Having corrected this error we see that the ten pictures are on the following pages and come after the following numbers of the series:—

1. 53a 502
2. 55a 2244
3. 56a 3278
4. 57a 4488
5. 52b 6230
6. 53b 7264
7. 54b 8474
8. 56b 10216
9. 57b 11250
10. 58b 11958 .

From this it follows that a picture is assigned to each of the nine sections composing the series. They are placed, however, not at the beginning or end of the section, but always after the expiration of 502 (= 2 × 177 + 148) days. The pictures are thus separated from one another by 1742, 1034 and 1210 days, which intervals correspond exactly to the length of the nine sections. But the last picture is separated from the preceding one by 708 days, and as it has a character quite its own, it must be discussed separately. But these 708 days with the 502 days of the beginning quite regularly amount to 1210 days, and the series is therefore to be considered as a recurring one.

Now these nine pictures might very easily be regarded as forming a new series, which is inserted in the original one and which has the day 502 as its zero-point. In that case, we shall have to subtract 502 every time from the days set down in the Manuscript. This new series may be represented thus:—

1. 53a 0
2. 55a 1742
3. 56a 2776
4. 57a 3986
5. 52b 5728
6. 53b 6762
7. 54b 7972
8. 56b 9714
9. 57b 10748 .

It is certainly remarkable that the last number, 10748, corresponds so closely to the time of the revolution of Saturn, which is computed at 10753 days. For owing to the slowness of its progress, the Mayas may have known not only the apparent but also the actual revolution of Saturn. Besides the apparent revolution of Saturn (378 days from one superior conjunction to the next) could not be made to coincide very well with the length of the solar year. I will immediately present a further confirmation of my theory.

All these pictures have rectangles above them, of which I have spoken in my "Erläuterungen," page 16, and which always enclosed two or three hieroglyphs in which, with due hesitation, I assumed to be the signs of the sun, moon, and planets. This theory has as yet called forth no serious opposition.

Now in the passages just mentioned, I indicated the following figures as the signs of Saturn:—

These figures actually occur in all the nine pictures with the exception of the first, which has no rectangle at all, and where in true Maya fashion, the zero-point is concealed.