Maya Math Genius Sak Tahn Waax Named for Hidden Venus Calculations at Xultun
Archaeologists at the Xultun site in Guatemala attribute a unique Maya mathematical formula—revealed among dozens of microtexts—to Sak Tahn Waax, a Maya mathematician-astronomer whose name means “White-chested Fox.” The formula maps Venus and other celestial cycles by linking the 260-day ritual calendar with the solar year and planetary cycles, shedding new light on the sophistication of Classic Maya mathematics and astronomy; the finding, published in Antiquity (2026), marks the first time a specific computational work from the Maya is attributed to an identifiable individual.