Generally, there is a handful of quality printed material.
However, more recently, a lot has begun to appear on
websites. In fact, there are now site with excellent glyph
graphics which are inconceivable in the printed medium,
simply because we're trying to communicate the funda-
mentals of a new language.
As for kids, this may be limited. Certainly one can share
the Mayan dot and bar arthemetic. Simple. But the
calendrics is where their genius flows. This, however,
reqires some understanding of their language, but only
for examples of where the "words" are (in the four codices
and many stone stelae). Besides, kids learn new languages
faster than we do.
Of course, Aztec and others adopted their mathematics
to that of the Maya.
By the way, Dale Seymour has a nice poster ("Math of
Mexico"). Basic stuff.
If I had to make one website recommendation, it would be
> The Rabbit in the Moon :
> http://www.halfmoon.org/index.html
>
My favorite book is a Dover edition:
> An Introduction to the Study of the Mayan Hieroglyphics,
> S.G.Morley, 1915.
>
Good luck,
Al
/==============( attachement )================/
From: Barron, Alfred [PRI]
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 1998 2:40 PM
To: Barron, Alfred [PRI]
Subject: Meso-American Math
Importance: High
> SUPPLEMENTAL REFERENCE LIST ON
> MESOAMERICAN MATHEMATICS
>
> This is a spliced list of references on Mesoamerican Mathematics,
> particularly that of the Maya. In addition to most of the titles cited,
> there are excellent survey and reference works covering this subject
> under the categories of history of mathematics, ethnomathematics,
> etc. In that regard, it is supplemental. There are, of course, other
> lists to peruse.
>
> While most of the titles are printed texts, a fair number are for URL
> website addresses. For these, a caveat in in order. Given the evolving
> nature of internet servers, accounts, and file ownership, some of the
> addresses listed may have, or be in the process of changing at the
> time of this writing. Thus the curious will do well using the appropriate
> key words with their favorite search engine. No apologies offered for
> duplication. One additional note. Most of the refrences offered are
> in English. Presumably, there is an entire scholarship in Spanish,
> among other languages. In that regard, these pages are always open
> for inclusion of new material.
>
> Many have responded to my initial inquiry on the historia-matematica,
> math-edu, and math-teach distribution lists on this subject. To them
> I extend my thanks.
>
> Alfred M. Barron,
> Metuchen, New Jersey
> abarron@prius.jnj.com
> Thanksgiving, 1998.
>
> /*=================================================*/
> An good introduction to the mathematics of the Mayas is,
>
> Calderon, Hector "La Matematica scientifica de las Mayas", Editorial
> Orion, Mexcio DF, 1967. There is also his related grammar,
> -----------------, Clave Fonetica de los Jeroglificos Mayas, 1966 (?).
>
> These books had limited printings, so may be difficult to locate.
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> I have an essay on Mesoamerican mathematics that will include the
> Maya. You may want to look at The Encyclopaedia of the History of
> Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures
> (Kluwer, 1997). There are some fine essays on both Inca and Maya
> math.
>
> Helaine Selin, Science Librarian
> Hampshire College
> Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
> 413-559-5541
> Fax: 413-559-5419
> hselin@hampshire.edu
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> There is a detailed and quite elementary treatment of "Arithmetic
> in Maya", including the calendar, written by George I. Sanchez,
> published in 1961 in Austin, Texas. There is a "Background", at
> the beginning, with some historical data.
>
> I was wondering why a number of libraries, incl. LoG, whose their
> catalogues searched, have not a copy.
>
> The only on-line bibliography containing the item is:
> "A Minddance Bibliography"(*) by Benet (Ben) Kutz
> http://www.ideatree.com/ref/mdbiblio.html
>
> The "mystery" solved by searching the ZfM. Here I found this entry:
>
> Sanchez, G.I.
> Arithmetic in Maya (English)
> [B] Austin, Texas: Privately printed 1961. VIII, 74 p. (1961).
