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Mayan Numeral Converter
Decimal ↔ Maya glyphs. Dot = 1, bar = 5, shell = 0. Base 20, written vertically with the 1s at the bottom.
Enter the Maya digit (0–19) for each position, then read the decimal value.
Glyph table: 0 – 19
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Worked examples
7
1s
7 = 1 bar (5) + 2 dots (2), dots above the bar.
19
1s
19 = 3 bars (15) + 4 dots (4), the largest single Maya digit.
20
20s
1s
20 = 1 dot in the 20s position + a shell (0) in the 1s row.
33
20s
1s
33 = (1 × 20) + 13: one dot above two bars and three dots.
Looking for a different numeral system? Mayan numerals (base-20 glyphs) are a completely different system from Roman numerals (base-10 letters). To write calendar dates in Roman numerals, use our date-to-roman-numerals tool.
Historical note: in the Maya Long Count calendar, the third position counts 18×20 = 360 days instead of 400. This converter uses pure base 20 (1, 20, 400, 8,000), the standard for converting ordinary numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a Mayan number?
Read from the bottom up. Each position is a power of 20: the bottom row is 1s, the next is 20s, then 400s, then 8,000s. Count the dots (1 each) and bars (5 each) in a row to get the digit 0 to 19, then add each digit times its place value. A shell glyph means zero for that row.
What do the dot, bar, and shell mean in Mayan numerals?
A dot is 1, a horizontal bar is 5, and the shell glyph is 0. Combine them to make any digit from 0 to 19: for example, 13 is two bars (10) plus three dots (3), and 0 is written as a shell.
Why is the Mayan number system base 20?
The Maya counted on fingers and toes, which gives a base-20 (vigesimal) system. Each position is twenty times the one below it: 1, 20, 400, 8,000, 160,000, and so on.
How do you write 19 in Mayan numerals?
19 is three bars (3 times 5 = 15) plus four dots (4), with the dots above the bars. It is the largest single digit: 20 becomes one dot in the 20s position with a shell in the 1s row below it.
Did the Maya calendar use the same base-20 system?
In the Maya Long Count calendar, the third position counts 18 times 20 (360 days) instead of 400, to approximate the solar year. This converter uses pure base 20 (1, 20, 400, 8,000), which is the standard way to convert ordinary numbers outside calendar dates.
What is the difference between Mayan numerals and Roman numerals?
Mayan numerals are positional base-20 glyphs built from dots, bars, and a shell, written vertically. Roman numerals are additive base-10 letters (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) written horizontally. To convert calendar dates to Roman numerals, use our date-to-roman-numerals tool instead.
Free tool by NRTechStudio