340 



CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



and religious types, i. e., palaces or monasteries and temples, and 

 many monuments. 



Group A, the first discovered, has 5 sculptured stelse and 10 plain 

 ones; Group B has 4 sculptured 

 stelsc and 14 plain ones; and Group 

 C has 2 sculptured stelae and 4 plain 

 ones, a total of 39, and without 

 doubt further investigation would 

 bring others to light. The main 

 plaza seems to have been at Group 

 B, and here the most important 

 monuments as well as the largest 

 pyramid-temple were found. The 

 most important monmnent is easily 

 Stela 9 at Group B, which was 

 found to record a Cycle 8 Initial 

 Series as follows: 8.14.10.13.15, 

 approximately 50 A. D. (See cut.) 



Stela 9 is the first and only 

 monument yet reported which may 

 safely be referred to Cycle 8 of the 

 Maya chronological era, all others 

 dating from Cycle 9 or 10; and it 

 is therefore the earliest monument 

 known. ^ The carving is extremely 

 archaic in character— note the irregularity of the glyphic outlines — 

 and the relief has suffered greatly from erosion. Fortunatelj'^ the Initial 

 Series is sufficiently preserved to decipher. 



Of the 11 sculptured stelae found, 7 have Initial Series; 1 has a 

 Calendar Roimd date, and 3 are too effaced or broken to be detemiined. 

 It is possible to decipher 4 of the 7 Initial Series to the day, as follows : 



Fig. 3. — Stela 9. Uaxactun, Guatemala. 

 The earliest monument yet reported from the 

 Maya area (approximately 50 A. D.) ; and 

 the only stela known dating from Cycle 8 

 of the Maya chronological era. 



Between the dates of Stelae 9 and 7 nearly five centuries elapsed, the 

 longest recorded occupation of anj^ Old Empire site. 



'The Tuxtla statuette and the Leyden plate arc not included in the above statement. Although 

 l>oth record earlier dates than Stela 9 (8.6.2.4.17 and 8.14.3.1.12 respectively) neither is a monu- 

 ment, and neither, properly speaking, was found in situ. The Tuxtla statuette is a little figurine 

 of nephrite, alx)ut 7 inches high, found near San Andres Tuxtla, Mexico; and the Leyden plate 

 is a plaque of the same material and of about the same length, which was found on the Rio 

 Graciosa near Puerto Barrios, CJuatemala. Neither can be regarded as a large stone monument 

 in the sense used here. 



