Another tun-ending date from Stela 5 at Tikal is figured in plate 21,
_G_.[209] In glyphs 1 and 2 the date 4 Ahau 8 Yaxkin appears, the month
sign being represented as a head variant, which has the essential elements
of the sign for Yaxkin (see fig. 19, _k, l_). Following this in glyph 3 is
Tun 13, to which is prefixed the same ending-sign variant as the prefixial
or superfixial elements in figure 37, _i, r, u, v_. We have recorded here
then "Tun 13 ending on 4 Ahau 8 Yaxkin," though there seems to be no
mention elsewhere in this inscription of the number of the katun in which
this particular tun fell. By referring to Great Cycle 54 of Goodman's
Tables (Goodman, 1897), however, it appears that Tun 13 of Katun 15 of
Cycle 9 closed with this date 4 Ahau 8 Yaxkin, and we may assume,
therefore, that this is the correct position in the Long Count of the
tun-ending date here recorded. This date corresponds to the Initial Series
9.15.13.0.0 4 Ahau 8 Yaxkin.
There is a very unusual Period-ending date on the west side of Stela C at
Quirigua[210] (see pl. 21, _H_). In glyphs 1 and 2 appears the number 0
kins, 0 uinals, 5 tuns, and 17 katuns, which we may write 17.5.0.0 and
following this in glyphs 3 and 4 is the date 6 Ahau 13 Kayab. At first
sight this would appear to be a Secondary Series, the number 17.5.0.0 being
counted forward from some preceding date to reach the date 6 Ahau 13 Kayab
recorded just after it. The next date preceding this on the west side of
Stela C at Quirigua is the Initial-series terminal date 6 Ahau 13 Yaxkin,
illustrated together with its corresponding Initial-series number in figure
68, _A_. However, all attempts to reach the date 6 Ahau 13 Kayab by
counting either forward or backward the number 17.5.0.0 from the date 6
Ahau 13 Yaxkin will prove unsuccessful, and we must seek another
explanation for the four glyphs here under discussion. If this were a
Period-ending date it would mean that Tun 5 of Katun 17 came to an end on
the date 6 Ahau 13 Kayab. Let us see whether this is true. Assuming that
our cycle coefficient is 9, as we have done in all the other Period-ending
dates presented, we may express glyphs 1 and 2 as the following
Initial-series number, provided they represent a period ending, not a
Secondary-series number: 9.17.5.0.0. Reducing this number to units of the
1st order, and applying the rules previously given for solving Initial
Series, the terminal date reached will be 6 Ahau 13 Kayab, identical with
the date recorded in glyphs 3 and 4. We may conclude, therefore, that this
example records the fact that "Tun 5 of Katun 17 ended on the date 6 Ahau
13 Kayab," this being identical with the Initial Series 9.17.5.0.0 6 Ahau
13 Kayab.
[Illustration: EXAMPLES OF PERIOD-ENDING DATES IN CYCLES OTHER THAN CYCLE
9]
{227}
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