae and a 

 small round altar of unknown provenance, probably from the Usumacintla 

 Valley. 



The Tonina stela is short, like all the monuments at this site. Although 

 it is not more than 4 feet high, it is a perfect example of a Maya stela; the 

 front is sculptured with a typical Maya figure, priest, ruler, or deity, holding 

 in his arms the Ceremonial Bar. The back is inscribed with a double column 

 of hieroglyphs surmounted by an Initial Series introducing-glyph. The 

 inscription is badly effaced, though the katum coefficient is almost certainly 

 below II and the tun coefficient is surely 0. The best reading of the Initial 

 Series would appear to be 9.7.0.5.9, though this is far from satisfactory. 



The other two stelae mentioned above, as of unknown provenance, are, on 

 stylistic grounds, probably to be assigned to the Usumacintla Valley. One 

 of them has a human figure in profile upon its front and an Initial Series on 

 its back. This reads quite clearly 9.12.0.0.0. The other, also sculptured 

 with a human figure in side presentation on its front, has the day 9 Ahau 

 carved in a conspicuous position before this figure. On the assumption that 

 this day fell on a katun-ending, there are two possible readings in Baktun 9: 

 9.6.0.0.0 9 Ahau 3 Uayeb and 9.19.0.0.0 9 Ahau 18 Mol; neither is particularly 

 satisfactory, the former being as much too early as the latter is too late. 



The small, round altar at the National Museum of Archaeology and History 

 is a beautiful example of Maya sculpture from the Great Period of the Old 

 Empire. It portrays a small, seated figure facing to the left and holding 

 in its hand a platter containing an object which may be the sun-sign. This 

 is surrounded by a circle of 15 hieroglyphs, of which the ninth (commencing 

 at the top and reading clockwise) is the day 13 Ahau; the fifteenth is the day 

 9 Ahau. These two days are just 1 tun apart, if read in this order, and if it 

 be assumed that the day 9 Ahau also corresponded with a katun-ending as 

 well, the Initial Series, 9.19.0.0.0 9 Ahau 18 Mol could be assigned to this 

 piece, not an improbable reading on styhstic grounds. 



Before leaving Mexico City, Dr. Morley also examined the important 

 Stone of Chiapa,^ through the courtesy of its owner, Senor Don EmiHo 

 Rabasa. This piece is only about one-third of the original monument, which 

 must have been between 6 and 7 feet high. The front is sculptured with 

 the head and shoulders of a human figure facing to the left, with an elaborate 

 head-dress; opposite the head are the remains of a single column of six or 

 seven beautifully carved, but very small, hieroglyphs, each 1.5 inches square. 

 The significant point is that the first glyph which remains has a coefficient 

 of 9 surely, and the next one of 16, 17, 18, or 19,^ and the next two possibly 

 of each. Could this be the Initial Series 9.19.0.0.0 with the Initial Series 

 introducing-glyph effaced? The style of this monument indicates that it 



' Drawings of both sides of this stela were published by D. G. Brinton in his " Primer of Maya 

 Hieroglyphs," Series in Philology, Literature, and Archaeology, vol. Ill, No. 2 of the publica- 

 tions of the University of Pennsylvania, figure 82. 



* The drawing of the front of this monument published by Brinton, see ibid, figure 82, incor- 

 rectly shows this coefficient as 12. The original, however, has clearly 3 bars in addition to at 

 least one dot. 



