which we already found on page 24, is equal to 146 × 260, 104 × 365, 65 × 584, 13 × 2920. I am inclined to think that I also found 113,880 on page 24.
But the 3 × 37,960 = 113,880 days do not form the entire period treated of here. For the three periods begin and end with the days:—
| I Ahau 13 Mac (10 Muluc), |
| I Ahau 18 Kayab (3 Kan), |
| I Ahau 3 Xul (4 Cauac). |
Hence these three dates, the second of which was found on page 24, prove that the three periods of 37,960 are not consecutive, but that there is an interval between them. Now between the first and second of the three dates the interval is 19 years + 85 days = 7020 days, and between the second and third, the interval is 26 years + 130 days = 9620 days. If these two periods be added to the 113,880 days, the sum is the whole period treated of here, viz:— 130,520 = 502 × 260 days.
But a truly surprising result is obtained, if, as must often be the case with series, we begin not with the upper of the three dates, but with the lower.
From I Ahau 3 Xul (4 Cauac) to I Ahau 18 Kayab (3 Kan) there is a lapse of 9360 days or 12 apparent Mars years of 780 days, such as we shall find as the principal subject of page 59. 9360, however, equals 25 × 365 + 235 days. We shall meet with this 235 again as a difference on page 63.
But from I Ahau 18 Kayab (3 Kan) to I Ahau 13 Mac (10 Muluc) there are 11,960 days, i.e., the 104 Mercury years, which we found on page 24, and which we shall find again as the principal period on pages 51-58. But this is equal to 32 years + 280 or 33 years - 85 days. Now if 113,880, 9360, 11,960 are added together, we have for the entire period under discussion here, 135,200 days, and this is equal to 2 × 260 × 260 days. Thus the Mayas seem actually to have had an idea of a second power.
Finally I would call attention to a singular double connection between the numbers occurring here:—
| 37,960 - 11,960 = 26,000 = 100 Tonalamatls, |
| 11,960 - 9,360 = 2600 = 10 Tonalamatls. |