How this calculator works
A dot is one, a bar is five and a shell marks zero. The bottom level is units; each level above is worth twenty times as much. The table lists levels from top to bottom using Unicode Maya glyphs, alongside dot and bar counts that remain readable without a special font. Calendar Long Count notation has a modified place and must be interpreted separately.
Formula
N = Σ d_k × 20^k, with 0 ≤ d_k ≤ 19. Dots = d mod 5; bars = floor(d/5).
Worked example
811 = 2 × 400 + 0 × 20 + 11. Its top level has two dots, its middle level a shell, and its bottom level one dot and two bars.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the top row the largest place?
Yes. Maya place values stack vertically, with the most significant digit at the top.
Why are there at most four dots?
Five units become one bar. A base-20 digit therefore uses zero to four dots and zero to three bars.
Can I use this to read a Long Count date?
No. This page uses ordinary powers of 20. Long Count dates use 360 in the third place and need calendar context.