418 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [blll. 28 



THE SERIES OF XU:MBERS 



The first noticeable diiTerence betAveen the two sections is the fact 

 that the former beaan with only one series and the present one is 

 constructed upon two series. 



On page 73 we find at the right the three numbers 14.0-tO, 702, and 

 54, written A^ery large, one aboA'e the other. I'he first is tAventy times 

 the second, the second thirteen times the third; thus the whole repre- 

 sents a kind of tonalamatl, each day of which is 54 days long. This 

 may be looked upon as the superscription of the first series. 



At the beginning and the end of this series is the day IX 11, and 

 as the fundamental difference 51. The series begins at the top of 

 page 71 on the right, and extends toward the right as far as the 

 middle of the upper third of page 73. The attendant days are not 

 stated here, but only the numbers of the wee]<: days, Avhich are usually 

 red, but this time are black encircled with red, and which conse- 

 quently have here an unusual significance. Since 54 is equal to 

 4Xl3-|-2, these numbers must always increase by 2. As I said 

 before, we must suppose a IX with the zero; then with 54 we shall 

 read XI, with 108 XIII, with 162 II, and so on i.p to VII with 648. 

 Hereupon folloAvs that 702 on page 73, at the right, and beloAv v:e read 

 the IX belonging to it. This 702 forms the second fundamental 

 difference of the series, although it is not divisible by 260. It is to 

 be found on the second third of page 71 as the fifth number counted 

 from the left, but it is incorrectly written, for two dots are Avanting 

 over the middle numeral, AAhich must be 17 and not 15. The series, 

 accompanied quite regularly by day signs and numbers, uoaa' in- 

 creases by terms of 702, proceeding toAAard the left to page 70; thus, 

 1,404, 2,106, 2,808, and so on. This line ends on the left Avith 4,914; 

 then 5,616 folloAVS in the next line aboA'e on page 71, folloAved by 

 6,318 and 7,020. In this manner a number is reached Avhich is 

 divisible by 54, 20, and 13, therefore also by 2()0. Double this num- 

 ber is the notable 14,040, Avhich should stand here, but is omitted be- 

 cause, as Ave see, it is already on page 73. This 14,040 noAV forms the 

 third difference of the series (after the 54 and 702), the numbers in 

 Avhich must always be accompanied by the day IX 11. Thus aa'c 

 read in continuation 28,080, 42,120, 56,160, 70,200. At this point the 

 series is continued in the uppermost line, which is unfortunately A^ery 

 much injured and the numbers of Avhich Ave can only surmise. If the 

 difference 14,040 remained unchanged, the last number Avould be 

 168,480=12X14,040. Compare the description of this and of the 

 following series in the admirable work of C3"rus Thomas, Aids to the 

 Study of the Maya Codices, Washington, 1888, page 331. 



At the beginning and the end of the second series is the day IV 9, 

 and the fundamental difference is 65; that is, a quarter of 260. This 



