22 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
a journey of curiosity, and I had no intention whatever of making a study of Amer- 
ican archeology. However, the interest awakened by the sight of the truly won- 
derful monuments which it was my good fortune to behold induced me to undertake 
other and better-equipped expeditions, and the kindly encouragement and splendid 
liberality of the editors of the ‘Biologia Centrali-Americana’ led to the results of 
my journeys being published in the present form.”? 
In these few modest words Maudslay describes the greatest archzo- 
logical investigation ever accomplished in the Maya field and the most 
important publication by which the science has been enriched. 
Again, as in the case of Stephens and Catherwood, a rare combina- 
tion made possible the successful prosecution and completion of a second 
great work in this field. Through the generosity of F. Ducane Godman and 
Osbert Salvin, the editors of the Biologia Centrali-Americana, Maudslay 
was enabled to publish his drawings, maps, plans, elevations, and photo- 
graphs in a manner commensurate with their worth and the importance 
of the subject. ‘Thus was inaugurated a memorable undertaking which 
covered a period of 20 years (1882-1902) and which took Maudslay to 
Central America no less than seven times.” During this period he visited 
practically all the largest Maya cities then known and secured material for 
extensive reports upon several of them. It is indeed no exaggeration to say 
that the appearance of these elaborate publications made possible the inten- 
sive study of the hieroglyphic inscriptions for the first time. His method of 
treatment was ambitious, nothing less than a double presentation of practi- 
cally every monument figured, both by photograph and by drawing. In the 
latter field he was peculiarly fortunate in having secured the services of 
Miss Annie Hunter,® who for 18 years devoted herself to this task with tell- 
ing results. Her delineations of the glyphs are extremely accurate, and with 
but few exceptions (noted hereinafter where found) they may be trusted, so 
far as glyphic details are concerned, with the same degree of confidence as the 
originals themselves. ‘Their chief fault is that in many cases they are over- 
drawn, made more beautiful than the originals really are. This is particu- 
larly true of her drawings of texts from the Early and Middle Periods, when 
Maya delineation had not yet reached the perfection which it attained in the 
Great Period. Miss Hunter’s drawings are standardized to the best period 
of Maya art, and consequently those of the earlier texts have been somewhat 
overestheticized. So far as the subject-matter of the glyphs is concerned— 
that is, where the dates are perfectly clear—this makes little difference, but 
when it is necessary to depend upon the stylistic criteria for accurate dating, 
the style of the carving must be portrayed as well. With this single reserva- 
tion, Miss Hunter’s drawings are as serviceable for study as the originals 
or casts. 
Maudslay’s work at Copan covered many lines of investigation. In 
addition to the magnificent set of photographs and drawings of the monu- 

1Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, p. il. 
21881, 1882, 1883, 1885, 1889, 1891, 1894. 
3A few of the earlier drawings are from the hand of Mr. E. Lambert, who also did excellent work. 
