84 THE ABCHAIC MAYA INSCRIPTIONS. 



indicate the 51th «;reat cycle, and I think that all of them announce that fact, but each 

 in a different way. The center of the katun superfix in the first is composed of a sign 

 for 18 and a face. If it were plainly the face for 3 we should be left in no doubt ; 

 but, in consequence of the defacement of the stone, it is impossible to determine if a 



band the characteristic of the 3 head — extends across the forehead or not. In the 



second glyph the ik symbol — a sign for 6 — appears in an inclosure that probably 

 represents 9, but, as the coil is not clearly discernible, we are again left in uncertainty. 

 The third glyph has the meaningless face, which elsewhere serves as a mere vehicle 

 for numerals, bearing a sign for 9, surmounted by three objects evidently intended for 

 spheres whose value is doubled by the dotted lines in them — rendering it probable 

 that the combination was designed to express: 9x6 = 54. I make no claim to 

 absolute certainty in any of these cases ; but, however uncertain the renderings may be 

 separately, they collectively derive a high degree of probability from a single significant 

 fact. The unmistakable numeral sign in each glyph is a divisor of 54. That these 

 o-lyphs — the only ones with recognizable numerals — should contain signs for three out 

 of the six numbers by which 54 is divisible, is a circumstance too singular to be 

 attributed to accident when a more reasonable explanation is to be found in the 

 theory that these three particular figures were chosen with the definite purpose of 

 arriving at that number. 



SIGNS FOR THE GRAND ERA. 



I shall attempt no analysis of the dragon-bird symbol, which I believe to represent 

 the grand era, as I have never found time to devote to the unravelment of its 

 intricacies. There is one thing about it, however, that is apparent without much 

 study. It is not built up from signs for minor periods, like the other symbols of the 

 chronological calendar, but seems to be composed of a great number of miscellaneous 

 numeral characters that are recognizable combined with a still greater number whose 

 value is yet unknown. I think that this departure in its construction from the plan 

 pursued in symbolizing the katun and great cycle is due to the fact that the grand era 

 is not a period belonging to the chronological calendar alone, but to the annual 

 calendar as well — in short, representing and crowning every style of time reckoning — 

 and that the unusual and complex character of its symbols was intended to express 

 this fact. The reason that induces me to ascribe to this symbol the significance I do, 

 ie that everywhere it occurs it always overtops the other time symbols, of whatever 

 character, as if all forms of reckoning tended towards and finally culminated in it. 



