GENERAL COMPARISONS. 395 
Possibly as early as 9.1.10.0.0, and certainly not later than 9.4.10.0.0, 
the all-glyphic stela was introduced, 7. ¢., inscriptions on all four faces (Class 
3), which was destined to endure for more than two centuries. This class is 
represented by 9 monuments. 
The first representation of the human figure on stele was possibly as 
early as 9.7.0.0.0 and certainly not later than 9.9.0.0.0, the back and sides 
being devoted to the inscriptions (Class 4). This class persisted for about 
160 years, disappearing at the beginning of the Great Period. It has 11 
examples. | 
Stele having human figures sculptured on two faces, the remaining 
two faces being inscribed with glyphs (Class 5), first appear in 9.11.0.0.0, and 
lasted for about 125 years. This class, however, is limited to 4 examples. 
Early in the Great Period, the apparel of the human figure became so 
elaborate that the glyph-panel was crowded around on to the back of the 
stela, the sides being given over to the sweeping plumes of the head-dress 
or other details of the clothing (Class 6). This is the latest class of stela at 
Copan and lasted until the end, 7. ¢., for about 45 years. It has 6 examples. 
The chronologic sequence of these several classes is very satisfactory 
and is only broken in two places, Stela 20, the earliest stela, being in Class 3 
instead of Class 1, the simplest arrangement, and Stela 8, a late stela being 
in an early class, 7.¢., a late return to an earlier arrangement, which had gone 
out of fashion more than two centuries before the date of its erection; but 
aside from these two exceptions the several classes follow each other in a 
consistent chronologic order. 
The same applies to the altar type of monument, although in this type 
the chronologic sequence of the individual monuments has not been so 
rigidly adhered to. On the basis of shape, they may be divided into the 
following classes: 
1. Anthropomorphic altars, of which only 2 examples are known, the very 
crude examples under the foundations of Stele 5 and 4, which may not be altars 
at all. (See fig. 67, a and D.) 
2. Rectangular altars, 27 examples: (a) the earliest group being banded, 
J’, K’, L’, M’, P’, Q’, X, Y, A’, F’, and the altar of Stela 6; (0) the middle group 
being without decoration: K, H’, I’, and V; (c) the late group being decorated 
with other and more complex designs: L, Q, S, and T with seated human or animal 
figures, B’, C’, and R with death-heads, D’ and T with toads sprawled across their 
tops, U and Z with grotesque heads, W’ with the double-headed monster, and N’ 
with a human figure. 
3. Round altars, 12 examples: (a) a plain undecorated group: the altars of 
Stele E, 19, 23, 5 (2), and 1, and Altars T’ and U’; (4) a banded group, the altar 
of Stela I and Altars 14,! W, and G’. 
4. Irregular-shaped altars, such as Altars G,, G2, G3, and O, and all other 
altars not included in one or other of the above classes. 
Omitting Class 1 as doubtful, the earliest type of altar at Copan is the 
rectangular altar, Class 2. At first this is decorated with an arrangement 
1 Altars 14 and O have no inscription, for which reason neither has been described in Chapters I-IV. The 
former probably may be assigned to the Middle Period and the latter surely to the Great Period on stylistic grounds. 
