126 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
So universal indeed would seem to have been this practice that we may 
safely make it the basis for our first generalization, namely, that all stele 
of the Early Period at Copan present Initial Series. 
The dates recorded by these different Initial Series are repeated for con- 
venience in the following list, those marked (?) being open to some doubt, 
and those marked (??) being quite uncertain: 
Stela 20 9.1.10.0.0 5 Ahau 3 Tzec (?) 
Stela 24 9.2.10.0.0 3 Ahau 8 Cumhu 
Stela 25 g.2.10.0.0 3 Ahau 8 Cumhu (?) 
Stela 15 9.4.10.0.0 12 Ahau 8 Mol 
Stela 17 9.6. 0.0.0 9g Ahau 3 Uayeb (?) 
Stela 9 9.6.10.0.0 8 Ahau 13 Pax 
Stela 16 9.7. 0.0.0 7 Ahau 3 Kankin (??) 
Stela 18 9.7. 0.0.0 7Ahau 3 Kankin (?) 
Stela 9.9. 0.0.0 3 Ahau 3 Zotz 
7 
Stela E and altar 9.9. 5.0.0 9g Ahau 18 Uo 
Stela P 9.9.10.0.0 2 Ahau 13 Pop 
Of the foregoing Initial Series all those which have been surely deci- 
phered-—six out of the eleven—record hotun-endings in the Long Count; 
and in the doubtful cases, the hotuns suggested appear to be the best readings 
in each case. This condition may be made the basis for a second generaliza- 
tion, as follows: All stele of the Early Period at Copan probably recorded 
hotun-endings in the Long Count; that is, they were hotun-markers. 
It is further apparent from the above list that of the four stele prior 
to 9.9.5.0.0, the dates of which are surely deciphered, 24, 15, 9, and 7, not one 
records a first or third hotun-ending, which condition may be summarized 
as follows: All stele of the Early Period at Copan prior to 9.9.5.0.0 prob- 
ably record second and fourth hotun-endings only, that is, lahuntun and 
katun-endings, respectively. 
~ Tt will’be noted in the foregoing table that there are still eight lahuntuns 
and katuns affer 9.1.10.0.0, the earliest date deciphered at Copan, for which 
no corresponding stele have yet been found, as follows: 
9.2. 0.0.0 9.5-10.0.0 
9.3. 0.0.0 9.7-10.0.0 
9.3.10.0.0 9.8. 0.0.0 
9.4. 0.0.0 g.8.10.0.0 
Whether or not these particular hotuns were ever thus commemorated 
is uncertain. We have seen that a number of archaic monuments were 
reused in later constructions, and it is quite possible that future excava- 
tions may bring to light some of these missing stele. On the other hand, it is 
equally possible that many of the earlier lahuntun and katun-endings may 
have been allowed to pass without the erection of corresponding monuments. 
In the present state of knowledge such questions can not be answered; all 
that can be safely ventured in this direction is to point out the possibility— 
scarcely more—of their former existence. 
1In the generalizations which follow, Stela 21 and 22 have been omitted, as their inscriptions are so fragmentary 
as to make it impossible to determine whether these generalizations apply to them or not. 
