710 CENTRAL AMERICAN HIEROGLYPHIC WRITING. 



and pence — the highest number given in the pence place is 11, as 12 

 would be 1 shilling; and 19 the highest number to be given in the 

 shilling place, as 20 would be £1. These series, or units of the various 

 orders, can be reduced to the lowest denomination — which is days — in 

 file same way that pounds, shillings, and pence are reduced to pence. 

 Some of the numeral series in the Dresden codex amount when 

 reduced to over 12,000,000 days. 



As an example of their use of large numbers, one numeral series 

 from plate lxix of the Dresden codex is presented here, the num- 

 bers indicated by the numeral characters being placed at the left in 

 parentheses and the equivalents in days at the right. The names 

 placed at the extreme left (great cj^cle, cycle, etc.) are those adopted 

 by Mr, Goodman for the respective orders: 



Days, 

 (great cycles) (4) . . . . equal 11,520,000 



\ (cycles) (5) equal 720,000 



% (katuns) (19) .... equal 136,800 



( ahaus ) (13) _^^^_j_ equal 4, 680 



(chueus) (12) . . equal 240 



(days) (8) ... equal 8 



Total 12,381,728 



That is to sa}", i great C3'cles (or 1 units of the sixth order or posi- 

 tion) equal 11,520,00(1 days; 5 cycles (or 5 units of the fifth order) 

 equal 720,000 days; 19 katuns (or 19 units of the fourth order) equal 

 136,000 days; 13 ahaus (or units of the third order) equal 4,680 days, 

 and so on. 



The total amount expressed by this series is over 12,000,000 days. 

 This is a large number to be handled by a pre-Columbian native, yet 

 it can be demonstrated by actual count that the Maya scribe used this 

 number correctly in a calculation. 



Writers of the present day have adopted the simple method of 

 expressing these numeral series thus (using the a))ove example), posi- 

 tion indicating the orders of units 4-5-19-13-12-8, ascending toward 

 the left just as we may express £i, 12 shillings, and 6 pence, thus — 

 4-12-6. 



A knowledge of the Maya numeral system and method of counting 

 and expressing numbers, as given above, is absolutely necessary in the 

 attempt to decipher the glyphs. It is also necessary to give here a 

 brief notice of the Maya calendar, as a knowledge thereof is another 

 requisite in deciphering. The process with the Maya glyphs, so far 

 as it has been carried, is wholly different from the method pursued in 

 deciphering P^gyptian hierogl3'phs and the cuneiform inscriptions of 

 Assyria. There the phonetic value of the characters being ascertained, 

 the combinations to form words can be followed and tested b}^ the 



