INSCRIPTIONS OF THE MIDDLE PERIOD. 217 
In the cases of the first two, it has already been shown that they were 
probably not originally associated with the stele with which they are now 
found; and the remaining three are not now associated with any stele. 
We have seen that of the stele of the Middle Period, only two, Nos. 
10 and 5, have no altars which may be correlated with them. Could any of 
the above five altars, therefore, originally have been associated with either 
of these stele? The writer thinks not. It has been shown that the first two 
commemorated the katun-ending 9.12.0.0.0 and the last two the katun- 
ending 9.13.0.0.0, neither of which is recorded either on Stela 10 or Stela s. 
Moreover, in the case of Stela 10, there are strong grounds for believing that 
its associated altar must have presented the Secondary Series 5.0, which 
would just bring its Initial Series terminal date forward to the nearest hotun- 
ending. And in the case of Stela 5 there were probably present on the stela 
itself calculations indicating the hotun-ending it was erected to commem- 
orate, 9.13.15.0.0 OF 9.14.0.0.0. 
The only altar left, Altar K, could hardly have belonged to either of these 
stele, since it is 35 years later than Stela 10 and 25 years earlier than Stela s. 
In view of the foregoing, it seems improbable that any of the above 
altars could have been associated with either Stela to or Stela 5, and therefore 
the altars of these two stele are now missing. 
At the conclusion of the Middle Period the times were ripe for a brilliant 
cultural florescence, a tremendous outburst of art and architecture. All the 
necessary factors for such were present in their highest degree. Long 
familiarity with stone-carving had developed a technique which was soon to 
halt at nothing—not even sculpture in the round.’ Inscriptions of a length 
and beauty, hitherto undreamed, were soon to be executed if not already 
under way.” Temples surpassing in grandeur and magnificance their noblest 
achievements in the past were soon to be erected.* In short, the tribe 
whose fortunes we are following had at last come into the full enjoyment of 
its artistic and intellectual inheritance. It was at the threshold of its 
Golden Age. 
1Stela B and the human figures on the Hieroglyphic Stairway. 
2 The Hieroglyphic Stairway on the western side of Mound 26. 
3 Temples 11, 22, and 26. 

