Mayan Writing and Number System

By Alex Falk and Kate Pfister

Thursday, February 7, 13

What Makes the Mayan Number System Unique? The Mayan number system consisted of shells, dots, and lines. This number system is base 20, unlike ours which is base 10.

Thursday, February 7, 13

What are Glyphs and What do They Represent?

Glyphs are a highly complex writing system that the mayans developed and used thousands of years ago. Only higher members of the society knew how to write and use this system. Glyphs represent local history and mythology.

Thursday, February 7, 13

What is the Mayan Long Count Calendar? A calendar that represents the number of days since the start of the Mayan era.

Thursday, February 7, 13

What Makes This Calendar Different From Other Cultures’ Calendars?

The Mayan calendar used a pyramid, with four stairways of 91 steps on each and three different dating systems together. The Aztecs and the Toltecs used the same kind of system but the names of the days of the week and months were different.

Thursday, February 7, 13

What were Mayan Books Like?

Mayan books or codices were made from bark paper and coated with lime to make a fresh white surface. Moreover, these codices were screen-folded and bound with wood and deer hide.

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What Happened to These books When the Spanish Arrived? When the Spanish arrived they burned

most of the books. Only four codices remain today.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY❖m/maya/artistry.htm

❖calenders/calender-mayan.html

❖webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-mayan.html

Thursday, February 7, 13