Getting Started

This website offers many opportunities to learn more about these important documents of the ancient Maya. General background information on the codices may be accessed by clicking selections under Learn about the Codices. This site is not designed to provide an extensive overview or summary of Maya culture, writing, or the codices themselves, however. Sources for such information may be found in the section on References & Resources.

The database can be searched with a simple string of words, or more advanced searches may be employed for those familiar with the structure and contents of the screenfolds. Searches are initiated by clicking on Search the Database. For academic researchers, the presentation of the material and the search engines provided allow for intensive and extensive investigation of the codices.

For more information about the database project, visit Learn about the Maya Codices Project.  You may also contact the project directors with questions or comments by clicking Contact Us.

Please note that this website is a work in progress and will be updated periodically. Also note that, while the original Madrid Codex was painted in a variety of colors, the working version of this document in the website consists of black-and-white line drawings. To see color facsimiles of the Maya codices, visit www.famsi.org/mayawriting/codices.