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Ancient Maya Codex Reveals Advanced Celestial Predictions

11/24/2025

Summary

Story summary

The Dresden Codex contains an eclipses table repurposed from earlier lunar tables, illustrating the Maya civilization's focus on celestial prediction.
A study published in Science Advances explains how the table was built and how the Maya kept it accurate over long periods.
The Maya used three calendars—Long Count, Tzolk’in, and Haab’—to organize time.
Despite destruction by Spanish conquistadors, the Dresden Codex dating to the 11th–12th century remains a key source of Maya astronomy.

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Story summary

The Dresden Codex contains an eclipses table repurposed from earlier lunar tables, illustrating the Maya civilization's focus on celestial prediction.
A study published in Science Advances explains how the table was built and how the Maya kept it accurate over long periods.
The Maya used three calendars—Long Count, Tzolk’in, and Haab’—to organize time.
Despite destruction by Spanish conquistadors, the Dresden Codex dating to the 11th–12th century remains a key source of Maya astronomy.