News Archaeology

This hieroglyph is the oldest known record of the Maya calendar

The system is still used today, a testament to the persistence of Maya knowledge

two fragment so of a Maya mural showing a drawing of the 7 Deer hieroglyph

These two plaster mural fragments jigsaw together to form a record of the date “7 Deer” from the ancient 260-day Maya calendar. The pieces, which fit in the palm of a human hand, may have accompanied a scene or human figure as a sort of ancient timestamp.

San Bartolo-Xultun Regional Archaeological Project

By Anna Gibbs

- More than 2 years ago

Buried within the Las Pinturas pyramid in San Bartolo, Guatemala, thousands of painted plaster mural fragments offer a window into ancient Maya civilization.