174 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
In the case of the first, the uinal coefficient can not be 4; in the second, 
it can not be 9; in the fourth, it can not be 2; and in the third, although it 
might be 14, it is better as 17. Again, another point against all four is that 
the month-coefficient recorded is possibly better as 14 than as 9. Finally, 
in the case of the last, although its month-coefficient is 14, its uinal-coefficient 
is 1, and it also must be eliminated. Similarly the fifth value above, although | 
historically probable in that it is prior to 9.12.0.0.0 and its month-coefficient, 
14, must be eliminated because its uinal-coefficient is 12. This leaves as the 
only possible date for this Initial Series the sixth reading above, namely, 
g.7.19.17.11 9 Chuen 14 Mol. Three points in the text itself strongly favor 
this reading. In the first place, the uinal coefficient is very much better as 
17 than anything else; indeed, in our preliminary inspection this value was 
given a strong preference over every other. In the second place, this reading 
is only 9 days earlier than a katun-ending in the Long Count, 7. ¢., 9.8.0.0.0 
5 Ahau 3 Chen; and in the third place, from what little remains of the day 
of the Initial Series terminal date in c2d, it is evident that its coefficient 
must have been above 5, which eliminates the fourth, fifth, and seventh 
readings. All things taken into consideration, therefore, we are probably 
justified in accepting the sixth reading above as the correct value for this 
Initial Series. A summary of the text follows: 
A1I-B24, C2b, D2a G17 19.1711 g Chuen 14 Mol 
N2 (9.12. 0. 0. 0) 10 Ahau 8 Yaxkin 
O1a Ending (previous katun) 
o1b : (9.11. 0. 0. ©) 12 Ahau [8 Ceh] 
The Initial Series date is of course too early to be the contemporaneous 
date of the altar on stylistic grounds; but not so with the closing date, which 
we have already seen was much later. Probably one or more Secondary 
Series in the effaced glyphs H1, H2—-m1 connected this rather early Initial 
Series with the contemporaneous date some 8o years later. 
The latter date is still some 35 years earlier than the date of Stela 5, 
with which it is now associated. This probably indicates that this altar was 
originally associated with some other stela; but as this question can not be 
properly presented until after the altar of Stela 1 has been described, further 
discussion of the point will be deferred until later. 
ALTAR OF STELA I. 
Provenance: Probably not in situ. Originally may have been 
associated, together with the West Altar of Stela 5, 
with some stela now missing. Now in front of Stela 1 
on the west side of Mound g at the Main Structure. 
(See plate 6.) 
Date: g.12.0.0.0 roAhau 8 Yaxkin.! 
Text, (a) photograph: plate 21. 
(b) drawing: plate 21. 
Gordon, 1896, figure 6. 
References: Gordon, 1896, p. 41. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, p. 66. 
Spinden, 1913, pp. 161, 164, and table 1. 
1 For other monuments recording this same hotun-ending, see Appendix VIII. 
