108 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
ture, and second because the hotun in the Long Count next earlier than that 
probably commemorated by Stela E was marked by a monument which 
was found at Group 9, namely, Stela 7. 
The altar, of which only a fragment now remains (see plate 14,d), stands 
at the base of the western terrace. Formerly it doubtless stood above on 
top of the terrace directly in front of the stela. 
Stela E is 3.53 meters long, 65 cm. wide, and, 54 cm. thick. The front 
is sculptured with a human figure, and the back and sides with glyphs; on 
the basis of which arrangement it may be assigned to Class 4. 
The inscription is unusual in many ways, and, so far as the writer knows, 
its date has never been previously deciphered. The readings suggested, 
although not certain, have much in their favor, and, so far as the final or 
contemporaneous date is concerned (9.9.5.0.0), may probably be accepted as 
correct. 
The text opens with an Initial Series introducing glyph in ai—B2 (see 
plate 14,a); and this appears to be followed by an Initial Series number in 
a3-B7.! The signs for the cycle, katun, and tun appear very clearly in 83, 
B4, and Bs, respectively; but the uinal-sign in B6 is entirely effaced and the 
kin-sign in B7 almost so. The coefficients in a3-a7 are even less satisfac- 
tory. The cycle coefficient in a3 is effaced, and, although perfectly clear, 
the katun coefficient in a4 is unfamiliar. Indeed, the cycle coefficient, 
judging from what is left of it, is neither a bar-and-dot nor a head-variant 
numeral. Antecedent probability suggests that it stands for 9. The katun 
coefficient in a4 bears little resemblance to any of the known head-variant 
numerals, and, so far as its appearance goes, might be assigned almost any 
value. The tun, uinal, and kin coefficients are illegible. 
Difficulties do not cease here, moreover. ‘The day of the Initial Series 
terminal date should be recorded at as; but although this glyph is perfectly 
preserved, it is obviously not a day-sign. In fact, the only possible day-sign 
on this side of the monument is B9, where Goodman sees the day 2 Ix, and 
following this in aio the month 7 Yax.? He makes no attempt, however, to 
fix the position of this date in the Long Count, and its accuracy may well be 
doubted for the following reasons: In the first place, aio is not the sign for 
7 Yax. The head there presented bears only a very general resemblance to 
the head for 7, and the Cauac sign to its left lacks the Yax element, 
the distinguishing characteristic of the sign for this month. And 
in the second place, the reading suggested below is much more appropriate 
for the date of this stela. There are no day or month-signs or other known 
glyphs in the remainder of the inscription on the front.’ 
The text on the north side (plate 14,b) opens with four glyphs which 
have an important bearing on this inscription, inasmuch as the third and 
1Nothing below the tun-sign and coefficient, A5—-BS5, is shown in plate 14, a. 
2Goodman, 1897, p. 131. 
3According to Gordon (1896, p. 35) the human figure side of Stela FE faced east. If this is true the Initial 
Series was recorded on the west side, and the Initial Series terminal date c2, c3 on the north side. 
