The Maya developed one of the first writing systems in the Americas. Their writing used pictures and symbols (known as glyphs) to represent words and ideas. The glyphs could be found on walls and in books.
In 1973 David Stuart who was 8 years old started sketching the Maya glyphs. After doing this for awhile he was able to figure out what many of the symbols meant. When he was 11 it took him just 8 hours to decipher a tablet that some adults had taken 5 years to figure out!
Mayan books used hieroglyphs.
The books were called codices. These were not
like the books we have today. The books were folded (kind of like a fan)
and the reader had to unfold them to read. The books told about the gods
and the important people.
The Mayan
number system was not based on ten like our number system. Instead
it was based on 20. In addition to counting the Maya could also add and
subtract with their numbers.
The Mayas were very advanced with the study of astronomy. They plotted the movement of the sun, moon, and Venus. Hundreds of years ago they calculated that it took Venus 584 days to orbit the sun. Astronomers today know that it takes Venus 583.92 days to orbit the sun. Weren't those Mayans amazing!!
The Mayans also developed a calendar considered to be the most accurate
calendar
of the ancient world. A thousand years ago the Mayans calculated the length
of the year to be 365 days.
ACTIVITIES
1. Write your name in
Maya glyphs.
2. Write today's calendar
date using the Maya calendar.
3. Write
5 math problems using Maya numbers. Give them to a friend to solve.
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