208 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll. 57 



Supplementary Series, here shown with the coefficient 9. Compare 

 the day sign in A4a with the sign for Kan in figure 16,/, and the month 

 sign in A7a with the sign for Yax m figure 19, q, r. We have then 

 recorded in Al-A4^, and A7a the Initial-series date 9.0.19.2.4 2 Kan 

 2 Yax. At first sight it would appear that this early date indicates 

 the time at or near which this lintel was inscribed, but a closer exami- 

 nation reveals a different condition. FolloAving along through the 

 glyphs of this text, there is reached in C3-C4 still another number in 

 which the normal forms of the katun, tun, and uinal signs clearly 

 appear in connection with bar and dot coefficients. The question at 

 once arises, Has the number recorded here anything to do with the 

 Initial Series, which precedes it at the beginning of this text? 



Let us first examine this number before attempting to answer the 

 above question. It is apparent at the outset that it cUffers from the 

 Initial-series numbers previously encountered in several respects: 



1. There is no introducmg glyph, a fact wliich at once eliminates 

 the possibility that it might be an Initial Series. 



2. There is no kin period glyph, the uinal sign in C3 having two 

 coefficients instead of one. 



3. The order of the period glyphs is reversed, the highest period, 

 here the katun, closing the series instead of commencing it as here- 

 tofore. 



It has been explained (see p. 129) that in Secondary Series the 

 order of the period glyphs is almost invariably the reverse of that 

 shown by the period glyphs in Initial Series; and further, that the 

 former are usually presented as ascending series, that is, with the 

 lowest imits first, and the latter invariably as descending series, mth 

 the highest units first. It has been explained also (see p. 128) that 

 m Secondary Series the kin period glyph is usually omitted, the kin 

 coefficient being attached to the left of the uinal sign. Since both 

 of these points (see 2 and 3, above) are characteristic of the number 

 in C3-C4, it is probable that a Secondary Series is recorded here, and 

 that it expresses 5 kins, 16 uinals, 1 tim, and 15 katuns. Reversing 

 this, and \vriting it according to the notation followed by most Maya 

 students (see p. 138, footnote 1), we have as the number recorded by 

 C3-C4, 15.1.16.5. 



Reducing tliis number to units of the first order by means of Table 

 XIII, we have: 



C4 =15X7,200 = 108,000 



D3= IX 360= 360 



C3 = 16 X 20 = 320 



C3 = 5 X 1 = 5 



108, 6S5 



1 Since the introducing gl>T)h always accompanies an Initial Series, it Uas here been included as a part 

 of it, though, as has been explained elsewhere, its function is unknown. 



