326 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
serves to further emphasize the fact. It is unfortunate that the four glyphs 
on the other side are entirely destroyed, although it is hardly possible that 
they could have contained matter which would have jeopardized the accu- 
racy of the above conclusions. 
ALTAR Q. 
Provenance: In the Western Court, at the western base of Mound 16 at 
the Acropolis, Main Structure. (See plate 6.) 
Date: 9.17.5.0.0 6 Ahau 13 Kayab.! 
Text, (a) photograph: Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1, plates 90, 91, 93, 4. 
(b) drawing: _[bid, plates 92, 93, b ; 
Stephens, 1841, vol. 1, p. 141 and 2 plates opposite p. 142. 
References: Bowditch, 1910, pp. 135, 185, and table 29. 
Galindo 1834, Appendix XI, p. 597. 
Galindo 18354, p. 548. 
Goodman, 1897, pp. 133,134. 
Gordon, 1896, p. 15. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, p. 60. 
Seler, 1902-1908, p. 758. 
Spinden, 1913, p. 162 and table 1. 
Stephens, 1841, vol. 1, pp. 140-142. 
Thomas, 1900, pp. 787, 788. 
Altar Q is first mentioned by Galindo, whose admiration it excited 
sufficiently to call forth a rather detailed description.? It stands on the 
eastern side of the Western Court between the double stairway ascending 
the western slope of Mound 16, with which it is obviously correlated. 
Stephens gives it the letter A in his map.° 
This monument is a rectangular block of stone, 1.42 meters square and 
74 cm. high, resting on four roughly spherical supports. 
The four sides are sculptured with human figures seated cross-legged 
on glyphs, the figures being of exactly the same type as those on Stela B, 
Altar L, and more particularly like those on the step in the outer gallery of 
Temple 11. Indeed, Spinden believes Altar Q and the step in Temple 11 
were executed by the same hand: 
“The carvings on the interior step of this building (Temple 11) are of the same 
style as those on some of the independent altars, notably Altars 1 and Q, and are 
probably the work of the same sculptor.’ 
Whether this is true or not the writer is not prepared to say. However, 
the two sculptures are very similar in style, treatment, and technique, and, 
as will appear presently, it is quite possible they may have been the work of 
the same sculptor, since they are only 13 years apart. 
The seated figures on these two sculptures show closer resemblances to 
each other than do any other two monuments having this same decorative 
treatment, 2. ¢., Stela B, Altars L, Q, T, and 5, and the step in Temple 11, 
and this, coupled with their chronological proximity, renders Spinden’s claim 
not improbable. 

1 For other monuments recording this same hotun-ending, see Appendix VIII. 
2 Galindo, 1834, Appendix XI, p. 597, and 18354, p. 548. 
3 Stephens, 1841, vol. 1, map facing p. 133 and pp. 140-142. 4 Spinden, 1913, p. 162. 
