INSCRIPTIONS OF THE GREAT PERIOD. 293 
The month-sign and coefficient are at as. The latter is a human figure 
with the head for the number 8, and the former is a large, grotesque head with- 
out body, to which the characteristics of the month Chen have been applied. 
Assembling the foregoing values, it will be found that the Initial Series 
9.15.5.0.0 10 Ahau 8 Chen is recorded here as follows: 
Ar _ Initial Series introducing glyph 
BI 9 cycles 
A215 katuns 
B2 5 tuns 
A3 © uinals 
B3 o kins 
A4 10 Ahau 
AS 8 Chen 
The glyph standing between the day and month of the Initial Series 
terminal date, B4, is the first glyph of the Supplementary Series, Glyph G, 
and it is extremely probable that other glyphs of the Supplementary Series 
appear at BS and a6. At B7) is the Zotz sign, which is found in many texts 
but is of unknown meaning. 
At a7 there is a large spherical inclusion of harder volcanic material 
which seems to have defied all efforts of the ancient sculptors to carve it in 
conformity with the requirements of the design of this glyph-block. The 
most they were able to accomplish in this direction was to reduce its surface 
until it was approximately flush with the face of the monument.' They were 
more successful, however, in removing a similar inclusion which originally 
was embedded between a3 and B3. They not only succeeded in removing this 
altogether, but also carved the concave sides of the resulting depression with 
the details of the uinal and kin glyphs. 
After the erection of Stela D, the center of building activity seems to 
have shifted from the Great Plaza to the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway 
(plate 6) where for the next katun practically all the sculptural energies of 
the city seem to have been focused. Owens’s grave is just south and in front 
of this stela. (see Chapter I, p. 25, note 6.) 
HIEROGLYPHIC STEPS, SOUTH S1pE Mounp 2. 
Provenance: On the southern slope of Mound 2 at the Main Structure, 
facing StelaD. (See plate 6.) 
Date: (Upper step) 9.14.16.11.8 1 Lamat 16 Zotz (?) 
(Lower step) 9.15.17. 0.0 1 Ahau 8 Xul (?) 
Text, (a) photograph: Gordon, 1896, plate 6, figure 1. 
(b) drawing: plate 26, g. 
References: Gordon, 1896, p. 24. 
Spinden, 1913, table 1. 
Before passing to the consideration of the Hieroglyphic Stairway of 
Mound 26, it is first necessary to describe a short inscription which was 
probably engraved during the building of that more important construction. 
At the north side of the Great Plaza on the southern slope of Mound 2 there 
are two steps of unequal length, the risers of which are sculptured with 
1 A description of this inclusion as well as of the material of the body of this stela will be found in Appendix I. 
