[107] In a few cases the sign shown in fig. [65] occurs elsewhere in the Supplementary Series than as its "closing" glyph. In such cases its coefficient is not restricted to the number 9 or 10.
[108] In the codices frequently the month parts of dates are omitted and starting points and terminal dates alike are expressed as days only; thus, 2 Ahau, 5 Imix, 7 Kan, etc. This is nearly always the case in tonalamatls and in certain series of numbers in the Dresden Codex.
[109] Only a very few month signs seem to be recorded in the Codex Tro-Cortesiano and the Codex Peresianus. The Tro-Cortesiano has only one (p. 73b), in which the date 13 Ahau 13 Cumhu is recorded thus (*
). Compare the month form in this date with fig. [20], z-b'. Mr. Gates (1910: p. 21) finds three month signs in the Codex Peresianus, on pp. 4, 7, and 18 at 4c7, 7c2, and 18b4, respectively. The first of these is 16 Zac (**
). Compare this form with fig. [20], o. The second is 1 Yaxkin (†). Compare this form with fig. [20], i-j. The third is 12 Cumhu (††); see fig. [20], z-b'.
[110] As used throughout this work, the word "inscriptions" is applied only to texts from the monuments.
[111] The term glyph-block has been used instead of glyph in this connection because in many inscriptions several different glyphs are included in one glyph-block. In such cases, however, the glyphs within the glyph-block follow precisely the same order as the glyph-blocks themselves follow in the pairs of columns, that is, from left to right and top to bottom.
[112] Initial Series which have all their period glyphs expressed by normal forms are comparatively rare; consequently the four examples presented in pl. [6], although they are the best of their kind, leave something to be desired in other ways. In pl. [6], A, for example, the month sign was partially effaced though it is restored in the accompanying reproduction; in B of the same plate the closing glyph of the Supplementary Series (the month-sign indicator) is wanting, although the month sign itself is very clear. Again, in D the details of the day glyph and month glyph are partially effaced (restored in the reproduction), and in C, although the entire text is very clear, the month sign of the terminal date irregularly follows immediately the day sign. However, in spite of these slight irregularities, it has seemed best to present these particular texts as the first examples of Initial Series, because their period glyphs are expressed by normal forms exclusively, which, as pointed out above, are more easily recognized on account of their greater differentiation than the corresponding head variants.