INSCRIPTIONS OF THE MIDDLE PERIOD. 157 
latter leave no doubt as to its identity. The left half of the katun coefficient 
in A2b u. h. is fortunately preserved, although it is like none of the 
known head-variant numerals. It has the fleshless lower jaw, which usually 
stands for 10, but which may on occasion mean 0. ‘This, we have already 
seen, was the case in the kin coefficients on Stele 2 and 19, and it will also 
be found to be true of the tun coefficient in both this Initial Series and that 
on the other side of this same monument. Again, the large circle around the 
eye in this glyph is also characteristic of the kin coefficient of this same 
nitial Series (a4a u. h.), and also of the kin coefficient of the Initial 
Series on the other side (B4a u. h.) both of which are 0; indeed, the former 
also has this same fleshless lower jaw. All things considered, therefore, 
we are probably justified in reading a2) as o katuns. 
The tun-sign and coefficient (A3a) are unusually clear. The former 
(a3a u. h.) again has the fleshless lower jaw, ordinarily 10, but, as in the 
case of the katun coefficient above, here probably o. 
The tun-sign in a3a |. h. is unusually clear, and helps to substantiate 
the correctness of the above sequence of the period-glyphs and their coef- 
ficients. 
The uinal-sign and coefficient in a3) are gone. From what little is left of 
the kin coefficient in a4a u. h., it may almost certainly be identified as o, 
i. e., having the same fleshless jaw and large circle around the eye as the 
katun coefficient. 
Finally, since the katun, tun, and kin coefficients are probably o, the 
missing uinal coefficient in a3b u. h. must almost certainly have been o also, 
and our Initial Series therefore reads 9.0.0.0.0. 
Most unfortunately, the day of the Initial Series terminal date, a4d, 
is entirely effaced, and we thereby lose one opportunity of checking the 
above reading. It can be found from Goodman’s tables, however, to have 
been 8 Ahau. Passing along, we reach the next to last and last glyphs of the 
Supplementary Series in a6. The large plain circle in the upper half of this 
glyph-block in plate 19, b, is the rounded inclusion alluded to above. The 
ancient sculptors were unable to carry the details of their design across its 
refractory surface and were forced to content themselves with breaking it off 
flush with the face of the monument.! 
Again most unfortunately, the month-sign of the Initial Series terminal 
date is suppressed, being filled with the grotesque head and coefficient 9, 
the occurrence of which will be found elsewhere here at Copan, namely, 
on Stela 2 and possibly on Altar H’ (p. 138). Thus our second and last 
opportunity of checking the accuracy of the reading suggested above is 
gone; but in view of the close similarity of a2b u. h. with a3a u.h. and aga 
u. h. on this side and B3a u. h. on the other side, the last of which is proved 
to be o by the calculations, there is little doubt but that the correct reading 




1 Through the kindness of Dr. F. E. Wright, of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution, the 
writer is able to give a description of this inclusion, as well as of the material of the stela proper See Appendix I. 
