What symbol did the Maya use to represent zero in their numerals?

The Maya used a shell glyph to represent zero in their numerals. This sign was usually drawn as a stylized shell and occupied the zero position in a sophisticated base-20 counting system.

Maya numerals used dots for ones and bars for fives, with each higher position generally representing a power of twenty. A shell-shaped sign indicated that a position had no units, much like zero in modern place-value notation. This made it possible to write large numbers and calculate dates precisely.

The zero glyph was especially important in the Maya calendar, including Long Count dates that tracked extended periods of time. A common mistake is to identify zero as a circle, dot, or bar: dots and bars represented positive values, while the shell sign represented an empty numerical position. The Maya’s use of zero was part of a broader mathematical and calendrical tradition that supported detailed astronomical observations and monumental historical records.