> (Because of the private printing the book was not found in libraries)
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Some of the references given in the book:
>
> Sylvanus Griswold Morley, "The Ancient Maya", 1956
> J. Eric S. Thompson, "The rise and Fall of Maya Civilization", 1954,
> and "Maya Arithmetic", 1941
>
> Linton Satterthwaite, Jr., "Concepts and structures of Maya Calendric
> Arithmetics", 1947
>
> 2. If you consider also aztecs, there is a book written by a certain
> Mario (?) Rosso de Luna that deals with the "Codices Ainahuac".
> As far as I can remember, the book claims that in those Codices
> you find permutations and determinants. I don't know whether mister
> Rosso de Luna was a qualified mathematician. (The book's arguments
> referred to the figures on the Codices, but had no figures in itself).
>
> Arturo Mena
> Instituto de Matematicas
> Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Here is a reference containing material on number representation,
> Dresden Codex tables, and quasi algorithms for date calculations:
>
> "Maya Numeration, Computation, and Calendrical Astronomy''
> by Floyd G. Lounsbury, in Dictionary of Scientific Biography
> (DSB) Vol. 15, Supplement I (1978) edited by Charles Coulston
> Gillespie. (New York: Scribner's, 1978) pp. 759-818.
>
> [Tough going, but probably the most accurate available info,
> except that the correlation constant does not appear because
> he hadn't found it yet.]
>
> DSB is Dictionary of Scientific Biography, ed. Charles C. Gillispie.
> Scribner's, New York, in the 1970s/80s. There exists a reprint
> in which (so I was told) always two volumes are bound together.
> (All the earlier volumes contain biographies, only this suppl.
> volume has some articles on topics.)
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Ivan Van Laningham's pages have an enormous amount of material;
> for start, his Mayan Calendar Reference Page is:
> http://tzuk-te.callware.com/calendar.html
>
> The general Bibliography of the Maya page is at:
> http://tzuk-te.callware.com/mayabib.html
>
> Some of the material offered include,
>
> Article on Calendrical Systems in Britannica III (15th Edition, 1980):
> Volume 3, pp 595-612.
>
> From One To Zero, George Ifrah, 1978(?) pp 397-427.
>
> Calendrics of the Maya Lowlands, Linton Satterthwaite, in Handbook
> of Middle American Indians: Archaeology of Southern MesoAmerica
> part two. Robert Wauchope (gen ed.); Gordon R. Willey, ed. (Austin,
> Texas: University of Texas Press, 1965) pp. 603-631.
>
> An Introduction to the Study of the Mayan Hieroglyphics, Sylvanus
> Griswold Morley; Bulletin 57 of the Bureau of American Ethnology,
> Smithsonian Institution. Washington, D. C.: U. S. Government Printing
> Office, 1915). In current reprint by Dover.
>
> Practical Astronomy With Your Calculator by Peter Duffett-Smith,
> 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1981.
>
> Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac ed. P. Kenneth
> Seidelman; Completely Revised and Rewritten. University Science
> Books: Mill Valley, CA 1992.
>
> The Book of the Year: Middle American Calendrical Systems, Munro
> S. Edmonson. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 1988.
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> While we're on the subject of calendars, the only "standard" algebra
> textbook I know of using an example with Mayan glyph data is
>
> A First Course in Abstract Algebra by Joseph Rotman, Prentice Hall,
> 1996, ISBN 0-13-311374-4.
>
> In the chapter on linear congruences, the Chinese Remainder Them.
> is used in computations with an ancient Mayan calendar (though
> with possibly interchanged month and day glyphs).The author
> continues his applications with dates from the Julian calendar, etc.
> Plenty of non-trivial examples and exercises.
>
> Linear congruences are a part of number theory invented in modern
> form by Gauss. See his Disquisitiones Arthmeticae, 1801; published
> by Yale U. Press, 1966.
>
> Earlier during the 13th Century, Ch'in Chiu-shao, invented what is
> currently called the "Chinese Remainder Theorem". His Mathematical
> Treatise in Nine Sections is a classic. See also Ulrich Libbrecht's,
> Chinese Mathematics in the Thirteenth Century, MIT Press, 1973.
>
> A collection of 800 solved examples can be found in The Theory of
> Numbers by A. Adler and J. Coury, Jones & Bartlett, 1995,
> ISBN: 0-86720-472-9. So if Rotman's related exercises are rough
> going, this problem collection may help !
