232 MAYAN CALENDAR SYSTEMS [eth. ann. 22 



justified; but a siugle variation is possible (that of the 3rd date) 

 which woukl involve greater changes than those which have been 

 made. That tlie number at the left of the chueu symbol sometimes 

 denotes chiiens and the one over the top sometimes denotes days is 

 mentioned by Maudslay, j'et it is very unusual and is iirobably due to 

 carelessness. There is evidence of carelessness in this inscription in 

 the writing of 18 and 19 chuens, and in giving 12 ahaus in the initial 

 series instead of 13, as it evidently should be. 



The next inscription referred to is that on the east side of Stela E, the 

 drawing of which is shown in Maudslay's plate xxxil, part 12 (our plate 

 LXXVIII). The initial series is 54-0-17-0-0-0, 13 Ahau 18 Cumhu. 

 Goodman does not mention this inscription. It ends precisely where 

 the preceding insci-iiition ended. Although there are distinct dates 

 scattered through it, and what appear to be partial series, I am unable 

 to determine the latter from the unusual sj^nbols of which they are 

 formed, if they are present. The inscription appears to end, so far 

 as dates are concerned, with 13 Ahau 18 Cumhu, the same as the 

 terminal date of the initial series, which does not occur again in 

 Goodman's tables until the beginning of the flth ahau 4th katun 12th 

 cycle is reached. This gives a lapse of 2-7-9-0-0 fi-om the terminal 

 date of the initial series. As nothing further in regard to the series 

 can be learned from this inscription, we turn to that on Stela A, 

 Maudslay's plate Vil, part 11. 



The initial series on Stela A is, as has been shown, 54-9-17-5-0-0, 

 G Ahau 13 Kayab. Immediately following the month symbol of the 

 date (glyph 16) is the symbol for G Ahau. This, I believe, is to show 

 that the preceding date is the beginning of the Gtli ahau, and so it is 

 if we count tlie ahaus 1, 2, 3, etc., from the commencement of the 

 katun, in.stead of 20, 1, 2, 3, etc., as Goodman counts them. It is my 

 belief that the numbers expressed in the series denote, at least as a 

 general rule, completed periods and not incomplete ones. Take, for 

 example, the numbers in the initial series in this inscription, omitting 

 the great cj'cle — 9-17-5-0-0, that is, 9 cycles, 17 katuns, 5 ahaus, 

 chuens, days. This may be read just as I have given it here, or 

 as follows: The 5th ahau of the 17th katun of the 9tli cycle. If it 

 should be read as I have given it, it shows that Goodman's method of 

 counting — beginning that of the cycles with 13 following with 1, 2, 3, 

 etc., that of the katuns and ahaus with 20, and following with 1, 2, 

 3, etc. — is eiToneous. If we read 9 cj^cles, 17 katuns, and 5 ahaus, 

 the meaning is that 9 full cycles, plus 17 katuns, plus 5 ahaus must 

 be counted to make the sum of the days between the preceding and 

 following date, and this is in fact the method Goodman uses, and 

 wliich must be used in making the calculation. On the other hand, 

 according to his system, the series 9-17-5-0-0 would indicate that the 

 date sought is the 1st day of the 5th ahau of the 17th katun of the 



