460 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 28 



else with the Mayas, except in the Dresden manuscript, pag-es 51 to 

 58, Avhere we find the often repeated 177^=354-^2. 



We might inchide here the two important numbers 14,040 and 

 18,980, of the first of which 2(10 and 3(50 are factors, as 260 and 365 

 are of the second. Then we see : 



7. It is equal to 147X18,980+14,040. 



8. It is equal to 200 X 14,040— 3,900. 



But it w^ouhl be unsafe to attempt to penetrate deeper mto the 

 sense and purpose of these numbers until new light is shed from 

 without. 



I have still to speak of the up])er right-hand corner of page 31a, the 

 greater part of which is unfortunately destroyed. The fifth and last 

 column is entirely destroyed. It may have contained one more num- 

 ber of the series, Avhose loss is not to be deplored, but above it were, 

 perhaps, one or two glyphs whose loss is sadly felt. 



There are five or six glyphs in the fourth coUunn preceding. Of 

 these only the lower four are to be seen, the first two only indistinctly. 

 I have already said something about them in 1801 in the Berlin Zeit- 

 schrift fiir Ethnologic, volume 23, pages 141 to 155. 



Of these four signs I must leave unnoticed the second from the top, 

 where we see a red 6 pecnliarly introduced. 



The first sign is an Imix with prefix and probablj^ also a sign over 

 it. I adhere to the opinion that this denotes the katun period, 18,980 

 days, or perhaps a multiple of it. 



I have attempted to explain the third sign as 24.><305 days, or the 

 triplicate of the sacred period of eight years, that is, the so-called 

 ahau of 8,760 days, and I still consider it in a measure a probable 

 solution, especially in view of the passage on page 73 at the top. 



Finally, the lowest sign is undoubtedly the one for 7,200 (20X360) 

 days, that T have found provided Avith a prefix in manuscripts and 

 inscriptions, which probably indicates a multiple of this period. 



It is most remarkable, however, that these three signs are found 

 ver}^ near each other in three other passnges of the manuscript. On 

 page 61 the sign for 8,760 occurs in the eleventh, the sign for 18,980 

 in the twelfth, place in the second column, and the sign for 7,200 in 

 the fourteenth place of the first column. On page 70 the sign for 

 18,980 occurs in the fourth, the sign for 8,760 somewhat loAver in the 

 third, column, and Iavo places below this the sign for 7,200. Finallv, 

 the three signs all occur in close succession on page 73 at the top, in 

 the same order as on page 31. 



It is therefore my opinion that a prophecy is the real purpose of 

 this passage, as of all similar ones. For, of course, no one believes 

 that these are mere exercises in arithmetic or directions for them. 



