9.14.13. 4.17 12 Caban 5 Kayab Plate 19, _A_, A1-A6 13. 9. 9 Plate 19, _A_, A10 9.15. 6.14. 6 6 Cimi 4 Tzec Plate 19, _B_, B11b-A12a [9.15.10. 0. 0] 3 Ahau 3 Mol Plate 19, _B_, A15 [9.15. 0. 0. 0] 4 Ahau 13 Yax Plate 19, _B_, A17 9.14.13. 4.17 12 Caban 5 Kayab Plate 19, _B_, A18b B18a 1.16.13. 3 Plate 19, _B_, B17 A18a 9.16.10. 0. 0 1 Ahau 3 Zip Plate 19, _B_, A19 (repeated as Initial Series on east side of monument) 9.16.10. 0. 0 1 Ahau 3 Zip Plate 20, A1-B5-B8 The student will note the close similarity between this inscription and that on Stela J (figured in figs. 78 and 79), a summary of which appears on page 239. Both commence with the same date, 9.14.13.4.17 12 Caban 5 Kayab; both show the date 9.15.6.14.6 6 Cimi 4 Tzec; both have dates which are just 1 katun in advance of the hotuns which they mark; and finally, both are hotun-markers, Stela J preceding Stela F by just 1 hotun. The date from which both proceed, 9.14.13.4.17 12 Caban 5 Kayab, is an important one at Quirigua, being the earliest date there. It appears on four monuments, namely, Stelæ J, F, and E, and Zoömorph G. Although the writer has not been able to prove the point, he is of the opinion that the glyph shown in figure 80, _a_, tells the meaning of the event which happened on this date, which is, moreover, the earliest date at Quirigua which {222} it is possible to regard as being contemporaneous. Hence, it is not improbable that it might refer to the founding of the city or some similar event, though this is of course a matter of speculation. The fact, however, that 9.14.13.4.17 12 Caban 5 Kayab is the earliest date on four different hotun-markers shows that it was of supreme importance in the history of Quirigua. This concludes the discussion of texts showing the use of Secondary Series with Initial Series. TEXTS RECORDING PERIOD ENDINGS It was explained in Chapter III (p. 77) that in addition to Initial-series dating and Secondary-series dating, the Maya used still another method in fixing events, which was designated Period-ending dating. It was explained further that, although Period-ending dating was less exact than the other two methods, it served equally well for all practical purposes, since dates fixed by it could not recur until after a lapse of more than 18,000 years, a considerably longer period than that covered by the recorded history of mankind. Finally, the student will recall that the katun was said to be the period most commonly used in this method of dating.