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> BTW, some Maya Mathematics/Astronomy Web Pages:
>
> Bibliographical Resources in Archaeoastronomy:
> http://archaeology.miningco.com/blastrobib.htm
>
> A Bibliography of the Maya:
> http://tzuk-te.callware.com/mayabib.html
>
> Maya Calendar: Bibliography
> http://www.magnet.ch/serendipity/hermetic/cal_stud/maya/mayabibl.htm
>
> Maya civilization. Mathematics:
> http://www.civilization.ca/membrs/civiliz/maya/mmc05eng.html
>
> MAYA MATH
> http://www.mayacalendar.com/mayacalendar/f-mayamath.html
>
> The Maya Astronomy Page:
> http://www.astro.uva.nl/michielb/maya/astro.html
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
> Michael P. Closs (Editor)
> Native American Mathematics
> Paperback (March 1996)
> Univ of Texas Pr; ISBN:0292711859
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Subject: Re: meso-american math.
> Author: Antreas P. Hatzipolakis <xpolakis@hol.gr>
> Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 21:29:31 +0200
>
> Milo Gardner sent me information on some books on Maya.
> I am listing here the titles of the books (but not Milo's
> interesting comments):
>
> Author: Kroeber, A. L. (Alfred Louis), 1876-1960.
> Title: Handbook of the Indians of California.
> Washington, Govt. Print. Off., 1925.
> Published: St. Clair Shores, Mich., Scholarly Press, 1972.
> Description: 2 v. (xviii, 995 p.) illus. 22 cm.
> ISBN: 0403003695
> Notes: Original ed. issued as Bulletin 78 of the U.S.
> Bureau of American Ethnology.
> Bibliography: v. 2, p. 943-966.
> Subjects: Indians of North America -- California.
> Series Entry: Bulletin (Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of
> American Ethnology) ; 78.
>
> Author: Kroeber, A. L. (Alfred Louis), 1876-1960
> Title : Handbook of the Indians of California / A.L. Kroeber
> Publisher: New York : Dover; London:Constable, 1976
> Description: [1], xviii, 995p,[78]p of plates,[9]leaves of plates :
> ill, geneal table, maps, plans ; 22cm, Pbk
> ISBN: 0486233685
>
> Title : The Sky in Mayan literature / ed. Anthony F. Aveni
> Publisher: New York ; Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1992
> Description: x, 297p : facsims ; 24cm
> ISBN: 0195068440
> Subject(s): Mayan languages - Writing
> Astronomy, Ancient
> Mayas - Calendar
> Mexico - Antiquities
> Guatemala - Antiquities
> Mayas - Writing
> Mayas - Astronomy
> Document Type: Government publication
> Language: English
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Karen Dee Michalowicz's list includes the following titles:
>
> Baumgart, J, et al. Historical Topics for the Mathematics Classroom.
> Reston, VA: NCTM, (1969) 1989.
>
> Brown, D, ed. The Magnificant Maya. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life
> Books, 1993.
>
> Coe, M. Breaking the Maya Code. NY: Thames and Hudson, 1992.
>
> Diaz-Bolio, J. The Geometry of the Maya and their Rattlesnake Art.
> Mexico: Are Maya, 1987.
>
> Diaz-Bolio, J. The Rattlesnake School for Geometry, Architecture,
> Chronology, Religion, and Arts. Mexico: Are Maya, nd.
>
> Henderson, J. The Ancient World of the Maya. Ithaca, NY: Cornell
> Univ. Press, 1981.
>
> Houston, S. Reading the Past - Maya Glyphs. London: The British
> Museum Publications, 1989.
>
> Huff, S. The Mayan Calendar Made Easy. Mexico: Area Maya, 1984.
>
> Alcoze, T, et al. Multiculturalism in Mathematics, Science
> and Technology. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1993.
>
> Lumpkin, B & D. Strong Multicultural Science and Math
> Connections. Portland, MA: Walch, 1995.
