Which surviving Maya codex is also called the Tro-Cortesian Codex?

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Which surviving Maya codex is also called the Tro-Cortesian Codex? The answer is the Madrid Codex.

The Madrid Codex is a pre-Columbian Maya screenfold book produced in western Yucatán during the Postclassic period, probably between about 1250 and 1450. It is made from bark paper coated with a thin stucco surface and contains ritual almanacs, divination, astronomical material, and scenes involving rainmaking, hunting, warfare, weaving, and beekeeping.

Its alternate name reflects a complicated discovery history. The manuscript was once divided into two fragments: the larger Troano Codex and the smaller Cortesianus Codex. Scholars eventually recognized that the pieces belonged to one book and reunited them. The combined manuscript became known as the Madrid Codex because it is held in Madrid's Museo de América.

A common mix-up is choosing the Dresden Codex, which is another famous surviving Maya manuscript, especially noted for astronomical tables. The Madrid Codex is the longest surviving Maya codex, with 56 leaves written on both sides, producing 112 pages.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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