The foregoing Period-ending dates have all been in Cycle 9, even though
this fact has not been recorded in any of the above examples. We come next
to the consideration of Period-ending dates which occurred in cycles other
than Cycle 9.
In plate 22, _A_, is figured a Period-ending date from the tablet in the
Temple of the Cross at Palenque.[211] In glyphs 1 and 2 appears the date 4
Ahau 8 Cumhu (compare the month form in glyph 2 with fig. 19, _g', h'_),
and in glyph 3 an ending sign (compare glyph 3 with the ending signs in
fig. 37, _l-q_, and with the zero signs in fig. 54). There follows in glyph
4, Cycle 13. These four glyphs record the fact, therefore, that Cycle 13
closed on the date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, the starting point of Maya chronology.
This same date is again recorded on a round altar at Piedras Negras (see
pl. 22, _B_).[212] In glyphs 1 and 2 appears the date 4 Ahau 8 Cumhu, and
in glyph 3a the ending sign, which is identical with the ending sign in the
preceding example, both having the clasped hand, the subfix showing a curl
infix, and the tassel-like postfix. Compare also figure 37, _l-q_, and
figure 54. Glyph 3b clearly records Cycle 13. The dates in plate 22, _A,
B_, are therefore identical. In both cases the cycle is expressed by its
normal form.
In plate 22, _C_, is figured a Period-ending date from the tablet in the
Temple of the Foliated Cross at Palenque.[213] In glyph 1 appears an ending
sign in which the hand element and tassel-like postfix show clearly. This
is followed in glyph 2 by Cycle 2, the clasped hand on the head variant
unmistakably indicating the cycle head. Finally, in glyphs 3 and 4 appears
the date 2 Ahau 3 Uayeb (compare the month form with fig. 19, _i'_).[214]
The glyphs in plate 22, _C_, record, therefore, the fact that Cycle 2
closed on the date 2 Ahau 3 Uayeb, a fact which the student may prove for
himself by converting this Period-ending date into its corresponding
Initial Series and solving the same. Since the end of a cycle is recorded
here, it is evident that the katun, tun, uinal, and kin coefficients must
all be 0, and our Initial-series number will be, therefore, 2.0.0.0.0.
Reducing this to units of the 1st order and proceeding as in the case of
Initial Series, the terminal date reached will be 2 Ahau 3 Uayeb, just as
recorded in glyphs 3 and 4. The Initial Series corresponding to this
Period-ending date will be 2.0.0.0.0 2 Ahau 3 Uayeb.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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