We Finally Know The Name of a Revered Maya Astronomer-Mathematician: Sak Tahn Waax - ScienceAlert
Researchers have identified a specific Maya mathematician-astronomer named Sak Tahn Waax, meaning 'White-chested Fox', through inscriptions found in Guatemala. This discovery marks the first time a specific individual has been credited for a mathematical formula from the Classic Maya period.
Why it matters
Provides a significant breakthrough in understanding the history of Maya science and the individuals behind their advanced astronomical calculations.
Add ScienceAlert on Google The researchers had a series of hieroglyphs to decipher. (Rossi et al., Antiquity , 2026) The Classic Maya period, from around 250-900 CE, is seen as something of a golden age for the civilization .
During that time, the Maya people made huge leaps forward in terms of architecture, city-building, art, writing, mathematics, and astronomy.
However, in those last two disciplines, scientists have been unable to identify individual scholars who made a difference during this time – until now.
A team of researchers from the US, writing in the journal Antiquity , has identified someone called Sak Tahn Waax, which translates as 'White-chested Fox'. The name of this Indigenous mathematician-astronomer was left alongside a rather impressive mathematical formula.
It's the first time a specific piece of work in mathematics or astronomy from the Classic Maya period has been attributed to a specific individual.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in