History of Graphic Design through Publications: CODEX TRO-CORTESIANUS

Location: Special Collections F 1435 C653

"The Mayan peoples developed a method of hieroglyphic notation and recorded mythology, history, and rituals in inscriptions carved and painted on stelae (stone slabs or pillars); on lintels and stairways; and on other monumental remains. Records were also painted in hieroglyphs and preserved in books of folded sheets of paper made from the fibers of the maguey plant.

Four examples of these codices have been preserved: the Codex Dresdensis, now in Dresden; the Perez Codex, now in Paris; and the Codex Tro and the Codex Cortesianus, both now in Madrid. The Codex Tro and Codex Cortesianus comprise parts of a single original document and are commonly known under the joint name Codex Tro-Cortesianus.

These books were used as divinatory almanacs containing topics such as agriculture, weather, disease, hunting, and astronomy.

One of the four preserved codices of Maya hieroglyphs, the Codex Tro dates from about the 14th century. These ornate pages from the Codex form part of a prophetic calendar that predicts good and bad days. The ancient Maya used paints made of natural pigments and paper made from the fibers of maguey plants to record religious information and historical events." - Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies