204 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bdi.l. 57 



that it is 8 Cumliii. Compare A6 \\dth figure 19, g' , h'. If we have 

 made no mistake in calcuhi,tions, then it is evident that 1.3.0.0.0.0 

 counted forward fi'om the starting point of Maya chronology, 4 Ahau 

 8 Cumhu, ^\^ll not reach the terminal date recorded. Further, since 

 the count in Initial Series has never been known to be backward/ 

 we are forced to accept one of two conclusions: Either the starting 

 point is not 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, or there is some error in the original text. 



However, there is one way by 

 means of which we can ascer- 

 tain the date from wliich the 

 number 13.0.0.0.0 is counted. 

 The terminal date reached by 

 the coimt is recorded very 

 clearly as 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu. 

 Now, if we reverse our op- 

 eration and count the given 

 number, 13.0.0.0.0, hackward 

 from the known terminal date, 

 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, we reach the 

 starting point from which the 

 count proceeds. 



Deducting from this num- 

 ber, as before, all the Calen- 

 dar Rounds possible, 98 (see 

 p. 203, footnote 3), and ap- 

 pl}dng rules 1, 2, and 3 (pp. 

 139, 140, 141, respectively) 

 to the remainder, remember- 

 mg that in each operation the 

 direction of the comit is hack- 

 ward, not forward, the starting 

 point will be found to be 4 

 Ahau 8 Zotz. This is the first 

 Initial Series yet encountered 

 wliich has not proceeded from 

 the date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, and 

 until the new starting point here indicated can be substantiated it 

 will be well to accept the correctness of this text only with a reser- 

 vation. The most we can say at present is that if the number re- 

 corded in A3-A5, 13.0.0.0.0, be coimted forward from 4 Ahau 8 Zotz 

 as a starting point, the terminal date reached by calcidation will 

 agree with the terminal date as recorded in B5-A6, 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu. 



' Counting 13.0.0.0.0 backward from the starting point of Maya chronology, 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, gives the 

 date 4 Ahau 8 Zotz, which is no nearer the terminal date recorded in B5-A6 than the date 4 Ahau 3 Kan- 

 kin reached by counting forward. 



Fig. 77. Initial Series which proceed from a date prior 

 to 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, the starting point of Maya chro- 

 nology: A, Stela C (east side) at Quirigua; B, Tem- 

 ple of the Cross at Palenque. 



