242 Cincinnati Society of Natural Histoiy. 



possessed a developed system of numeration. It counted l)y units 

 and scores: in other words it was a r7\,7\s7;/r)'/ system." The cardinal 

 numbers commenced with one and closed with twenty. From 

 twenty upward the scores are used, as " one to the score equals 21,"" 

 and so on. Now as to their calendar. Their year was divided into 

 18 months of 20 days each, or 360 days, to which, to make 365, 

 five days called "days without names"' were added. " But the 

 calendar was not as simple as this. The days were not counted 

 fnmi I to 20, and then beginning at i again, and so on, but by 

 periods of 13 days each," the 14th day beginning a new week. "28 

 of these weeks make 364 days, thus having i day to complete the 

 tropical solar year. When the number of these odd days amounted 

 to 13, in other words when 13 years had elapsed, this formed a per- 

 iod which was called 'a katiin of days'. It will be readily observed 

 by an inspection of the following table, that 4 of these indictions, in 

 other words, 52 years, will elapse before a 'year bearer' of the 

 same name and numljer recommences a year. A cycle of 52 years 

 was thus obtained in a manner almost identical with that of the 

 Aztecs, Torascos, and other nations. " "20 days were a month, 

 and 20 years was a cycle katiui.* This katun was divided into 5 

 lesser divisions of 4 years each. They also had a katnn of 24 

 years. They had a great cycle of 13X20=260 years, called an 

 Allan Katun, or 13x24=312 years. The Maya Chronicles make 

 from the earliest time to the coming of the Spaniards 71 kaluns. 

 which equal either 1420 or 1704 years, according to the katun 

 used of 20 or 24 years.'' It seems quite evident that the great cycle 

 of 312 years was composed of 6 cycles of 52 years each. 



The i)eculiar make up of tnese calend.ir data brings out in re- 

 lief a series of numbers, which are so connected with the Mound 

 Builder system of measures, and the tablets spoken of. that it mav 

 at least be suggested of them that they point to a common system 

 of use. 13X28=364 is the catamenial year, and 28 days would, 

 because of being a catamenial period, be a holy week of 4 periods 

 of 7 days each : the number 7 being " //rVr " because it was the 

 base of so many periods of generative time, as, 28, 126, 210 and 

 280 days.* It is thought this conclusion is justified by the showing 

 of the phallic system every where among all nations of antiquity. 

 'VVe have 6 + 7=13 and 64-7 + 7+8=28, on the Gest tablet. 28 

 is 4 times 7, and 52X7^=364, showing a co-ordinating mode of 



*>IoTE. It seems remarloble, that this word Katun for a small cvcle is the same with 

 the Hebrew kaion or little. It is evident that, because the phases of the moon run so co- 

 ordinately with the g:enerative periods, it was supposed to be the intelligent cause, and 

 was therefore worshiped. 



