756 MAYAN CALENDAR SYSTEMS [ETH. ANN.19 
STELA N 
Of the inscriptions on Stela N, Maudslay gives both photographs and 
drawings, the former somewhat indistinct, but the latter very clear. 
The initial series on the east side as given by Mr Goodman is as fol- 
lows: 54-9-16-10-18-20—1 Ahau 8 Zip, or as we write it, fifty-fourth 
great cycle, 9 cyeles, 16 katuns, 10 ahaus, 0 chuens, 0 days to 1 Ahau 
8 Zip. This is correct, if the month symbol, which is inverted and 
stands at some distance from the day glyph, has been correctly inter- 
preted, sa the prefixed numerals are of the ordinary form and dis- 
‘tinct. Mr Goodman says ‘*the month symbol is wrong; it should be 
3 Zip.” This is true if we accept his theory that the count is to be 
from 4 Ahau 8 Cumbhu, the assumed initial date of his fifty-fourth 
great cycle. 
As an important question arises in regard to the series on the west 
side of this Stela, we quote the following from Mr Goodman in regard 
to it: 
At the top of the second column occurs the sign that indicates a reckoning back- 
ward. It is followed by seven glyphs, which I think give in another form the sub- 
stance of the subsequent reckoning, which is the longest that occurs in any of the 
inscriptions, embracing a period of 75,264 years. It is given as 14-17-19-10-18X20 
from the initial date to 1 Ahau 8 Chen, the beginning of a katun, etc. The reckoning 
is not only wrong, but is absurd as well. The cycles run only to 13, and no such 
reckoning backward or forward from the initial date would reach a 1 Ahau 8 Chen. 
But fortunately, despite all the blundering, we can see what the intention was. 1 
Ahau 8 Chen begins the 17th katun of the 8th cycle, and thence to the initial date 
is just 19 katuns and 10 ahaus. The fact that these are the numbers of katuns 
and ahaus expressed in the reckoning would lead us to suspect that it was to go 
backward even if the directive sign had not already so informed us, for that would 
do away with the odd katuns and ahaus and leave the reckoning in even katun rounds. 
If it were to have gone forward, the odd numbers would have been 3 great cycles, 7 
cycles, 9 katuns, and 10 ahaus. A little figuring will show the difference. . . . 
It will be borne in mind that 3 great cycles, 8 cycles, and 9 katuns are the equivalent 
of a katun round—that is, the time that must pass between two occurrences of any 
given date as the beginning of a katun. ; 
In thinking of the odd 19 katuns and 10 ahaus, they blundered in respect to the 
total period. I think it should be 14-8-15-10-1820. If so, the reckoning goes 
back to the 40th great cycle; if it went forward, it would extend to the 69th. It is 
not material which way it be decided. The important fact is that in either case 
they ranged over a period of more than 75,000 years, which substantially proves my 
estimate of the immense reach of their chronological calendar. There are a few 

glyphs following the reckoning and date in the same column, but they do not assist 
us, nor can anything beyond the dates and a few disconnected characters be made 
out of the rows of glyphs around the base. 
The numbers of the long series mentioned are given correctly except 
as to the 18 and 20, which should be 0. The reading as it stands in the 
inscription is as follows: 0 days, 0 chuens, 10 ahaus, 19 katuns, 17 cycles, 
14 great cycles, to 1 Ahau 8 Chen. This series, as it clearly stands in 
the inscription, seems, as has been noted on another page, positive 
evidence against Mr Goodman’s theory that 13 cycles make 1 great 
