222 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
9.14.19.8.0 12 Ahau 18 Cumhu 
3.0 backward 
g.14.19.5.0 4 Ahau 18 Muan 
The latter date, 9.14.19.5.0, is just 1 tonalamatl (13 uinals) before the 
closing date on this monument, and is, moreover, a katun anniversary of 
another date here at Copan, namely, the second on Stela I, which is exactly 
3 katuns earlier: 
9.11.19.5.0 10 Ahau 13 Ceh 
3. 0.0.0 
9.14.19.5.0 4 Ahau 18 Muan 
The record of two dates which are exactly 1 tonalamatl before the ends 
of katuns in the Long Count might indicate the recurrence of some festival 
at such times. Perhaps like the last 5 days of the year in northern Yucatan, 
the closing tonalamatl of each katun was set aside for a particular group of 
ceremonies.! If this were true, the dates 9.11.19.5.0 10 Ahau 13 Ceh on 
Stela I, and 9.14.19.5.0 4 Ahau 18 Muan here would mark the beginnings 
of such festivals. At least, the recurrence of such an unusual date as this 
arrests the attention and may well have had some such corresponding sig- 
nificance, 
The count on Stela A is continued in B11), where a Secondary Series 
of 10.0 is followed by the date 4 Ahau 13 Yax in c11b,B12a. All efforts, 
however, to reach this by counting 10.0 either forward or backward from the 
preceding date 4 Ahau 18 Muan will prove unavailing, but if 10.0 1s counted 
forward from the Initial Series ‘terminal date 12 Ahau 18 Cumhu, the date 
reached will be found to be 4 Ahau 13 Yax, as recorded: 
9.14.19. 8.0 12 Ahau 18 Cumhu 
10.0 
Oy Sas ene) 4 Ahau 13 Yax 
Finally, the record of “End of Katun 15” in B12), c12a proves that the 
4 Ahau 13 Yax in c11b, Bl2a is in fact 9.15.0.0.0 4 Ahau 13 \Yax, anaeene 
above calculations are therefore correct. 
There follows in c12b the day 12 Ahau and in B13a, 13?, the doubtful 
glyph, probably being a month-sign. ‘There seems to be no reason, however, 
for the record of such a Calendar Round date here. 
The remaining side (south) has no glyphs of a decipherable nature 
except p12b, which is the lahuntun ending-sign already referred to. (See 
pp. 61, 88, 116, 183, 188, 195, 200, and Morley, 19170, p. 197.) 



1 Says Landa in describing these ceremonies at the end of the year: 
“Tt has been said in the preceding chapters that the Indians [of Yucatan] commenced their years from these 
days without name [the last five days of their year July 11-15 inclusive, Old Style, July 21-25 New Style], pre- 
paring for them with vigils in order to celebrate the feast of their new year. And besides the preparations which 
they make for the feast of the demon Uayebab, for which they go out of their houses, the rest of the preparations 
were to go out of their houses very little in these five days, except to offer the gifts and objects of the general feast 
to their devils and to the others in their temples. These things which are thus offered, they never take back for 
their own uses, nor anything which may have been offered to the demon, for whom they buy incense to burn. 
During these days they do not comb or wash themselves, the men do not remove the vermin from their bodies, and 
the women do no menial or heavy work, because they fear some evil would result if they did it.” (Landa, 1881, 
pp- 96, 97.) 
