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176 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. 45 December 1, 1944 Variant methods of Date recordings in the Jatate Drainage, Chiapas J. Eric S. Thompson A1-A8 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac C8 Count of the tun completed A10-A11 1.4.7.14 Anterior date indicator B11-B12 9.16.15.10.16 2 Cib 14 Ceh. Glyph G9. Glyph F? (9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac) not repeated C12-A13 8.7.2 C15-B16 9.17.11.10.18 5 Eznab 16 Mol? Glyph G2 (9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac) not repeated C16-B17 8.3.4 Anterior date indicator? C17-C18 9.17.11.14.16 5 Cib 14 Ceh. Glyphs G8, F C20-B21 7.17.0 Posterior date indicator C21-A22 9.17.19.13.16 5 Cib 14 Chen C22 4.4 (9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac) amply confirmed by the new readings now presented . In order to retain the Blom lettering, the top column will be given the reference letters Upper CD . The photographs of this stela in the work dust cited are on the whole superior to my photograph (Fig. 44.1a), but the latter is reproduced because it shows certain details more clearly than does the former. Columns A and B are badly damaged. They record in part a Lunar Series with a possible 5E (A2), Glyph C probably without a coefficient and with a fish-head count prefix (B2), Glyph B with same prefix to left (B3), and Glyph A with coefficient which is In most Maya inscriptions which include several Secondary Series, reckonings are made by additions to or subtractions from the last recorded date. Thus, if A is the Initial Series and B, C, and D are Calendar Round dates, an inscription will usually run: A ± lst D.N. = B; B ± 2nd D.N. = C; C ± 3rd D.N. = D. Here D.N. stands for distance number. In the only two lengthy and fairly legible inscriptions now known from the Jatate drainage of eastern Chiapas a somewhat different arrangement is followed . The distance numbers are not cumulative, that is to say, not reckoned from the last date reached, but give the total interval between the Initial Series and the recorded date. The arrangement is: A + 1st D.N. = B; A + 2nd D.N. = C; A ± 3rd D.N. = D. Such a system is to be found on Stela 3, Santa Elena Poco Uinik, the various dates of which have been deciphered by Blom (Palacios 1926:138; Palacios and Meyer 1932:52), and Thompson (Note 7). The decipherments can be found in the table at right. It will be noted that of the five distance numbers , four relate the associated Calendar Round date with the Initial Series, but the latter is not repeated. One distance number is of the normal cumulative type. Attention has .been called by Thompson in the paper cited to the various examples of Glyphs G and F of the Lunar Series placed between the two parts of three of the Calendar Round dates. Monument T-20, Tonina, was discovered by Blom and La Farge (1926–1927:289–92). Blom reads the Initial Series, most of which is on a missing fragment , as 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac. His reading is Variant Methods of Date Recordings in the Jatate Drainage, Chiapas 177 probably 10 (A4). There follows an indecipherable reckoning. Columns C and D have two Calendar Round dates and two distance numbers: The whole can be restored without serious question as: Upper C-D1-B1 9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac C1-D2 1.14.13.11 With S.S. Introductory Glyph C3-C4 9.16.5.4.0 6 Muluc 17 Mol. Glyph G8? D4 Lunar computation indicator (9.18.0.0.0 11 Ahau 18 Mac) not repeated C6-D6 1.4.11 C7-D7 9.17.18.13.9 2 Muluc 12 Chen The first Muluc is badly eroded, but the details of the second are reasonably clear on a photograph taken this year (Fig. 441a). The first distance number is suite...

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