>
> Zaslavsky, C. has several titles to her credit. One is
>
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> Dale Seymour Publications, the education supply firm has a variety
> of resources for children. One of their Multicultural Math Posters
> is 'Math of Mexico', which highlights number/letter Mayan glyphs
> (# NC 38204). Call 1-800-237-0337 for a catalog. Their website is at
> http://www.cuisenaire.com
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> "A Minddance Bibliography"(*) by Benet (Ben) Kutz
>
> http://www.ideatree.com/ref/mdbiblio.html
>
> Here is a listing of Maya-related entries from that Bibliography
> (not all titles sound scientific):
>
> Alonzo, Gualberto Zapata. An Overview Of The Mayan World.
> Merida, 1983.
>
> An Introduction To The Study Of Maya Hieroglyphs. New York:
> Dover, 1975.
>
> Arguelles, Jose.The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology.
> Santa Fe: Bear & Company, 1987.
>
> Coe, Michael D. The Maya. New York: Praeger, 1966.
>
> Coe, William, R. Tikal: A Handbook of the ANcient Maya Ruins.
> Philadelphia: The University Museum of the Univ of Penn, 1967.
>
> Contreras, Guillermo Garces. Los Codices Mayas.
> Mexico City: Sep/Setentas, 1975.
>
> Diaz-Bolio, Jose. Origen de la Cronologia Maya.
> Merida: Revista de la Universidad de Yucatan, 1980.
>
> Fawcett, Lawrence. Time and Morality: Establishing a Babylonian
> Source for Hindu and Mayan Chronologies.
> Woodland Hills, Calif: Woodland Hills Reporter, 1956.
>
> Gates, William. An Outline Dictionary of Mayan Glyphs.
> Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1931.
>
> Girard, Raphael. Le Popul-Vuh: Histoire Culturelle des Maya
> Quiches. Paris: Payot, 1954.
>
> Huff, Sandy.The Mayan Calendar Made Easy. Safety Harbor,
> Fla, 1984
>
> Ivanoff, Pierre. Monuments of Civilizations: Maya.
> New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1973.
>
> Le Plongeon, Augustus. Maya/Atlantis: Queen Moo and the
> Egyptian Sphinx.Blauvelt, NY: Rudolf Steiner Pub, 1973.
>
> Living Architecture: Mayan. NY: Grosset & Dunlap, 1964.
>
> Luxton, Richard and Pedro Balam. Mystery of the Mayan
> Hieroglphhs Decoded. New York: Harper & Row, 1982.
>
> Maya Hieroglyphic Writing. Norman: Univ of Okla. Pr, 1960.
>
> The Maya World. Mexico City: Minutiae Mexicana, 1976.
>
> Men, Humbatz. Tzol Ek': Astrologia Maya.
> Mexico City: Ediciones Juarez, 1983.
>
> Morley, Sylvanus Griswold. The Ancient Maya. Stanford Univ
> Press, 1956. Also the 4th ed, coauth. with Brainerd, G, and
> revised by Sharer, R., 1983.
>
> Ostrander, Edgar A. Evidence that Ancient Mayan Cosmology
> Incorporated the Internal Functioning of the Human Brain.
> Smithtown, N.Y.: Exposition Press, 1983.
>
> Paredez, Domingo Martinez. Parapsycologia Maya.
> Mexico City: Manuel Porrua, 1981.
>
> Popul Vuh, The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and Glories of
> Gods and Kings. Dennis Tedlock trans. New York: Simon &
> Schuster, 1985.
>
> Popul Vuh, The Sacred Book of the Ancient Quiche Maya.
> Delia Goetz and Sylvanis Morley. Norman: Univ of Okla, 1950.
>
> Ritual of the Bacabs: A Book of Maya Incantations, Ralph L. Roys
> (trans). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965.
>
> Sanchez, George I. Arithmetic In Maya. 1961.
>
> Schele, Linda, and Mary Ellen Miller. The Blood of Kings: Dynasty
> and Ritual in Maya Art. New York: George Braziller, 1986.
>
> Sodi, Demerio M. LA Literatura Do Los Mayas.
> Mexico City: Editorial Joaquin Mortiz, 1964.
