182 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
five Venus years of 584 days each, which is so minutely set forth in pages 
24, 45-50 of the Dresden Codex, and which seems to have been a period of 
very great importance among the ancient Maya.’ 
Another interesting point in connection with the Initial Series of Stela 
I is the fact that it is just 8 tuns later than the Initial Series of Stela 1, viz: 
9.11.15.14.0 11 Ahau 8 Zotz 
8. 0.0 
9.12..3:14.0 5 Ahau 8 Uo 
As the former date was 14.0 later than the hotun-ending Stela I was 
erected to commemorate, it seems probable that this was an important anni- 
versary, possibly of some feast celebrated at the conclusion of every Uinal 
14 in each succeeding tun. At least its eighth recurrence after 9.11.15.14.0 
appears as the Initial Series date of Stela I. 
Still another interesting point in connection with this monument is the 
apparent record of a tonalamatl or Sacred Year of 260 days, the earliest 
date on the stela, 9.11.19.5.0, being exactly that number of days before the 
end of Katun 12, viz: 
STI19. 5:0 10 Ahau 13 Ceh 
13.0 (260 days) 
9.12. 0. 0.0 10 Ahau 8 Yaxkin 
Moreover, the next date on Stela I is four-fifths of a tonalamatl later, 
1. é., 9.11.19.15.8 10 Lamat 16 Zotz, the day Lamat also being important 
in the Venus year. 
Tonalamatls divided into five parts of 52 days each are frequently 
represented in the manuscripts, but tonalamatls of any sort are exceedingly 
rare in the inscriptions, hence the importance of finding one apparently 
recorded here. 
Stela I and its altar are the most important hotun-marker yet described 
because of the diversity of points upon which they shed light. These have 
been discussed in the preceding pages, but because of their importance, 
particularly that of the first three, they are repeated below: 
1. This stela and altar determine that the Great Plaza was not laid out until 
after 9.12.5.0.0. 
. This stela and altar establish in a clear and decisive manner that inscrip- 
tions on stela may be and sometimes are concluded on the altars 
with which they are associated.” 
. This stela presents at least one calculation having to do with the tonalamatl 
or Sacred Year of 260 days found usually only in the codices, and 
another having to do with a Solar Year of 365 days. 
. This stela appears to have some relation with Stela 1, its Initial Series 
declaring a date just 8 tuns later than the Initial Series on that monu- 
ment. 
i) 
2 
mS 


1 Morley, 1915, pp. 276-278. 
2 This is chiefly important in jndicating the probable nature of the relationship between Stela E and its altar, 
Stela 19 and its altar, and possibly between Stela 1 and the East Altar of Stela 5, and in tending to show that the 
present altar of Stela 1 and the West Altar of Stela 5 were possibly formerly correlated in this same way with 
some other stela now lost or destroyed. 
eo 
