In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

141 N o t e s o f M i d d l e A m e r i c a n A r c h a e o l o g y a n d E t h n o l o g y Carnegie Institution of Washington Division of Historical Research No. 39 September 15, 1944 The Dating of Seven monuments at Piedras negras J. Eric S. Thompson Morley (1938) has reaped a rich harvest of skillful decipherments from the large body of hieroglyphic texts at Piedras Negras However, fields are seldom reaped so clean that nothing is left for the gleaner, and that is the case with the Piedras Negras texts. New datings are given below for seven monuments. In the order of their decipherment these are: Stela 8, Altar 1, Stela 23, Lintel 3, Miscellaneous Sculptured Stone 16, Lintel 7, and Miscellaneous Sculptured Stone 1. In the discussion that follows readings not offered as amendments are those of Morley except for decipherments credited to Beyer, Proskouriakoff, and Satterthwaite. In tabular presentations new readings are marked with asterisks. The text of Stela 8 opens on the left side with the Initial Series 9.11.12.7.2 2 Ik 10 Pax. A distance number of 1.2.3.9 carries the count forward to 9.12.14.10.11 9 Chuen 9 Kankin (B18-A19). Morley reads the next date (A22-B22) as (9.11.1.15.16) 12 Cib 14 Chan, a backward move of some 33 years. However, at B20 there is a glyph which resembles somewhat forms of kin used in distance numbers. This has a coefficient of 3. If we assume that this glyph represents a distance number of three days, the eroded Calendar Round date at A22-B22 can be restored as (9.12.14.10.14) 12 Ix 12 Kankin. Thelastglyph(B24)ontheleftsideisdescribedby Morley as very unusual. Nevertheless, it is the wellknown kin variant, consisting of one or two inverted Ahaus over a serpent segment (Beyer 1938). As the coefficient here is plainly 3, the glyph indicates a distance number of three days. The text then passes, not as Morley supposed to the right side of the stela, but to the front, where at E1-F1 2 Caban 15 Kankin, three days after the last date, is plainly recorded. The text for these three dates accordingly reads: B18-A19 9.12.14.10.11 9 Chuen 9 Kankin B20 3 A22-B22 9.12.14.10.14 12 Ix 12 Kankin B24 3 E1-F1 9.12.14.10.17 2 Caban 15 Kankin As added confirmation, it may be noted that the middle date is found also on Stela 7 at this site. For the various dates in relief on the front of Stela 8 Morley’s readings can be accepted except for the text from L3 to M2 inclusive. The glyph at L3 he reads as 2 uinals and an uncertain number of days. To judge by his drawing, the two dots above the sign may not be numerical but may be the inverted Ahau faces of the kin variant (repeated elsewhere on this stela), which consists of the “serpent segment” with one or two inverted Ahau faces above. On that assumption, the whole would record somewhere between 1 and 10 kins. An addition of 3 kins will bring the count to 9.12.14.13.4 10 Kan 2 Kayab which is precisely 1 katun earlier than the first date recorded on the right side of the stela, and 5 tuns earlier than a date recorded on Altar 1. As is well known, the astronomer-priests of Piedras Negras delighted in recording such anniversaries of dates that were not tun-endings. Unfortunately the J. eric S. tHoMpSon 142 Calendar Round date and the subsequent Secondary Series are entirely eroded, but the above appears the most probable interpretation. At C1, the first glyph on the right side of the monument, there is a glyph which Morley reads as 2 uinals 8 kins. To get this reading he was forced reluctantly to assume that the coefficient of 8 to the left was reversed, the bar coming in front of the three dots. Such an arrangement is against all Maya tradition and practice. Fortunately, it is not necessary to impute such an unprecedented arrangement to the Maya. There is little reason to doubt that the glyph is again the kin variant consisting of one or two inverted Ahaus over the “serpent...

Share