The above calculations have been made on the supposition that the
initial dates record the date of the erection of the stelæ, and on the
further supposition, as has been stated, that the same principle of
calculating time has been continued from the earliest ages. There is,
however, some evidence that a change has been made, at least in detail.
It has already been seen that the beginning day of the month has been
shifted from the Eznab, Akbal series to the Cauac, Kan series of days.
What difference this would have made in the relation of the
year-and-month count with the long count it is impossible to say without
knowing the means used to effect the change; but it is quite likely that
this relation was not affected. In the Book of Chilan Balam of Mani is
the entry: "The Thirteenth Ahau; then Pop was counted in order." And in
the Book of Chilan Balam of Chumayel we find, "The Thirteenth Ahau; Pop
was set in order." This statement occurs in the early part of the
chronicle, and the calculation of the Ahaus goes on after it in exactly
the same way as before it. This setting in order of Pop would not then
seem to have made any difference in the long count. At least it is very
probable that it means merely that the seasons and the calendar were
made to agree.
Dr Brinton (_Maya Chronicles_, p. 85) also gives a translation of a part
of the Codice Perez, which refers to the "Doubling of the Katuns." The
statement is very obscure, but only tends to show that while the
counting of the katuns was carried on as in the Books of Chilan Balam,
the first of the series was called Katun 8 Ahau instead of Katun 13
Ahau, while the last of the series was Katun 10 Ahau. This would not
necessarily change the consecutive order of the katuns, but might merely
give a new starting-point.
While, therefore, it is impossible to say what change, if any, was made
in the reckoning of time, it may be said that there is no evidence at
present to show that the old relation of the long count to the
year-and-month count and to the count of the Books of Chilan Balam did
not continue to the time of the arrival of the Spaniards. Moreover, the
date of A.D. 34 for the monuments of Copan and Quirigua is by no means
unlikely to be the true one. At all events the above discussion of the
reckoning will not be useless if it succeeds in bringing out new facts,
and no one will be more ready to recognize any new evidence than I shall
be, even if the above deductions shall be shown to be erroneous.
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
In general every effort has been made to replicate the original text as
faithfully as possible, including some instances of inconsistencies of
spelling (Ahpula/Ahpulha; Ymix/Imix) and possible irregularities in the
use of commas and periods in Mayan dates.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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