THOMAS] NUMERAL SYMBOLS 709 
supposed discoveries. He follows, as stated above, the order in read- 
ing the inscriptions first explained by me, and accepts the interpreta- 
tion of the ordinary time symbols which has been universally adopted, 
with the single exception of that found in the Dresden codex, which 
has generally been explained as the symbol for ‘‘ naught,” or nothing. 
This will be again referred to hereafter. 
Previous to the appearance of Mr Goodman’s work, the following 
discoveries in regard to the numeral and time systems as given in the 
codices, in addition to what has been already presented herein, had 
been made and explained: That this symbol ED) was used, in count- 
ing time, to represent the number 20; that this character @qp>, some- 
what variable in form, and usually colored red, was used to indicate 
“naught” or nothing; and that a certain prefix to month symbols, 
usually in the form of a double circle, thus é. was used to denote 20, 
signifying, when thus used, the 20th day of the month. It was fur- 
ther ascertained, as may be seen by reference to papers by Dr Foérste- 
mann and myself explanatory of time series in the Dresden codex, 
that the orders of units in counting long periods, the day being the 
primary or lowest unit, was as follows: 20, 18, 20, 20, 20; that is to 
say, 20 units of the first order make one of the second order, 18 units 
of the second order make one of the third order, 20 units of the third 
order make one of the fourth order, 20 units of the fourth order make 
one of the fifth order, and 20 units of the fifth order make one of the 
sixth order. These different units, save those of the first order, were 
not expressed by specific symbols, but by position, that is, by being 
placed one above another, as is here shown, the lowest indicating the 
first, the next above the second order, and so on. 
9 units of the fifth order, s¢ss, 9 cycles. 
9 units of the fourth order, 388, 9 katuns. 
9 units of the third order, £88, 9 ahaus. 
se 
16 units of the second order, =, 16 chuens. 
0 units of the first order, @D, 0 days. 
For the purpose of explanation and comparison I have placed to the 
left of the symbols their equivalents in Arabie numerals, and in the 
column to the right the equivalents according to Mr Goodman’s 
nomenclature, which will be explained a little further on. 
This example is not an arbitrary one, but is taken from plate xxrv 
of the Dresden Codex, and has been selected because it was explained 
by Dr Forstemann, so far as the numbers and count are concerned, in 
1887 (Zur Entzifferung der Mayahandschriften, 4, 1887). According 
19 rH, PT 2 10 

