The Mayan Numbers

Description of The Mayan Numbers

The Mayan Numbers are the notation of numbers based on the positional numeral system used by the Maya civilization in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
This system was used for calendar calculations. In everyday life, the Maya used a non-positional system similar to the ancient Egyptian. The Mayan numbers themselves give an idea of ​​this system, which can be interpreted as recording the first 19 natural numbers in a five-fold non-positional number system.
The Maya numbers consisted of zero (shell sign) and 19 compound numbers. These numbers were constructed from the sign of the unit (dot) and the sign of the five (horizontal bar). For example, the number 19 was written as four dots in a horizontal row above three horizontal lines.

Style Variations

Bold – Light – Solid – Duotone
Each variation is included in the file package.

Maya main description

Mayan symbols

Mayan symbols have had a rich history across Central America. Spreading across a vast territory that stretched from Mexico to Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras, Mayan symbols and glyphs have been found in a vast array of locations. These symbols are crucial to understanding their religion, everyday life, and even their economic and social structure. The earliest known Mayan symbols have been dated to 250 BC, although some think it could have originated even before that. Mayan hieroglyphics have been found carved on stone and bone, painted on pottery and other methods. Mayans were one of the only ancient civilizations that developed their own complex writing system. Alongside this, they also developed their own comprehensive calendar as well as a zodiac system. Unfortunately, though, many of these elements of the Mayan culture and empire have been destroyed over time, leading to confusion in understanding the true meanings of these symbols. After the Spanish conquering of the Maya empire in the 16th century, the Maya were forced to give up their language and religion. The Spanish forced the population into converting to Christianity and communicating in Spanish. After the Conquest, much of the glyphs disappeared, along with any way to interpret their meanings. Over time, researchers have decoded enough that there are now definitions for at least 90% of the existing glyphs.