Maya astronomer-mathematician Sak Tahn Waax identified after 1,250 years

In Guatemala, archaeologists have uncovered the identity of a Maya mathematician-astronomer named Sak Tahn Waax, who lived approximately 1,250 years ago. His name is inscribed at the conclusion of a mathematical equation on a wall located in Xultun, which is 340km southwest of Guatemala City. This finding sheds light on the Maya's understanding of astronomy and mathematics. Franco Rossi, an archaeologist from MIT and the principal author of a study published in Antiquity, highlighted the uniqueness of such signatures. The formula attributed to Sak Tahn Waax details a 260-day ritual calendar and the movements of planets. The writings, discovered between 2010 and 2012, were digitally enhanced, revealing 52 microtexts that likely served as rough drafts for codices, suggesting a site for training in calendrical calculations.