THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 129 
260 years). In the ancient long count the katuns also 
ended with these days in the same order, but a month 
name and position were also given while the katun was 
designated by its coefficient. Thus 9-15-0-0-0 is ordin- 
arily called Cycle 9, Katun 15. It ended with the day 
4 Ahau 13 Yax. In the newer and less far-reaching sys- 
tem of the Books of Chilan Balam, this katun would be 
called simply Katun 4 Ahau. 
Correlation with Christian Chronology. The 
record of the Books of Chilan Balam extends back to 
about 160 A. D. and while the early entries are not nu- 
merous and the historical character is somewhat clouded 
with mythology, we are given, nevertheless, material 
upon which to base a correlation with European chrono- 
logy. A single monument bearing an Initial Series date 
exists at Chichen Itza, and if historical it must have 
been carved during the early occupation of this city. 
According to the chronicles, Chichen Itza was abandoned 
soon after 600 A. D. and was not re-established till about 
960 A. D. There is only place in the later katun se- 
quence of the chronicles where the recorded katun of the 
earlier system of the inscriptions can fall. For the In- 
itial Series gives Cycle 10, Katun 2 and we know this 
ended with a day 3 Ahau and must therefore be placed in 
a Katun 3 Ahau. Now only one Katun 3 Ahau passed 
during the first occupation of Chichen Itza. When this 
correlation is made the count of the chronicles is shown 
to begin with 9-0-0-0-0, a very significant ‘‘round num 
ber’’ date that marks the beginning of Mayan greatness. 
The correlation of the Mayan katwn count of the Books 
of Chilan Balam with the European calendar is not as 
definite as might be wished but the possibility of error 
seems to be not greater than four or five years. Future 
research will probably make it exact. 
