The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-17
EARLIEST DATES M
 NEW HISTORY SET.
Remarkable Discoveries Are Made And VCitory Scored
 For American Research

Ho0O Gil0 bOthOi OONi SN
 For American Research
 CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Dec. 16.-(By Associated Press. )-The earliest dates in the new world history are August 6, SIS, E. C., and December 10, 5S0, B. C., by the present system of mark ing time, the Peabody museum of Harvard university announced today in making public the final solution of the chronology of Maven dates. This solution, made possible by the studies of Dr. J. H. Scinden of the museum, is hailed as a distinct vic tory for the American School of Re- search in the records of ancient in habitants of Central America since it follows the lines of approach laid down by several scientists of the United States in standardization to the basic theories of the German, French and Spanish savants.
 These positive and perfectly de- fined points in chronology proba bly feel when the working years of one of the worlds first scientists, the uu- known mathematical and astronomi- cal genius who invented the Central the Mayan area, the museums an nouncement says. Actually the nu- merous dates on the monuments of the great Mayan civilization in Yuca- tan and adjacent territory are count ed from a beginning day which cor responds to October 14, 3S73, B. C., but this beginning day was reached by putting seven cycles of 144Q00 days each for the past for the world before the historical first day of the numerical count. The historical first day was August 6, SIS, B. C., at this time a numerical record of elapsed days was begun and in the years that followed various astronomical events were put down in connection with the days on which they happened, pro cedure which soon, gave picture of time adequate for the perfection of calendarica1 machine.
 "On the second date( December 10. 5S0, B. @, the perfected calendar of the Mayas was formally inaugu- rated, according to an inscription at the ruined Mayan city of Copan on the western Honduras. This perfected calendar functioned without the loss of single day for 2,00o years. only to break down and pass out of use when Mayan books-wepe destroyed by the Spanish inquisition in Yuca- tan in A. D. 1561."
 Discovery Of Key.
 Discovery of the key to the ancient calendar of the central Indians re- veals that surprising intellectual power existed in the western world before the coming of Columbus, the report declares, and adds:
 "The inauguration of the perfected Mayan calendar on December 10, 5S0 B. C., means the invention before this date of a symbol for zero-or com pletton, according to the Mayan m 1.1
 numbers. It means place-value nota- tion in the writing of numbers Now place value notation was unknown to the Greeks and the Romans. and its introduction into western Europe was accomplished by the Arabs. This was the Arabic decimal system upon which modern mathematics depends
 The Mayan system was arranged on a modified base of 20 and there fore does not exactly parallel the Arabic system. The inauguration of the Mayan calendar at this early time means that the hieroglyhs of the 20 days of the month, the IS months of the year. etc, had already taken form"
 Dr.. spinden. who is given credit for the solution of a mystery that puzzled scientists for many vears worked out day-for-day correla ton of the Mayan and Gregorian calendars and corroborated his find- ings by using dates on monuments in ancient cities such as Copan. Tikal and Palenque, in connection with ab- solute astronomical and observable astronomical facts.
 Dramatic Proof.
 The most dramtic proof is the discovery othat a jseries O, monu- ments at Copan deal with an ancient congress of astronomy in 13, A. D. ." the report says. It appears that in 99z' A. D;, two monuments were set up on hills on either side of the valley of Copan, the western one showing clearly on the skyline. These monuments are between four ana rive miles aparts and person standing before the Eastern one. or at some spot in the city, on the line connecting the two monuments. would see the sun set directly behind the western, monument two times in the course of the year, namely. AnriI and september ?. in the average Gregorian year. The first of these positions was the beginning of the farmers year, giving him time to ourn the brush and plant his first crop before the rainy season began. ana the second one marked the sec ond planting so the crop would get
 
 Now both of these dates are re- corded at Copan on various monu- ments and they appear prominently at other cities. They are connected with calculations leading directly to the days of the equinoxs and sol stlces. The astronomical congress at Copan celebrated a common accept ance of certain features of the cal endar and shirt in the base line which involved a concept of reIa- tivlty too complicated for easy ex- planation.
 Year Had 365 Days.
 The Magyar year was of 365 days ana While the Mayas did not inter polate leap year days, they knew Just now many to allow for the ac- cumulatlng difference for any given number of years. The formal New ear had originally stood at the winter solstics just 12 days after the recorded date, December 10, 5SO. B. c. when the calendar was inaueu. rated. By 4s0, A. D., this New Year aay had advanced in the year is CO thelded with April 9, and we find thls fact clearly stated
 other dates strongly emphasized III Mayan records are March 21 and september 23, the points of the equlnoXs, and December g and June zz, the points of the solstices. Three famous tablets at Palenque carry the SSalculatlon backward from eSptember e5' 4SO, A. D., the day of the autumn l. nal equlnoX, to 3S73, B. C. in an ef