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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Photo: Aztec Math Decoded, Reveals Woes of Ancient Tax Time


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A map drawn in 1540 depicts parcels of land near Texcoco, an ancient Aztec capital.

A new study has deciphered the glyphs used to calculate the measurements of such parcels, including symbols like hearts, hands, and arrows, which denoted fractions.

Image courtesy of Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division