Earliest Maya Long Count Inscription
36 BCE · Classical Antiquity
The oldest confirmed Mesoamerican Long Count calendar date was recorded on Stela 2 (actually a wall panel) at Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico. The partially preserved inscription displays the date 7.16.3.2.13, corresponding to 36 BCE in our calendar. This significant discovery from a Zoque settlement represents a critical development in Mesoamerican timekeeping technology, predating the earliest known Maya-specific Long Count inscription by more than 300 years. The site, which rose to prominence around 700-500 BCE, served as an important conduit between Olmec and Maya civilizations, suggesting that calendar innovations may have passed from the Mixe-Zoque linguistic area to the Lowland Maya.
Locations
Chiapa de Corzo
Topics
mesoamericamayalong count calendarzoque
Connected Events — 2 Connections
La Venta Olmec ceremonial complex transmitted calendrical and ritual traditions to the Zoque community at Chiapa de Corzo during their overlapping active periods (700-400 BCE) Olmec Great Pyramid Built at La Venta
The mythological Long Count epoch established the conceptual framework and counting system that the Chiapa de Corzo inscription represents the earliest physical manifestation of - the abstract calendar concept materialized into carved stone record Maya Long Count Calendar Epoch
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