The identification and work of an eighth-century Maya mathematician

2026/07/14 by Franco D. Rossi, David Stuart, Heather Hurst · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Latin American history and culture #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Ancient Egypt and Archaeology

paper · pdf · doi:10.15184/aqy.2026.10378

Abstract

Maya glyphic texts from the Classic period (250–900 CE) typically chronicle the exploits of historical or divine characters; everyday or functional records are rare. Here, the authors offer a reconstruction and transcription of a ‘microtext’ painted on an interior wall of Structure 10K-2 at the site of Xultun, Guatemala. The text records a unique astronomical formula that concludes with a name, attributing the work to an individual named Sak Tahn Waax (‘White-chested Fox’). To date, this is the only known example of a Classic Maya mathematician directly credited for their work, attesting to the value of its intellectual authorship.

Discussions

• The original paper this article was based on is published in @antiquity.ac.uk doi.org/10.15184/aqy... [bsky, 14 points, 1 comments]

Related

• A Reading of the “ox-‘ahaal” (3-conquest) stairs of Yaxchilan
• Solution of the Mayan Calendar Enigma
• The Mayan Long Count Calendar
• Lessons from Mayan Astronomy
• Re-framing the Rilaj Mam in Santiago Atitlán: A Discussion of Evidence which Suggests the “Primordial” Origin of Maximón