Maya numerals online

Maya numerals online. Enter a name or number and see it in ancient signs. Learn how it works, its history and a worked example.

How does Maya numerals work?

What is this script?

A dot means 1, a bar 5 and a shell 0. Place values increase upwards.

How does it work step by step?

The system is positional and base-20: a dot is 1, a bar is 5 and a shell is 0. Within one level you add dots and bars, and successive levels — read from bottom to top — multiply the value by 20.

Example and practical use

The number 2026 is 5·400 + 1·20 + 6, so three levels read from the top as 5, 1 and 6, written with dots, bars and a filled value.

How to use the tool

Choose the “Maya numerals" script, enter text or a number and, when available, switch the transliteration direction. The result is produced locally in your browser and can be copied or shared without sending the text to a server.

History and context

The Maya used a base-20 system and a shell-shaped sign for zero. This mode demonstrates numerals, not the much broader Maya hieroglyphic script.

Notes and limitations

This tool is educational. The output is an approximate sign transliteration, not a language translation — ancient scripts had their own spelling, grammar and context that a simple converter cannot reproduce.