Lakhasly

Knowledge of the Mayan civilisation has been greatly increased in the last thirty years (see for example [3] and [8]).Modern techniques such as high resolution radar images, aerial photography and satellite images have changed conceptions of the Maya civilisation.Tikal is probably the largest of the cities and recent studies have identified about 3000 separate constructions including temples, palaces, shrines, wood and thatch houses, terraces, causeways, plazas and huge reservoirs for storing rainwater.Of course astronomy and calendar calculations require mathematics and indeed the Maya constructed a very sophisticated number systems.Farming with sophisticated raised fields and irrigation systems provided the food to support the population.The rulers were astronomer priests who lived in the cities who controlled the people with their religious instructions.

Knowledge of the Mayan civilisation has been greatly increased in the last thirty years (see for example [3] and [8]). Modern techniques such as high resolution radar images, aerial photography and satellite images have changed conceptions of the Maya civilisation. We are interested in the Classic Period of the Maya which spans the period 250 AD to 900 AD, but this classic period was built on top of a civilisation which had lived in the region from about 2000 BC.

The Maya of the Classic Period built large cities, around fifteen have been identified in the Yucatán peninsular, with recent estimates of the population of the city of Tikal in the Southern Lowlands being around 50000 at its peak. Tikal is probably the largest of the cities and recent studies have identified about 3000 separate constructions including temples, palaces, shrines, wood and thatch houses, terraces, causeways, plazas and huge reservoirs for storing rainwater. The rulers were astronomer priests who lived in the cities who controlled the people with their religious instructions. Farming with sophisticated raised fields and irrigation systems provided the food to support the population.

A common culture, calendar, and mythology held the civilisation together and astronomy played an important part in the religion which underlay the whole life of the people. Of course astronomy and calendar calculations require mathematics and indeed the Maya constructed a very sophisticated number systems.
The Mayan Number System As we stated earlier, the Mayans used a base-20 system, called “vigesimal” system. Like our system, it is positional, meaning that the position of a numeric symbol indicates its place value.