290 MA VAN CALENDAR SYSTEMS [eth. ann. 22 



authors with their numeral symbols by addition and subtraction. It 

 may also be added that the evidence presented to show this is fitted 

 to impress us with tlie belief that some, if not all, of the series of the 

 Dresden codex are but I'ecords of the process of calculation. 



There arises in conuection with this examination a question, the 

 projier answer to which may, if determined in accordance with a view 

 that has been expressed, have an important bearing on the history of 

 the Mayan tribes. 



On several of the plates of the Dresden codex there are what appear 

 to be supplemental series connecting with tlie so-called " normal date," 

 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu. However, the discus.sion of this question will come 

 more appropriately under the next section, which relates to the signifi- 

 cation of the series of the insci-iptions. 



SIGNIFICATION OF THE NUMERAL SERIES 



Why were these series formed? What is their signification? These 

 are questions impossible for us to answer satisfactorilj^ with our pres- 

 ent knowledge of the subject. It may be possible, however, to limit 

 the inquiry by certain considerations. 



Our first question is, AVerethey intended, by the initial or terminal 

 days, to refer to actual dates bearing some relation to events in the 

 history of the respective tribes to which they pertain? By the term 

 "initial dates" I allude to the dates from wliieh the series (whether 

 initial or minor) were counted, and by "terminal dates" to those 

 which follow the series in counting forward. The latter are assumed 

 to be later in actual time tluin the former. 



That the initial date may be tlirown back any desired distance in 

 time is admitted, as for example, we may take as our initial date the 

 beginning of the Christian era (A. D.), or the supposed initial date of 

 the world era (A. M.), or any other beginning date whicli, through 

 fancy, tradition, or mythology, has been adopted or arbitrarily chosen 

 bj' different peoples. It is not necessary, therefore, that we should 

 assume that the initial dates of the Mayan codices and inscrixjtions 

 have any reference to historical or even supposed historical events. 

 That such an assumption would be preposterous is shown by the fact 

 that several of these dates reach back in time 33,000 j-ears, and a 

 large proportion of those of the inscriptions nearly 4,000 years, and 

 others to a still moi-e distant time. The initial dates must therefore 

 relate, as will be conceded, to some assumed date, traditional or myth- 

 ological, or arbitrarily chosen, according to tlie fanc}' of the calcu- 

 lator. 



Do the terminal dates refer to events or incidents in the history of 

 the tribes — events which were noted down by the scribes sufficiently 

 near tlie time of occurrence to give the proper or probable dates 

 thereof? 



