INSCRIPTIONS OF THE GREAT PERIOD. 365 
The writer has referred it to the Western Court in plate 6, although it may 
well have come from anywhere else at the Main Structure. This paucity 
of data concerning its provenance is unfortunate, since, insignificant as it is, 
it probably records one of the very latest dates at Copan. It is drum- 
shaped, being 36 cm. in diameter and 18 cm. high. There is a knotted band 
passing around the periphery and two glyphs on the top. (See plate 24, c.) 
Gordon reads these correctly as the Calendar Round date 11 Ahau 18 Mac. 
This is a very rare case indeed—the record of a date without any other glyph 
accompanying it—and suggests the interesting possibility that the Maya 
may never have recorded much else in their inscriptions besides their chro- 
nology and astronomy. 
By referring to Goodman’s tables, it will be found that 11 Ahau 18 Mac 
occurred only once in Cycle 9 as a tun-ending, in which place it was not only 
a hotun-ending, but a katun-ending as well, namely, 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 
Mac, which therefore is probably the Initial Series value to be supplied here. 
It would seem as though Altar W were very insignificant indeed to have been 
the only monument erected at such a large city as Copan to mark a katun- 
ending, particularly one only 20 years later than Katun 17, which we have 
seen was so brilliantly commemorated, and it is possible, therefore, that 
other monuments dating from this period may yet be found. One such 
may be Fragment X’, now in the Museum of the Normal School at Teguci- 
galpa, which clearly records either Katun 18 or 18 katuns, 7. ¢., either being a 
fragment from an Initial Series or a Secondary Series. (See p. 368.) 
ALTAR Gy. 
Provenance: In the Great Plaza at the Main Structure, midway be- 
tween Stela F and Stela H. (See plate 6.) 
Date: 9.18.5.0.0 4 Ahau 13 Ceh! (?). 
Text, (a) photograph: Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1, plates 53, a, 54, 116, 117. 
(b) drawing: Ibid, plates 52, c, 114. 
References: Bowditch, 1910, table 29. 
Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, pp. 49, 69. 
Spinden, 1913, table 1. 
Stephens describes Altars G3, G,, and G; as ‘‘a mass of fallen sculpture 
with an altar,’ under the name R.’ 
Altar G, is the twin, so to speak, of Altar G; (pp. 325,326). It is about 
the same size, and presents exactly the same subject as G;, namely, a double- 
headed serpent whose arching body leaves a hollow place in the lower part 
of the altar which runs clear through from one side to the other. Maudslay 
suggests that braziers of copal® may have been placed in this hollow, so that 
the smoke of the incense in burning would rise over the body of the serpent.* 
Above the hollow, and in the bend of the serpent’s back on each side, there 
was formerly a panel of 4 glyph-blocks, or 8 in the entire text. Unfortu- 
IPE DES OOD, Sea pl a a ce 
1 For other monuments recording this same hotun-ending, see Appendix VIII. 
2 Stephens, 1841, vol. 1, map facing p. 133, and p. 152. 
3 Copal, the resinous gum of the Elaphrium gracile Engler, was the universal incense used throughout the 
Mayaarea. It burns with a rather heavy black smoke and a fragrant aromatic odor. 
4 Maudslay, 1889-1902, vol. 1 of text, p. 49. 
