. Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . the Dresden codex, plate XLiii. GREAT CYCLE AND CYCLE SYMBOLS 267 This is an evident approacli to the great-cjcle symbol, as may be seenby comparing number 9, figure 163, with the types of the usual formshown in numbers 1 and 2, figure 162. The usual cycle symbol orsymbol of the 5th order of units (figure 165 and figure 148) does notfollow the ahau type, being wholly different in form. But an exam-ination of the great-cycle symbols given in numbers 1 and 2, figure 162,and in the other figures
. Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . the Dresden codex, plate XLiii. GREAT CYCLE AND CYCLE SYMBOLS 267 This is an evident approacli to the great-cjcle symbol, as may be seenby comparing number 9, figure 163, with the types of the usual formshown in numbers 1 and 2, figure 162. The usual cycle symbol orsymbol of the 5th order of units (figure 165 and figure 148) does notfollow the ahau type, being wholly different in form. But an exam-ination of the great-cycle symbols given in numbers 1 and 2, figure 162,and in the other figures referred to above shows clearly that they arebased on the ahau symbol. If the additions to the ahau symbol inorder to form this symbol have any number signification—and it isreasonable to suppose that they do, as the symbols are numeralcharacters—then Goodman is probably right in assuming that thecomb-like figures (the center character being variable) denote 20 as amultiple. The ordinary cycle symbol varies fiom the ahau type,being made up of two Cauac characters; but these have the same sig-. FiG. 11)3. Typus of the aliau (360) symbol. nification, if Goodman be right, as the comb-like figures in the katunand great-cycle symbols—that is, 20. Of this, however, we have nopositive ijroof, except it be found in the symbol itself, where the char-acter is, or the two combined are, beyond question, used to rei^resenta number. An examination of the face characters for this period ororder of units shows that, as a general rule, the symbol of 20 or fullcount (equals 0) (see figure 144) is present in the form of a handacross the lower jaw. We have also called attention to the fact thatthe only face character of the great cycle found in the inscriptions(see glyph 5, figure 158) has the hand across the lower jaw, indicatingthat it is equivalent to 20 of the next lower order, that is, 20 cycles. There is, in fact, seemingly positive evidence that the superfix ofthe great-cycle characte
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