196 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
Taking these up in turn, the last two values of the katun coefficient 13 
and 14 can probably be eliminated as indicating dates later than the lahun- 
tun-ending, which Stela J was erected to commemorate, namely, 9.13.10.0.0. 
This leaves a choice of 11 or 12. Matidslay’s drawing shows 12,' and both 
Goodman? and Bowditch’ accept this reading. 
The tun coefficient (Glyph 23) is even more uncertain. ‘Two bars show 
very clearly and there is room for one more bar or a row of dots. The writer 
thought he was able to trace the outline of the upper dot on the original, 
which would give four possible values, 11, 12, 13, or 14. The uinal and kin 
coefficients (Glyphs 16 and 17, respectively) are very clearly o. 
Bowditch reads Glyph 15 with these four glyphs as the following Initial 
Series 9.12.12.0.0 1 Ahau 8 Zotz; and although it is quite possible that the 
day 1 Ahau may be recorded in Glyph 1, this reading is open to three very 
serious objections. First, at least one glyph (No. 25), if not more, stands 
between the glyph representing “9 cycles” and the glyph representing “12 
katuns.” Such an interpolation between the period-glyphs of an Initial 
Series is a thing absolutely unknown in all Initial Series. The second 
objection is that Glyph 14 (the sign immediately preceding “9g cycles’’) is 
not an Initial Series introducing glyph. ‘Third, the cycle coefficient in Glyph 
15 is much better as 13 than 9. The writer, therefore, is unable to agree 
with this interpretation, and believes indeed that Glyph 15 does not immedi- 
ately precede the other four. 
That Glyphs 24, 23, 16, and 17 record a Period Ending date, however, 
which may well be the equivalent of this Initial Series date, is quite another 
matter, and is well within the range of possibility. The first point to be 
determined in deciphering this number is which, if either, of the two dates 
on this side of Stela J is the terminal date of this period-ending. 
If Glyphs 31, 33, and 34 are to be read with 24, 23, 16, and 17, this 
period-ending can be none other than ‘*7 Ahau 3 Cumhu end of Tun to of 
Katun 13, end of a lahuntun.” This must be true, since 31 and 33 unmis- 
takably record the date “7 Ahau 3 Cumhu” and 34 probably the end of a 
lahuntun, and this date could only occur as a lahuntun-ending at the end 
of Tun roof Katun 13. A careful inspection of the katun and tun coefficients 
shows that while the former possibly might have been 13, the latter never 
could have been 10. This, therefore, eliminates the possibility of Glyphs 31 
and 33 being the terminal date of the period-ending in 24, 23, 16, and 17. 
The remaining date which may possibly belong to this period-ending 
is fragmentary, only the day being preserved in Glyph 1. As we have already 
seen, this is surely 1, 2, or 3 Ahau. By referring to Goodman’s tables, it will 
be found that there is only one possible date in Cycle 9 prior to 9.13.10.0.0 
which fulfills all the necessary conditions, namely, 9.12.12.0.0 1 Ahau 8 Zotz. 
Both Goodman and Bowditch agree upon this interpretation. It therefore 

1 Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1, pl. 68. 2 Goodman, 1897, p. 131. 5 Bowditch, 1910, p. 117. 
