318 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
apparently of less importance, it is one of the largest and most prominent of the 
temples. From the manner of contact of its walls with those of the mounds, it 
seems to have been of later construction.”? 
An examination of the abutting walls mentioned above led the writer 
to the same conclusion, in spite of Spinden’s analysis of the stylistic criteria. 
Moreover, its position with reference to the Eastern Court would appear 
to indicate that Temple 22 was built before Temple 21a, since the former 
occupies the middle of the north side of the court (see plate 6), Temple 21 
being built at the northeast corner, possibly at the same time that Temple 22 
was going up opposite the middle of the north side; and later Temple 21a 
was crowded in between the two. But Temple 21a dates from 9.17.0.0.0, and 
since Temple 22 is certainly not earlier than Temple 11, we may therefore fix 
its date to within 7 years, 2.e., as being not earlier than 9.16.12.5.17 (fem- 
ple 11), nor later than 9.17.0.0.0 (Temple 21a). 
TEMPLE 21d. 
Provenance: Between Temples 21 and 22, at the northeastern cor- 
ner of the Eastern Court at the Acropolis, Main 
Structure. (See plate 6.) 
Date: 9.17.0.0.0 13 Ahau 18 Cumhu.? 
Text, (a2) photograph: plate 31. 
Gordon, 1896, plate 3, figure 2, and plate 4, figure 1. 
Spinden, 1913, plate 3, 2. 
(b) drawing: plate 31. 
Reference: Gordon, 1896, pp. 18, 19. 
Temple 21a, although one of the largest buildings at Copan, entirely 
escaped Maudslay’s attention, and its existence was made known only by 
the excavations of the Peabody Museum. ‘This oversight was doubtless due 
to its inconspicuous location between the two larger, higher, and more 
imposing buildings, Temples 21 and 22. Indeed, as we have just seen, its 
walls actually abut against those of the substructures of Temples 21 and 22, 
the nature of the contact being such as to indicate that Temple 21a is the 
most recent of the three.* It is fortunate, therefore, that its date has been 
surely deciphered. 
The excavation of Temple 21a brought to light the following facts: 
The facade is now gone. A doorway 2.13 meters wide gives entrance to an 
outer gallery 7.62 meters long and 2.13 meters wide, the floor of which is 30 
cm. higher than the level of the terrace outside. At the eastern end of this 
chamber is a raised bench 1.52 meters wide, approached by a step 20 cm. 
wide. At the western end there is a square niche in the wall. In the 
middle of the northern wall and opposite the entrance is a doorway (plate 
31) 2.44 meters wide, leading into the back chamber, which is of the same 
size as the outer chamber, the floor being 61 cm. higher. ‘This makes a 
step at the threshold of the inner doorway, the upper course of which 


1 See Gordon, 1896, p. 18, and plate 4, 1, where this relationship appears very clearly. 
2 For other monuments recording this same hotun-ending, see Appendix VIII. 
3 Gordon, 1896, p. 18, and plate 4, 1. 