>
> Spinden, Herbert J. A Study of Maya Art, Its Subject Matter and
> Historical Development. New York: Dover Publications, 1975.
>
> Stierlin, Henri. Art of the Maya. New York: Rizzoli, 1981.
>
> Stuart, George E. and Gene S. Stuart. The Mysterious Maya.
> Washington: The National Geographic Society, 1977.
>
> Tedlock, Barbara. Time and the Highland Maya.
> Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1982.
>
> Tedlock, Dennis, ed. Popol Vob: The Definitive Edition of the
> Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of Gods and
> Kings. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985.
>
> Thompson, J. Eric S. The Rise And Fall Of Maya Civilization.
> Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1954.
>
> Thompson, J. Eric S. A Catalog of Maya Hieroglyphs.
> Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1962.
>
> Time and Reality in the Thought of the Maya, Charles Boiles &
> Fernando Horcasitas trans. Boston: Beacon Press, 1973.
>
> Tozzer, Alfred M. A Maya Grammar. New York: Dover, 1977.
>
> /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>
> While not on Mayan mathematics per se (except for the cover
> illustration), the curious may find the following title of interest:
>
> El Numero Real (analysis dialectico), by Carlos Reinoso,
> Ediciones de Cultura Popular - Universidad Autonoma de Guerrero,
> (ECP/UAG), 1976, Mexico.
>
> /*--------------------(Some more current material)--------------------*/
>
> Two sites maintaining many interesting current links are
> A Mesoamerican Archaeology WWW Page:
> http://copan.bioz.unibas.ch/meso.html
>
> and the Precolumbian Archaeology Related Lists:
> http://copan.bioz.unibas.ch/mesolinks.html
>
> The Rabbit in the Moon site has some excellent material on
> Mayan culture and language. In particular, the "Meetings,
> Classes, and Books" link lists current instructional material
> on the Mayan language (grammars, dictionaries, etc.):
> http://www.halfmoon.org/index.html
>
> The three aforementioned links are really gateways to many
> academic and university sites. These in turn have extensive
> material from their University Publishers, e.g., Univ of Penn
> Museum, Harvard's Peabody Musuem, Univ. of Texas, or
> Univ. of Oklahoma. For example,
>
> Understanding Maya Inscriptions: A Hieroglyph Handbook,
> 2nd ed., by J. Harris and S. Stearns. UPM, 1997,
> ISBN: 0-924171-41-3 is listed at
> http://www.upenn.edu/museum_pubs/museum_pubs.html
>
>
> The San Francisco Exploratorium has a very current list of
> science and mathematics references, many of which detail
> material of the Mayas and other early peoples of the Americas:
> http://www.exploratorium.edu/ti/resources/multicultural.html
>
> Another premier Bay Area institution is the Lawrence Hall
> of Science (with a beautiful view of the East Bay following a
> good hike). Their refrerences and publications can be found at:
> http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu
>
> In fact, these two Bay Area sites are among the best for
> science education on the Internet.
>
> Mexico is a very complex society with a rich and dynamic history,
> one which perenially perplexes most Northamericans. One good
> link to matters Mexicano can be found at the Culture and Society
> of Mexico site at:
> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjsalvad/scmfaq/
>
> Another is:
> http://www.mexicosolidarity.org
>
> /*=================================================*/
>
>
>
>
> ----------
> From: Calvin Jongsma[SMTP:jongsma@dordt.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 1999 12:06 PM
> To: historia-matematica@chasque.apc.org
> Subject: [HM] Mayan Mathematics
>
> Greetings.
>
> I am presently teaching a course for prospective middle school (grades
> 5 - 8) mathematics teachers in which I use history of mathematics as an
> organizing principle for the course. One of the assignments I'm asking
> small groups of students to do is to develop a week long unit for this
> age level that explores connections between mathematics and history or
> culture. One group has chosen to work with Mayan mathematics.
>
> On behalf of the group, I would like to ask whether members of this list
> serve have any good resources they would like to suggest, particularly
> materials geared toward this age level. Responses to me would be
> appreciated; I will pass them on to the students.
>
> Calvin Jongsma
>