1 Running head: MAYAN CULTURE

The Mayan Culture By Lydia Ross

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Table of Contents The Mayan Background The Mayan Calendar The Mayan Mathematics The Mayan Architecture Modern Day Mayan The Mayan Prophesy of 2012 References 3 4 6 8 11 12 14

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The Mayan Background The Mayan Calendar has been used to predict the end of the world. The reason for this is that the calendar ends on December, 21, 2012. Many scholars and historians have argued that there will be some type of cosmic event signaling the end of the world on December, 21, 2012. Other scholars who oppose this opinion say that it is not the end of the world but the end of an era. They predict not apocalypse but an era of bliss. In this era man will live peacefully with one another without strife. For clarity about the calendar and its intentions, a review of the Mayan people is needed. The Mayan culture came into existence around 300-400 AD. It is believed that it is a culture that is somewhat a derivative of the Olmec civilization. The Olmecs were an ancient Central American Indian tribe. The Maya seemed to appear among the Olmecs and soon took over the entire Yucatan Peninsula of Central America. The Mayan people were known for their

sophisticated mathematics

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as well as for being master builders. Their cities

were beautifully built and connected by highways and streets made from tools of wood, ivory

and stone. There was also a ball court built

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in every city whose game

included human sacrifice. Around 900 CE (Common Era), the Mayans left the cities they built and moved. It is not certain where they came from, why they left or where they went. Thus the name, the mysterious Mayas is often used in reference to the Mayan people (Martin, 2012). The Mayan Calendar was also developed by the Mayan People.

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The Mayan Calendar

(Google, 2012)

The Mayan Calendar consists of three different dating systems. These systems operated in parallel one to another. The three systems include the Long Count, the Tzolkin and the Haab. An example of the Mayan calendar date is represented as: 12.18.16.2.6 3 Cimi 4 Zotz. The elements of the date are described as: “12.18.16.2.6 is the Long Count date 3 Cimi is the Tzolkin Date 4 Zotz is the Haab date” (Idea, 2008). The Long Count date represents the number of days since the beginning of the Mayan era and is therefore similar to the Julian Calendar (12 month solar calendar with an extra day every four years). The kin, similar to the Julian Calendar is a day, the basic unit of the Long Calendar. The following chart gives Name uinal Description (1 uinal = 20 kin = 20 days) (1 tun = 18 uinal = 360 days = approx. 1 year)

tun

(1 katun = 20 tun = 7,200 days = approx. 20 years) (1 baktun = 20 katun = 144,000 days = approx. 394 years) baktun The kin, tun, and katun are numbered from 0 to 19.The uinal are numbered from 0 to 17.The baktun are numbered from 1 to 13. katun

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The first date in the Long Count is written 13,0.0.0.0. While authorities disagree with how the Mayan calendar corresponds to the Julian calendar , most agree the Long Count calendar will reach 13,0.0.0.0 on December 21st or December 23rd , 2012 (Idea, 2008).

The Mayan calendar like the Mayan culture was a very sophisticated calendar. The ritual calendar was developed in Mesoamerican had 260 days. Each day had a specific name with up to 20 unique names. The names were represented by a unique symbol. Each day was also numbered from 1 to 13. Since their were 20 names, after 13 the number of the day started over. This calendar was used throughout the Mesoamerica region even before the beginning of writing. The name of the ritual calendar was the Tzolkin calendar. The Tzolkin was a religious calendar used for ceremonial purposes. It had 20 periods that lasted for 13 days. One full cycle of the calendar was 260 days. The significance of one cycle in the Tzolkin calendar is not known but might be linked to the Venus orbit which is 263 days. The days in the Tzolkin calendar are numbered from 1 to 13 with 20 different day names. Therefore the day name and the day number are incremented each day and advance in parallel. Because 13 and 20 cannot be evenly divided, it takes 260 days before a Tzolkin date repeats (Hare,2010). A list of the Tzolkin calendar follows below:

Maya Day Names & Approximate Meanings Imix Ik' Ak'bal K'an Chikchan Kimi Manik' Lamat Waterlily Wind Night Corn Snake Death head Hand Venus Chuwen Eb Ben Ix Men Kib Kaban Etz'nab Frog Skull Corn stalk Jaguar Eagle Shell Earth Flint

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Muluk Ok

Water Dog

Kawak Ahaw

Storm cloud Lord

(The Mayan Astronomy Page, 2011)

While the Tzolkin and the Haab calendars do not have a year component, when a date from each calendar is combined, it is equal to a 52 year cycle. The Mayans also had a solar year which they tracked that had 365 days in it. Since fractions could not be used, the ¼ of the day left over at the end of the year caused them to be a little off from the actual solar year. There were months in their 365 year that were given name. The months were numbered 0-19 before they changed. When counting, the count goes zero to Pohp to 19 Pohp. From that point it continues with Zero Wo. Some of the month names are given below. Blank spaces are where the meaning of the month is not known.

