FuitsTEMANN.] INSCRIPTION ON THE CROSS OF PALENQUE 549 



point of Maya chronology, denotes the present day or at least a day 

 that is near the present. 



(2) The broader inscriptions, the framework of which consists of 

 calendar dates, between which large numbers are interspersed that 

 state the interval between each two dates. Between these dates and 

 intervals there are some other glyphs, for the most part still wholly 

 unexplained. The Cross inscription belongs to this second class. 



Leaving aside the center of this tablet as not pertinent to my pres- 

 ent task, I will now give here the six columns of glyphs on each side, 

 containing seventeen glyphs each, to be seen on the left and I'ight 

 of the central sacrificial scene (plate xliii). 



Thus we see here 201 glyphs. There would be 17X12=204 were 

 not the first four places above on the left occupied by a single char- 

 acter, the superscription, such as is customary in inscriptions of both 

 kinds (with some variants). In this case this superscription con- 

 sists of three parts, aside from the ornaments added at the top and 

 bottom. The character for the year of 360 days occupies the chief 

 place; on the right and left of it are added the fins, by which the year 

 is increased twentyfold, that is, to 7,200 days; above it we see a char- 

 acter never yet discussed, to which we must ascribe the meaning of 

 20X7,200=144,000 days, as will be shown farther on. 



This superscription, compounded of the three largest time periods 

 in use, accordingly means something like *' chronologic guide '' or 

 " historic table ". 



The larger part of the two columns A and B under this superscrip- 

 tion seems like an introduction or a guide to the remainder. It 

 sets forth certain glyphs of special importance, necessary for the com- 

 prehension of the rest. Signs B 4 and B 5 are important to U'-' 

 as having been interpreted be3^ond question, for I ma}^ now assume 

 that their meaning, 7,200 and 360 days, is fully recognized. Then 

 follows, almost of necessity, B 3=144,000 da^^s, as the sign of a simi- 

 lar form in the superscription has led us to conjecture, and as we see 

 it repeated in C 5, F 6, U 2,. and V 12. 



I am equally certain that I see in B 6 the sign for 20 days, although 

 it has no resemblance to the corresponding signs in the manuscripts. 

 This is confirmed by no fewer than sixteen succeeding passages in this 

 inscription. The character employed here appears to bo a day sign, 

 Chuen, and such it has already been considered b}' others. As this 

 day lies in the middle of a 20-day period beginning Avith Imix, it may, 

 perhaps, denote the whole period. 



Now, the four characters B 3 to B 6 are each connected with a 

 picture, A 3 to A 6. These can hardly be pictures of anything but 

 gods, who preside over such periods, although up to this point we 

 have known nothing of these deities. In fact, in F 10 instead of the 



