42 A STUDY OF THE MANUSCRIPT TKOANO. 



Our next step is to determine the respective numbers of the Ahaues as 

 located in the grand cycle. 



We start as a matter of course with the understanding that the num- 

 bers were as heretofore stated — 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 — and 

 that they always followed eacli other in the order here given ; that is to say, 

 1 always followed 3, 12 always followed 1, and so on. 



On folios 71, 72, and 73 of the Dresden Codex we find the following 



?ro T-a'9r\;:a;i2F);ir/rcr^ riX~) ^8'"'"®^ placed in one con- 



}f^~^]//^^~~^^&0]]^^ um^Wi^n tiniious line (Fig. 7); (a suf- 



(l^l^^ZAVwl^^lC "Z^J^i-^—JJ ficient number for illustra- 



FiG. 7, tion only are given): 



Commencing with the left-hand figure and reading to the right, the 

 numbers given in them are 11, 13, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10,^12, 1, 3, 5, 7; in the lower 

 right-hand corner of page 73 we find the missing 9. The fact that the order 

 is here reversed, if read from left to right, is no evidence that this is the 

 order in which the Ahaues (if these figures refer to these periods) followed 

 each other, as it is possible they should be read from right to left. But 

 the fact that Ave here find thirteen peculiar figures, with the knot de- 

 noting the tying of years or period of years, with numbers following each 

 other in the order, whether direct or reversed, of those used in numbering 

 the Ahaues, is sufficient to justify us in believing that they refer to these 

 periods. The only reason I see for any .doubt as to the correctness of this 

 conclusion is that on pages 62 and 63 we find similar figures containing 

 numeral characters for 16, 15, 17, and 19, numbers that cannot refer to the 

 Ahaues. Possibly they»may be used to designate the years of the Ahaues, 

 but be this as it may, a close inspection of the knots will show that they 

 are diff'erent from those on pages 71, 72, and 73. 



Knowing the order in which they follow each other, it is evident that 

 if we can determine the number of any one in the series it is a very simple 

 matter to number all the rest. 



As the possibility of our being able to compare dates of the Maya 

 system with those of the Christian era depends on the correct determination 

 of this point, I will give not ordy my own conclusion, illustrating it by 

 means of a table (XVII), but will also show the result of following out 



