96 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
In the reshaping process about half of the Initial Series introducing glyphs 
on both the front and the back were destroyed. That on the preserved side 
is practically complete. 
The variable element in the Initial Series introducing glyph on one of 
the broad faces is unmistakably the head of God C of the Schellhas classifica- 
tion of Maya deities. In the Initial Series introducing glyph on the narrow 
face this element appears to be rather more of a filling character, like the 
ones on the three non-Initial Series sides of Stela 15. 
As the period glyphs are all missing, it is impossible to date this stela 
exactly, although approximate dating by comparison of the stylistic criteria 
with those of other archaic stele is practicable. 
In arrangement Stela 21 most closely resembles Stele 20, 15, and 9, - 
having glyphs on all four of its sides. Stylistically its closest resemblances 
are with Stele 9, 16,17, and 24. All seven of these monuments are of about 
the same size: , 

Stela2r.| Stela2o. | Stelars.| Stela g. | Stela16. | Stela17. | Stela24. 

. cm cm cm cm. cm cm. cm. 
Width. ....as) 74 53 76 69 65 53 73 
Thickness. .. . 35 40 42 39 42 a7 29 


The relief on Stela 21 is low and flat (about 6 mm. high), although well 
executed. Traces of red paint still adhere in a few places. Since two of its 
three closest affinities on stylistic grounds are definitely referable to the 
katun from 9.6.0.0.0 to 9.7.0.0.0, it seems probable that it also may date 
from about the same period. 
This clearly established case of secondary usage in ancient times sug- 
gests that other archaic stele may have suffered a similar fate, which would 
satisfactorily explain some of the existing lacune in the sequence of the 
dated monuments. (See pp. 123, 125 for a further discussion of this point. 
STELA 18. 
Provenance: Found on the mound of Stela 7 (Group 9). Now part 
of a wall behind the house of Domingo Hernandez in 
the southwestern quarter of the village. (See plate 
3 and figure 22, a’.) 
Date: 9.7.0.0.0 7 Ahau 3 Kankin (?). 
Text, (a) photograph: plate 9, a. 
(b) drawing: figure IS. 
Reference: Spinden, 1913, p. 159, footnote 1, and table 1.2 
Stela 18 was found by Spinden in 1912, with Stela 20 and Altar Q’, in 
a wall behind the house of Domingo Hernandez, in the southwestern quarter 
of the village. (See plate 3 and figure 22, a’.) At that time he incorrectly 

1Schellhas, 1904, p. 19. 
*Spinden refers to Stela 18 as Stela 16 in this work. In the nomenclature followed here, and since adopted by 
Spinden, this monument is renamed Stela 18. 
