236 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



The tablet has some very pecuHar number markings at the top, 

 set, one part to one side, and on the lower part, to the left as you 

 look at it, of the upper line, and one part to the other side and on 

 the upper part, to the right as you look at it, of a lower line. 

 Commencing in the center, and counting as we proceed toward the 

 left, the spaces are i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, or ten spaces, 

 while the projections between the spaces are i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 

 and 9, or nine projections. On the other side, counting as we pro- 

 ceed from the center to the right on the lower line, we have i, 2, 

 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, or ten spaces to the turn of the row of 

 spaces and projections downward on the side, then there are two 

 more spaces down the side, or 11 and 12, thus making a separa- 

 tion of the 12 spaces into 10 spaces and 2 spaces. By a like 

 counting the protuberances are i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, or nine 

 protuberances, distinctly to the turn at the corner down the side, 

 then two more, or 10 and 11, making eleven protuberances separa- 

 ted into 9 and 2. The description of spaces and protuberances is 

 conventional, for they may be taken either way, with the same 

 numerical results. By this, we have tiuo sin?is, which added give 

 18, and multiplied give 81 : also 9 and 12 which added give 21, 

 the reverse of 12, and multiplied give 108 : also, 9 and 11, which 

 added give 20: also 94-10=19, and 11-1-12=23. ^ he sum of 

 these is 42, and their difference 6, and so on. 



This tablet is of Waverly sand stone 3^^ inches wide, 4-| inches 

 long and | inch thick. The reverse is unmarked save by 5 deep 

 and 3 shallow grooves. It will at once be seen that the number 

 forms which the markings are capable of forming, are singularly a 

 repetition of the type measures, so much used in Mound Builder 

 construction in the Ohio Valleys. Around the edge of the tablet, 

 making of it an embracing cartouche, is to be found a long curi- 

 ously wrought and armed arrow, or dart ; and because of resem- 

 blance the writer is tempted to call attention to the Mexican ideo- 

 graph or symbol of Itz-co-atl, or "Obsidian Serpent, " pictured in 

 Mr. Rau's Contribution in volume 22, of the Smithsonian Contri- 

 butions, on page 51, as also to the explanatory text. 



THE GEST TABLET. 



(See Figure xii. ; 

 This tablet is so remarkable as a work of advanced art that it 

 can be ranked with those of Palenque and Copan. Examined 

 carefully with those and it presents a likeness of artistic culture, a 



