THOMAS] EXPLAXATIOX OF SERIES ON PLATES 43 AND 1. 277 



That the order of the series may be clearly seeu the iiumbei's are 

 given here as they stand in the line, omitting the days: XIII: 9, IX; 

 11. VII; 20, I; 10, XI; 15, XIII; 9, IX; 11. VII; -^O. I; 10, XI; 15. XIII; 

 9, IX; 11, VII; 20. I; 10. XI: 15. XIII: 9. IX: 11. VII; 20. I; lo. XI; 

 15, XIII. 



By adding together a black numeral and the preceding red one 

 and casting out thirteen (or thirteens, as the case may be), when the 

 sum exceeds this number, we obtain the following red one, thus: 

 XIIH-9-i:3=IX;IX+ll-i;}=VII;VII+20-i:5-13=I;H-10=XI, 

 and so on through the entire series. Attention is also called to the 

 fact that the sum of the black (Arabic) numbers 9, 11, 20, 10, 15. 9, 

 11, 20, 10. 15, 9, 11, 20, 10, 15, !(. 11. 20. lo, 15, is 200, a multiple 

 of 13. 



If this relation of days and numerals holds good as a general thing 

 throughout the codex, it is apparent that where the break is not too 

 extensive it will enable the student to restore the missing and de- 

 fective numerals and day symbols, to detect the errors of both copy- 

 ists and original artists, and to determine the proper relation of the 

 plates to one another. By it he learns, as before stated, that the sym- 

 bol (see page 273) denotes 20, and if phonetic probably stands for the 

 Maya word Kal. 



Comparing Plates 42 and 43 with Plates 1 and 2, the resemblance 

 is found to be so strong as to lead to the belief that they belong to- 

 gether. It is apparent from the figures, numerals, and characters' 

 in the middle division (b) of Plates 1 and 2 that they belong together, 

 as they now stand in Kingsborough's work and Forstemann's copy; 

 that Plates 42 and 43 are properly placed in regard to each other is 

 also apparent from the figures and numerals in divisions a and h. 



Taking for graiiti'd that the lines are to be read from left to right 

 and the jilad's to fdUow each other in the same order, our next step 

 is to ascertain on which side of the pair (Plates 42 and 43) Plates 1 

 and 2 should be placed. 



The series of days and of ninubers in Plate 436 and Plate \b. which 

 evidently belong together, can only be brought into proper relation by 

 placing the latter to the right of the former. Yet, strange as it may 

 appear, the days and niimerals in this division are to be read from right 

 to left, while all the other numeral series of these four plates are to 

 be read as usual, from left to right. This change in the order of the 

 pages also brings together the similar figures in the upper division of 

 these plates. That Plate 42 properly follows Plate 41 is apparent from 



' Tliroughout this paper when the words "figure" and "character" are used in 

 reference to what appears in the codex, they are to be understood as follows: " fig- 

 ure" refers to the picture, as of a person, animal, or other object in the spaces; 

 " character" refers to the hieroglyphics or written symbols. 



