THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION 151 
pottery art of the arid highlands, discussed in the 
previous chapter, was still being made when Mayan art 
began its remarkable rise. The transitional types are 
doubtless to be assigned to the first three centuries of 
the Christian Era. 
MippLe PERIOD 
358 A.D. to 455 A.D.—9-10-0-0-0 to 9-15-0-0-0. 
Some of the most beautiful works of art belong to the 
middle period. While archaism did not actually dis- 
appear till the end of this period there is a_ certain 
purity of style and straightforwardness of presentation 
about many of these early sculptures. Flamboyancy 
is not apparent. At Copan the Great Mound was begun 
during this period and this enormous undertaking doubt- 
less absorbed so much energy that few stelze were set 
up. The best series of monuments from the middle 
period are seen at Naranjo and Piedras Negras. 
GREAT PERIOD 
455 A.D to 600 A.D. 
A short brilliant period followed in which many cities 
flourished. In addition to the cities already mentioned 
there were Quirigua, Ixkun, Seibal, Holmul, Nakum, 
Cancuen, Yaxchilan, Palenque, etc. The art passes 
through some interesting changes, becoming more com- 
plex in certain features and less complex in others. The 
architecture makes great advances. Rooms become 
wider, walls thinner, and forms more refined and pleasing. 
The calculations in the inscriptions deal more and more 
with complicated astronomical subjects and _ historical 
Initial Series dates become less and less common and 
