#dresden codex

The Dresden Codex is one of the most important surviving Mayan manuscripts, created around the 11th or 12th century AD.

Although it originated in the Americas, it was rediscovered centuries later in Dresden, Germany, giving it the name by which it is known today.

Today, this invaluable cultural treasure is preserved in Museum of the Saxon State Library.

Crafted from the inner bark of a wild Ficus tree, the codex’s pages were carefully flattened to create a writing surface.

Each page measures about 20cm in height and can be folded in an accordion style. When fully extended, the manuscript stretches an impressive 3.7m, making it both compact and expansive at the same time.

The text, written in Mayan hieroglyphs, is thought to be based on an even older source dating back three to four centuries earlier.

It contains intricate records of local history and detailed astronomical tables, offering insight into how the Maya tracked celestial movements.

MAYAN ASTRONOMERS Despite their lack of modern instrumentation, ancient Maya astronomers had a remarkable talent for observing and mapping the motions of the night sky. Their calculations have proved to be incredibly close to precise modern values and were achieved primarily through natural human curiosity and a lot of patience.

You’re so sweet! I’m glad you liked them.

I think I have one more image board yet to post. As I’ve mentioned to some of the commenters at AO3, I recently went on a 20-hour road trip with not much to do but think. During that trip, I managed to come up with the entire plot (in outline form) of Special 3, so that story feels pretty queued up and ready to write 😊.

So what’s on the last image board? Hmm, maybe Dustin. Maybe Dart. The Mind Flayer? And, oh yeah, hieroglyphics from one of the historic pre-Columbian Mayan codices. Probably the Dresden Codex as a hat-tip to Harry Dresden, and also because no one knows how that codex actually ended up in Germany, so... spooky 👻.