132 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
“Taken all in all, we have every reason to believe that Stela 2 was carved at a 
somewhat earlier time than Stela 3, but I should not care to express an opinion con- 
cerning the actual time difference, in view of our rather unsatisfactory data on the 
art of the Middle Period at Copan. 
“We still have the hieroglyphs for study, and here we can extend our compari- 
sons to the all-glyphic Stelz 10, 12,13, and 19. It is true that the hieroglyphs of 
this entire group belong to one general type midway between the flat angular glyphs 
of the Early Period (Stela 9, for instance) and the high and nicely modeled glyphs 
of the later, Great Plaza stele, beginning with Stela A. The glyph-blocks are in 
relief in a sunken panel. The details of the glyphs have a rounded delineation but 
an angular relief. The amount of relief varies somewhat, being lowest in the case 
of Stela 12. Particular points of similarity are seen in decorative details on bars 
and in the treatment of faces when these occur in the glyphs.” 
However defensible such a sequence may be on stylistic grounds, there 
are present other considerations of a chronologic nature which indicate the 
advisability of a slightly different order of presentation here. It will be 
found in the following pages that these seven monuments, chronologically 
considered, divide naturally into three groups, as follows: Stele 12 and 2, 
which may be a hotun earlier than the others, Stele 10, 19, and 23, and 
Stele 13 and 3; and since Stela 12, stylistically considered, is clearly the 
earliest, and Stela 3, on the same grounds, is as clearly the latest, it seems 
best to follow this latter order in describing them. 
STELA 12. 
Provenance: On the western slope of the mountain, 2.5 kilometers 
ea t of the Main Structure at Group 3, 188.6 meters! 
above the level of the Great Plaza. (See plate 3.) 
Date: g.10.15.0.0 6 Ahau 13 Mac, or 
9.11. 0.0.0 12 Ahau. 8 Ceh.? 
Text, a) photograph: plate 17. 
(b) drawing: _ plate 17. 
References: Galindo, 1834, Appendix XI, p. 599. 
Galindo, 18354, pp. 548, 549. 
Gordon, 1896, p. 29 
Spinden 1913, p. Sh and table 1. 
Both Stele 12 and 10 seem to have been discovered by Galindo; at least 
he was the first to note their occurrence: “On neighboring hills stand, one 
to the east [Stela 12] and the other to the west [Stela 10] of the city, two 
obelisks, containing only hieroglyphics in squares; these obelisks, like the 
generality of those in the city, are painted red, and are thicker and broader 
at the top than at the bottom.”* He describes Stela 12 as fallen and broken, 
even in his time.’ 
Stela 12 is 3.25 meters high, 61 cm. wide, and 52 cm. thick. Originally 
it stood upon an artificially leveled terrace 8 meters long by 5 meters wide® 
on the western slope of the mountain, about 2.5 kilometers east of the Main 
Structure at Group 3. (See plate 3.) The writer first examined this monu- 
1This elevation was taken from Gordon’s unpublished notes in the Peabody Museum. 
2For other monuments recording this same hotun-ending, see Appendix VIII. 
3Galindo, 18354, pp. 548, 549. 4Jbid., 1834, Appendix XI, p. 599. 5Tbid., p. 599. 
