EXPLANATION OF PLATES 26, 27, AND 28 



The pottery cylinder shown in plates 26, 27, and 28 is lOJ inches high by 4 inches 

 in diameter and is \\ithout a bottom. It is most exquisitely decorated in light and 

 dark red and dark yellow on a light yellow background, and is also divided into three 

 decorative zones. The uppermost zone contains only a single row of hieroglyphs, 

 very much defaced, among which may still be recognized several of the Maya day 

 signs. The middle zone, by far the broadest, is covered by a most intricate design, 

 containing human and mythological figures and hieroglyiDhs, with ornamental plumes, 

 plats, and pendants; the whole, owing to the partial obliteration of the design, being 

 extremely difiicult to make out. On one side is seen a highly conventional representa- 

 tion of what is undoubtedly intended for the feathered serpent, -nith tail bent around 

 to join the upper part of the head. The feathered serpent appears to permeate all 

 Maya art in this section of the Maya area; whether painted on pottery or stiicco, or 

 incised on bone, pottery, or other material, one encounters him at every step. The 

 serpent rests upon a row of glyphs, very much defaced, and below this is a mass of 

 bows, knots, plumes, and glyphs. Farther along is a fierce-faced human figure, 

 probably a warrior, with lofty and elaborate headdress, ornamented with many long 

 feather plumes. Between the warrior and the serpent is a row of eight cartouches, 

 superimposed one upon the other, each containing glyphs, a good deal defaced, among 

 which the "Ahau" sign may still be clearly made out. The opening gl>'ph in this 

 panel may refer to the katun 8 Ahau. This katun can end in 8 Ahau only once in 

 260 years, or twice in the ninth cycle, namely, on 9.0.0.0.0.8 Ahau, 3 Ceh, and on 

 9.13.0.0.0.8 Ahau, 8 Uo; and it is reasonable to suppose that if this is a calendar record 

 it refers to some date in the ninth cycle. Naranjo, the nearest ancient Maya city to 

 Yalloch, was occupied for a period of approximately 12 katuns, or 240 years,' between 

 9.7.10.0.0 and 9.19.10.0.0; if this glyph, therefore, refers to a katun ending in 8 Ahau 

 in the ninth cycle, the date 9.13.0.0.0 is certainly indicated. 



1 Morley, Au Introduction to the Study of tae Maya llieroglyphs, p. 15. 



