Please see Transcriber’s notes at the end of this document.
PAPERS
OF THE
PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY
AND ETHNOLOGY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Vol. VI.—No. 2
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF THENUMBER SERIES ON PAGES 51 TO 58OF THE DRESDEN CODEX
BY
CARL E. GUTHE
Cambridge, Mass.
Published by the Museum
1921
COPYRIGHT, 1921
BY THE PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY
AND ETHNOLOGY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY
NOTE
The solution set forth in this paper formed a part of athesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, taken inAnthropology at Harvard University.
Thanks are due Dr. A. M. Tozzer of Harvard University,and Mr. S. G. Morley of The Carnegie Institutionof Washington, for the interest they have taken in mywork and the valuable aid they have given. I mustthank especially Professor R. W. Willson of the AstronomicalDepartment of Harvard for the inestimablehelp and unfailing patience he has contributed to mywork. There are many statements throughout thispaper which are the direct result of his teachings.
I wish also to thank Mr. Charles P. Bowditch, withoutwhose inspiration and aid this work would not havebeen accomplished.
Carl E. Guthe
Andover, Massachusetts
July, 1919
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF THE NUMBERSERIES ON PAGES 51 TO 58 OF THEDRESDEN CODEX
DESCRIPTION
In the Dresden Codex, one of the three Maya manuscripts in existence,there is found a series of numbers covering eight pages, 51to 58 (plate I). As early as 1886, Dr. Förstemann recognized thisseries as an important one, and one which probably referred to themoon in some way. Each page is divided into an upper and alower half designated, respectively, “a” and “b.” Pages 51aand 52a form a unit in themselves, but are clearly associated withthe remaining pages. The probable meaning of this group is stillso doubtful that it has been deemed best to omit entirely a discussionof it at the present time. The remaining sections of thesepages form one long series of numbers which should be read fromleft to right, beginning at 53a, reading to 58a, continuing on 51b,and ending the series at 58b.
Each half-page is divided, horizontally, into four sections. Theupper section consists of two rows of hieroglyphs. The sectionjust below it contains a series of black numbers which increase invalue from left to right. The third section consists of three rowsof day glyphs with red numbers attached to them. The intervalbetween the glyphs in successive rows can, of course, be mathematicallyobtained. The last, and bottom, division of the page isfilled with a series of black numbers which are of three values only,n