INSCRIPTIONS OF THE GREAT PERIOD. 359 
“The placing of the feet I regard as a very important minor criterion. All 
stelz up to and including Stela A have the feet turned straight outward with the 
heels together. In Stela B there is a slight drawing back of the heels, which becomes 
still more marked in Stele D, M, and N. When we come to Stela H, the heels are 
drawn in about 13 cm. from the front of the sculptured block, and the undercutting 
at the back has progressed much further than in any previous example. As I 
remember the placing of the feet on Stela C, there is no improvement over Stela H, 
but the rich details of dress on this monument are carved in much lower and more 
natural relief. The carving of two figures on opposite sides of one block of stone 
may have decreased the amount of relief, especially as a strip had to be reserved 
on the sides for the hieroglyphs. However, when we come to Stelz F and 4, there 
is an undoubted advance in the placing of the feet which can readily be seen on 
cross-sections made at the level of the feet. On Stela 4 the heels are drawn in 29 
cm. at the front and the feet are approximately at an angle of 90°. In the carving 
of Stela F there are other decided improvements to be noted over C and H. The 
legs and thighs are more nearly freed from the stone, and many details of the head- 
dress are completely undercut. The general outlines of the original plinth are felt 
in most Copan stelz, in that face, torso, and feet project to the same vertical plane. 
In H there is a sloping-back of the head-dress, but the face projects as far as does the 
chest. Now in Stela F there is an attempt to get away from this limitation. The 
chest clearly projects beyond the head and the ornament in front of the girdle 
projects still farther. Of course, in the seated monuments that adorn the Hiero- 
glyphic Stairway, we have the feet placed in an entirely natural position and more- 
over there is the proper modeling of the torso. 
“The progressive development of feather drapery seen in Stele A, D, M, and N 
reaches its utmost exuberance in H and F. Perhaps if careful drawings of C, 4, 
and F were available for study other significant details would be apparent. To sum 
up: the placing of the feet seems to show that F and 4 are later than H and C, and 
it is my personal opinion that Stela 4 will prove to be the latest stela at the Main 
Structure of Copan.”! 
It is clear from the foregoing that on stylistic grounds: 
(1) Stela C, H, F, and 4 are later than Stele A, B, D, M, and N; and 
(2) Stelz F and 4 are later than C and H; and finally, 
(3) Stela 4 is later than Stela F. 
It may be stated at the outset, in reviewing the chronologic and stylistic 
evidence as to the age of these four monuments, that the writer’s own studies 
in this direction have led him to similar conclusions. Going back to the 
earlier part of the Great Period, it willbe remembered that Stela D (9.15.5.0.0) 
was the first stela at Copan which has no inscriptions on its sides (Class 6). 
This monument, as we have already seen, was unusual in another respect, 
namely, in having nothing but full-figure glyphs inscribed upon it. This 
latter peculiarity, indeed, may have given rise to the former. Full-figure 
glyphs are large and complicated, and required more space for their portrayal 
than was available on the rather narrow sides of this monument. At all 
events, Stela D is the first monument which does not have at least one 

1 This letter was written under date of November 29, 1917. 
