Maya Mural Reveals 1,200-Year-Old Mars and Venus Calculations by Sak Tahn Waax
Updated
Updated · New Scientist · Jul 13
Maya Mural Reveals 1,200-Year-Old Mars and Venus Calculations by Sak Tahn Waax
3 articles · Updated · New Scientist · Jul 13
Summary
Text 19 at Xultun, Guatemala, has yielded the first direct personal identification of an ancestral Maya astronomer-mathematician: Sak Tahn Waax, or White-chested Fox.
Eleven hieroglyphs on the mural encode a time formula linking a 584-day Venus cycle, a 780-day Mars cycle, a 260-day ritual calendar and a 365-day solar year.
Researchers say the calculation spans 2,920 days—five Venus synodic cycles—and most likely points to 7 November AD 781 in the Julian calendar.
The inscription was deciphered through scanning, angled-light photography and comparison with later Maya astronomical texts, after excavations since 2010 uncovered about 50 draft-like inscriptions in the chamber.
The find offers the oldest recorded name of an astronomer-mathematician in the Americas and suggests Maya planetary calculations helped guide ceremony, seasonal planning and predictive astronomy.
Was Saktahnwaax a lone genius, or the first glimpse into a forgotten network of Maya scientific schools?
How did Maya astronomers create calendars more accurate than Europe's without telescopes or metal tools?
Why was the planet Venus so crucial to the Maya that it dictated their decisions on religion and warfare?
Saktahnwaax of Xultun: The First Named Maya Scientist and the Rediscovery of Ancient Maya Astronomy and Mathematics
Overview
A recent excavation at Xultun, led by Stuart's team, began in an area previously exposed by looting and revealed a painted wall. This discovery led to the uncovering of about 50 paintings and written texts, most of which are closely linked to astronomical and mathematical observations. Through careful analysis using scale drawings and digitally enhanced photographs, the team identified Saktahnwaax, believed to be the first named Maya scientist. This groundbreaking find offers a unique glimpse into the intellectual life of the ancient Maya and highlights their advanced scientific achievements.