Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

   The formula shows how one 2,920-day cycle could be divided up into the calendar units used by the Maya people. This 2,920-day cycle was important because it tied together key astronomical cycles, corresponding to both five Venus cycles (584 days each) and eight solar years (365 days each). However, the Text 19 calculations also relate the 2,920 days to Uinal (months with 20 days), Tzolkin (the 260-day sacred calendar), Tun (a year with 360 days) and Mars years of 780 days.

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#5

Post by ks2048 » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 12:12 AM UTC

The article being discussed (with reconstructed glyph drawings and description):

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/id...

(PDF button not working for me, but looks like entire contents are here in HTML).

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#6

Post by throwaway27448 » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 12:32 AM UTC

vessenes wrote: post #4

Oooh Cool. Math Bragging by "White Chested Fox" (Sak Tahn Waax), ca 800AD: The formula shows how one 2,920-day cycle could be divided up into the calendar units used by the Maya people. This 2,920-day cycle was important because it tied together key astronomical cycles, corresponding to both five Venus cycles (584 days each) and eight solar years (365 days each). However, the Text 19 calculations also relate the 2,92…

What do Tun and Mars have to do with each other?

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#7

Post by unitindex » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 1:08 AM UTC

It's a shame how much was lost from some of these civilizations after colonialism. So much cool stuff gone forever.

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#8

Post by winterbourne » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 1:20 AM UTC

I still can't reconcile how they didn't use the wheel for transportation. The explanations of lack of draft animals and unsuitable terrain aren't great. Not even a wheelbarrow?

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#9

Post by vector_spaces » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 1:46 AM UTC

I wonder how intelligible classical Maya is with modern Maya languages/points on the Maya continuum. For instance, does the classical word for fox share any resemblance to any Maya word for it today?

I can imagine it going either way really but would probably guess there was vastly more drift in the case of Maya. I would naively guess that the printing press would have a dampening effect on language drift, and that the kind of repression of both the language and culture under colonialism would encourage it.

Re: Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an ancient astronomer

#10

Post by vessenes » Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 1:49 AM UTC

throwaway27448 wrote: post #6

vessenes wrote: post #4

Oooh Cool. Math Bragging by "White Chested Fox" (Sak Tahn Waax), ca 800AD: The formula shows how one 2,920-day cycle could be divided up into the calendar units used by the Maya people. This 2,920-day cycle was important because it tied together key astronomical cycles, corresponding to both five Venus cycles (584 days each) and eight solar years (365 days each). However, the Text 19 calculations also relate the 2,92…

What do Tun and Mars have to do with each other?

You just need to read White Chested Fox's math brag to understand it!