MORLET] INTKODUCTION TO STUDY OF MAYA HIEROGLYPHS 109 



But because this is true it does not necessarily follow that 13 cycles 

 made 1 great cycle. Before deciding this point let us examine the 

 two Initial Series mentioned above, as not proceeding from the date 

 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, but from a date 4 Ahau 8 Zotz, exactly 13 cycles in 

 advance of the former date. 



These are in the Temple of the Cross at Paxenque and on the east 

 side of Stela C at Quirigua. In these two cases, if the long numbers 

 expressed in terms of cycles, katuns, tuns, uinals, and Idns are 

 reduced to kins, and counted forward from the date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, 

 the starting point of Maya chronology, in neither case will the 

 recorded terminal day of the Initial Series be reached; hence these 

 two Initial Series could not have had the day 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu as 

 their starting point. It may be noted here that these two Initial 

 Series are the only ones throughout the inscriptions laiown at the 

 present time which are not counted from the date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu.^ 

 However, by counting backward each of these long numbers from 

 their respective terminal days, 8 Ahau 18 Tzec, in the case of the 

 Palenque Initial Series, and 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, in the case of the 

 Quirigua Initial Series, it will be found that both of them proceed 

 from the same starting-point, a date 4 Ahau 8 Zotz, exactly 13 cycles 

 in advance of the starting point of Maya chronology. Or, in other 

 words, the starting point of all Maya Initial Series save two, was 

 exactly 13 cycles later than the starting point of these two. Because 

 of tliis fact and the fact that the cycles were numbered from 1 to 13, 

 inclusive, as shown above, Mr. Bowditch and Mr. Goodman have 

 reached the conclusion that in the inscriptions only 13 cycles were 

 required to make 1 great cycle. 



It remains to present the points against this hypothesis, which 

 seem to indicate that the great cycle in the inscriptions contained 

 the same number of cycles (20) as in the codices: 



1. In the codices where sLx orders (great cycles) are recorded it 

 takes 20 of the 5th order (cycles) to make 1 of the 6th order. This 

 absolute uniformity in a strict vigesimal progression in the codices, 

 so similar in other respects to the inscriptions, gives presumptive 

 support at least to the hypothesis that the 6th order in the inscrip- 

 tions was formed in the same way. 



2. The numerical system in both the codices and inscriptions is 

 identical even to the slight irregularity in the second place, where 

 only 18 instead of 20 units were required to make 1 of the third place. 

 It would seem probable, therefore, that had there been any irregu- 

 larity in the 5th place in the inscriptions (for such the use of 13 in a 

 vigesimal system must be called), it would have been found also in 

 the codices. 



1 It seems probable that the number on the north side of Stela C at Copan was not counted from the 

 date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu. The writer has not been able to satisfy himself, however, that this number is an 

 Initial Series. 