Pohp Wo Sip Sotz' Sek Xul Yaxk'in Mol Ch'en

Month Names and Approximate Meanings Mat Green ?? Yax ?? ?? Bat ?? Dog New Sun Water Black ?? Zak Keh Mak K'ank'in Muwan Pax K'ayab Kumk'u White ?? Red ?? ?? ?? Owl ?? Turtle ?? (The Mayan Astronomy Page, 2011)

There were 5 days considered unnamed and unlucky called the Wayeb. The Wayeb was a 5 day month that was attached to the end of the regular eighteen months. Maya also used

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special characters to indicate time periods. The kin for example represented one day. Twenty day periods were called Winals and represent one month. A year was called a Tun and a 20 year period was called a K’atun. A Katun would be similar to our decade. A 400 year period was called a Baktun. All these periods were special to the Mayans and special celebrations occurred during these timeframes (The Mayan Astronomy Page, 2011).

The Mayan Mathematics. The Mayan Indians developed a very sophisticated mathematical system. The Mayan mathematical system was far more advanced than any other culture in its time. It was based on the number twenty. A number system based on twenty is called a vigesimal system. In this type of system, the number five is very important. Many scholars believe this is due to the Mayans using their fingers and toes to count. Even though the system is based on twenty, it only has three symbols. These symbols include a zero, a dot and a line. A depiction of the number system is shown below:

(Google, 2012)

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The Mayan mathematical system counting is 1, 20, 400, 8000, 160000, etc. “In the Maya vigesimal system each placeholder has a possible twenty digits [0 - 19]. For example, in the decimal system 31 = 10 * 3 + 1 while in the vigesimal system 31 = 20 + 11. The Maya discovered and used the zero. Their zero is represented by an ovular shell. It also uses a vigesimal positioning system, in which numbers in higher places grow multiplied by 20´s instead of the 10´s of the decimal system, compare number 168,421 in both systems:

Place's Equals Place's Equals Number Decimal & is Vigesimal & is Place 168,421 value written value written 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st TOTAL 1 X 100,000= 100,000 3'200,000 6 X 10,000 = 8 X 1,000 = 4 X 100 = 2 X 10 = 1X 1= Arabic 60,000 8,000 400 20 1 168,421 Maya 160,000 8,000 400 20 1 168,421

” (Romero, 2010).

The Mayan Architecture The essential structure of the Mayan population was a hut made of hay. The walls were wooden poles covered with mud or stone. The lengths of the poles were 2.20 meters. The entire structure was placed on the poles. The structure was built up to 3.5 to 4.5 meters from the poles.

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.(Google, 2012) The Mayan stone huts were made of lime stone. Lime stone is in abundance in the Yucatan area and is also very easy to form. These stones were also used to the build the higher class homes and temples. Mayan structures varied in height according to the building material. Some terrace structures were as low as 50 cms to 2 meters high. Some temples were elevated as high as 45 meters. An example of a high structure is the temple of IV of Tikal. The temple of Tikal had

(Google, 2012) steps built that were wide and deep. The steps were usually built on more than one side of the building. The Mayan facades were pointed horizontally dividing the two main fringes. The molding went around the building and up on the walls. The architecture plans of a building were generally developed around the use of the building. For example, a temple’s plans generally had two chambers. The exterior chamber was a waiting area or a place for ceremonies that were not sacred. The interior chamber was the sanctuary used for sacred ceremonies. The material used

to cover both the interior and exterior walls was made of limestone called lime stucco. Lime

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stucco is a durable substance made from limestone, cement, sand and water. This same substance also covered the connections and joints (Crisp, 1994). Mayan buildings built in the Classic Era had sloped porticos or façades. The upper part of the façade was adorned with complicated drawings done in the lime stucco. Some building had carved images made out of stone. The images were usually sculptures with hieroglyphic

inscriptions

(Google, 2012). Some examples of this can be found on the

Piedra Negras

(Google, 2012), Palenque

(Google, 2012), Copan

(Google, 2012), and Quirigua

(Google, 2012). Mayan buildings typically had two types of roofs, the sticking out stone dome roof and the concrete covered beam roofs of lime. While the first roof doesn’t have much information on it, the second roof is flat and made of beams of concrete.

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An example of this type of roof is the Chichen Itza

(Google, 2012).

