The three parts are not exactly alike, however, as has already been pointed out in considering the probable errors. If the upper numbers and day numbers in column 6 should be altered, so that the difference 178 might occur in that column instead of column 7, and if, by the same process, the difference of 148 could occur in column 59 instead of 58, then the three parts of the series would be entirely alike. The three facts mentioned are, however, very strong evidence for supposing that the people who used this table considered it as consisting of three equal parts. This series in the Dresden is very similar to other pages of the Dresden and other manuscripts, two examples of which are given as illustrations. One of the most interesting parallels is the series on pages 46-50 of this same manuscript. This series covers a period of 2920 days which is divided into 20 unequal subdivisions. On page 24, which just precedes page 46, this number is used as a unit in multiplication, that is, the numbers occurring on page 24 are separated from each other by 2920 or multiples of this number. On pages 44b and 45b the number 78 is divided into four unequal parts, and on pages 43b and 44b it is used as a unit in a series which finally reaches the number 1940 × 78. SOLUTIONS The first references to these pages in the manuscript were concerned chiefly with the reading of the numbers without any theories in regard to the probable meaning of the series. Dr. Förstemann, in 1886, was probably the first to mention these pages specifically. At this time he corrected many of the errors in the series, and related the rows of days to the number series.[6] He had already recognized a close relation between the difference between the 1st and 9th pictures, i.e., 10,748, and the Saturn sidereal period of 10,753 days. Of course, in order to do this he had also identified the various signs in the “constellation bands,” assigning them to various planets.[7] These identifications are based on little more than the wish he had that they might be those planets, and for that reason they are seriously open to doubt. [6] Förstemann, 1886, p. 34. [7] Ibid., pp. 68-71. Cyrus Thomas, two years later, also discussed this series at some length, but confined his considerations entirely to the mathematical side of the work. He also pointed out most of the errors, agreeing in the main with Förstemann. He considered that the series contained 11,960 days. In his conclusion he said “the sum of the series as shown by the numbers over the second column of Plate 58b is 33 years, 3 months, and 18 days. As this includes only the top day of this column (10 Cimi), we must add two days to complete the series, which ends with 12 Lamat.”[8] [8] Thomas, 1888, p, 325.