ji 3 
INSCRIPTIONS OF THE GREAT PERIOD. 307 
than the earliest, and 10.1.7.3.17, being more than 57 years later than the 
latest contemporaneous date on any monument at Copan, 7. ¢., 9.18.10.0.0 
on Altar G;. He also deciphers Ls, m1 as 9 [k o Mol instead of 9 Ik 10 Mol 
as probably recorded. On the basis of his readings he sees here an ingenious 
intercalary count—no less than the number of days necessary at 10.1.7.3.17 
2 Caban o Pop to bring the calendar and the true solar year into harmony. 
Unfortunately, the three dates upon which this reading rests are probably 
incorrectly deciphered as used, and, moreover, 10.1.7.3.17 is too late to be 
historically probable at Copan. 
It is not claimed that the readings suggested here for the several dates on 
Altar U are beyond question; but the coincidences and inter-relationships 
to which they give rise are strongly in their favor. It must be remembered 
that Copan was at her zenith when this monument was erected, and the 
Initial Series method of recording events had practically ceased to be used— 
gone out of fashion as it were. We are therefore confronted with the serious 
problem of assigning the various Calendar Round dates recorded on these 
later monuments to their proper positions in Maya chronology without 
this valuable check. Usually, however, only two values are possible, as 
practically all such dates lie in the Great Period, 7. ¢., between 9.15.0.0.0 and 
10.2.0.0.0, and at Copan probably between 9.15.0.0.0 and 9.18.10.0.0, 
between which the choice is generally clear. Therefore, although the read- 
ings suggested above lack the indisputable authentication afforded by their 
corresponding Initial Series or even Period Endings, the interrelationships 
developed, as well as the evidence from the stylistic criteria, strongly indi- 
cate their accuracy. Finally, when all the evidence has been presented, it 
will be clear that the Initial Series corresponding to 6 Caban 10 Mol could 
have been none other than 9.16.12.5.17. 
TEMPLE II. 
Provenance: On the summit of the pyramid separating the Court 
of the Hierologyphic Stairway from the Western 
Court, at the Acropolis, Main Structure. (See 
plate 6.) 
Date: 9.16.12.5.17 6 Caban 10 Mol. 
Text, (a) photograph: plate 28, c. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1, plates 5, 8. 
(b) drawing: plate 29. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1, plate 8. 
Seler, 1902-1908, vol. 1, figure 178, p. 757- 
References: Gordon, 1896, pp. 22, 23. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. I of text, pp. 21, 22. 
Seler, 1902-1908, vol. 1, p. 758. 
Spinden, 1913, p. 162 and table 1. 
Temple 11 crowns the high pyramid between the Western Court and the 
Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway at the Acropolis, Main Structure. 
The northern facade is the front of the building, and commands a fine view, 
not only of the court just below, but also of the Great Plaza beyond. The 
temple is reached by a single stairway on the north side which originally 
