World History: 1100s

c. 1100 · North America · Science

Dresden Codex, Maya astronomical book

The Dresden Codex is a Maya book originating from the region of Chichén Itzá in Mexico. It was believed to be the oldest surviving book written in the Americas, dating to the 11th or 12th century, however in 2018 it was proven that the Maya Codex of Mexico, previously known as the Grolier Codex, is in fact older by about a century. The codex was rediscovered in the city of Dresden, Germany, hence the book's present name. It is located in the museum of the Saxon State Library. The codex contains information relating to astronomical and astrological tables, religious references, seasons of the earth, and illness and medicine. It also includes information about conjunctions of planets and moons.