334 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
at the edges, the carving brilliant, and the figures admirably proportioned 
and arranged. ‘The composition of the individual glyph-blocks is always 
pleasing, and difficult elements are everywhere freely and easily handled. 
The effects obtained are extremely decorative. In short, this altar emanates 
from the best period of Maya art, which at Copan was that most golden 
of all the katuns, the eighteenth, 7. ¢., from 9.17.0.0.0 to 9.18.0.0.0. 
We come next to a group of three monuments—Altar T, Fragment EF’, 
and Stela 8—the first two being found at Old Copan (Group 9), and the 
last at Gioup 10. (See plate 3.) All three of them are contemporaneous 
and date from the tonalamatl between the erection of Stele C and H on the 
one hand and of Stele F and 4 on the other, the last two stele at Copan. 
This particular tonalamatl was exceedingly important, since within its span 
fell the first katun anniversary of the important date 9.16.12.5.17 6 Caban 
10 Mol. This significant occasion was commemorated by the dedication of 
these three monuments, one of which, Fragment E’, not only probably fixes 
the position of 6 Caban 10 Mol as 9.16.12.5.17 of the Long Count, but also 
presents the last Initial Series now known in the city. 
Leaving the Main Structure for the present, let us first examine these 
last few monuments at Old Copan. 
ALTAR TI. 
Provenance: Formerly with Altar U, just west of the large plain stela 
in front (1.¢., west) of the high mound at the south- 
eastern corner of Group 9. Removed in 1893 to 
the center of the village plaza. (See plate 3 and 
fig. 22, a and b.) 
Date: 9.17-12:5.17, 4; Gaban 0 Zips 
Text, (a) photograph: Mikiidler 1889-1902, vol. 1, plates 118, 119. 
Ibid, vol. 1 of text, p. Io. 
(b) drawing: Ibid, plates 95, 96. 
figure 47. 
References: Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, pp. 60-62, 69. 
Spinden, 1913, table 1. 
Altar T stands in the plaza of the modern village, just west of Altar U, 
having been removed thither in 1893 with Altar U from just west of the large 
plain stela in front of the high mound at the southeastern corner of Group 
g (see p. 300), in which position it is subject to the same undesirable 
attentions as this other monument. (See figure 22, a and b.) It is only 
approximately square, the shortest side being 1.27 meters in length and the 
longest side 1.90 meters in length. ‘The height varies from 61 to 76 cm. 
Across the top is sculptured a crocodile, the tail of which extends over 
the north side and the claws of the hind legs over the east and west sides. 
Running from the snout along the line of the back-bone to the extremity of 
the tail is asingle band of glyphs. With the exception of the three extending 
down on the north side, these are almost entirely effaced. Even the number 
is uncertain, though there appear to have been ten. 