This roof was built on the top of crossed beans and made of concrete. The spaces between the beams are filled with sticks to support it until it has dried. Once the cement dries the beams are removed. However, the roof after many years can start to crumble making it very dangerous (Crisp, 1994). The Mayan culture is known for its temples as well as its calendars. The temples were built on gigantic pyramids that had a steep base. Each side of the pyramid had steps that lead up into the temple. The inside of the temple had decorated floors of mural paintings. The outside of the temples had carved stones with stucco decorations. The Mayans built their temples to worship their various gods. For example, the sun temple was built to worship the sun god

(Google, 2012). The Mayan temples were used for ceremonial purposes and would have the god of the temple carved on the back wall of the inner room of the temple. A sunroof was usually included in the roof of the building to let in the sun. Some temples even had an observatory inside of them to study the movement of the earth, stars and the planet Venus. The Mayan people were extremely spiritual (Crisp, 1994).

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Modern Day Mayan Today the population of Mayas is approximately six million. Most Mayan people are living in Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. The Mayans in Gutemala are the largest group of the Mayan population residing in Cachikel, Mam, Quiche, Kekchi, Kanjobal, Pokomochi, Pokomam and Chorti. A very small group of Mayan speaking one of the native dialects have been found in Itza close to the Lake Peten area. Among the Mayan people there are twenty six different dialects that are unique. Most Mayans in Guatemalan still practice their culture and unique religion. Others have mixed with the Western culture and have combined their religion with traditions of Catholicism. Mayan Shamans perform some of the same rituals the Catholic priest performs in font of their Mayan idols. As part of the rituals of the religious calendar, the Tzolkin, shamans are the “Keepers of the Days” (Travel Log, 2009). Mayans today as in the ancient days are farmers and traders. They generally grow corn, and beans. Their farming methodology is similar to the early Mayans. Fields are cleared by slashing and burning. In some cases, other crops are being grown for export purposes. Other occupations of the Mayan people are services about 13%, manufacturing, about 12%, commerce about 7%, construction about 4%, transport about 3%, utilities .7% and mining about .3%. (Travel Log, 2009). The Mayan Prophesy of 2012 According to some, the Mayan prophesy says the world will end on December 21, 2012 or December 23, 2012. However, the Mayan prophesy says nothing about the world coming to an end but rather an end to an era. The prophesy of doom was developed from viewing the Long Count Mayan calendar. According to the calendar the next time the date will reset is December 21, 2012. Some New Age astrologers have interpreted the reset date to be the end of the world.

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Actually, the Maya Long Count calendar began on August 11, 3114 BC signifying their beginning. There is no recorded history until 2500 years after the Maya year zero but there are ruins signifying agriculture had occurred. The meaning of year zero in the early days of their culture was very important to the Mayan people but is not known today. Today, the calendar only signifies a starting over (Skeptic Dictionary, 2012). On the day, December 12, 2012, a transformation will occur in the galaxy. A solar meridian will cross the galactic equator and the earth will align itself with the center of the galaxy. The sunrise on December 21, 2012 for the first time in 26,000 years will rise in conjunction with the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic. According to the Mayans this will be a cosmic cross that is explained by their Sacred Tree. The Mayans Sacred Tree is the crossing point of the eclipse with the band of the Milky Way. In the Mayan imagery, an incised bone from the Tikal shows a long sinking canoe containing various deities. It pictures a night sky with a canoe sinking below the horizon all throughout the night. The picture is really the night sky with the canoe being the Milky Way. Astronomers will tell you the imagery depicts the Milky Way crossing the eclipse through the constellation of Sagittarius and that the area has nebulae and high density objects. This crossing is also in the direction of the Galactic Center. This occurrence in earth is just another day. The Mayan prediction is basically a prediction of an end of an era and a beginning of a new era (Skeptic Dictionary, 2012). According to the "thinker" man from Chichicastenango, it is the beginning of a time when man will be kinder to each other. For those who line up with the occurrence it will begin an era of peace not doom. He also says to not be afraid of this occurrence. He explained the calendar is just starting over and that the Mayans never predicted the end of the world. Their

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prediction was only a prediction of a time of transformation. The transformation from the way things are now to a peaceful time. His advice is to line up with the planets.

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References Crisp, P. (1994). Looking into the Past: The Maya. Retrieved 1 7, 2012, from Think Quest: http://library.thinkquest.org/10098/mayan.htm Guatemala Mayas Today Latin America Lafta. (2009, 6 22). Retrieved 1 7, 2012, from Travel Log: http://www.travellog.com/guatemala/mayastoday.html Hare, J. B. (2010). Current Mayan Date. Retrieved 1 6, 2012, from Sacred Texts: http://www.sacred-texts.com/cnote.htm Idea. (2008). Calendars. Retrieved 1 6, 2012, from Webexibits: http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-mayan.html Kracht, B. R. (2008). The Mayan Civilization. Retrieved 1 6, 2012, from Arapaho: http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~kracht/mayancourse/home.html Martin, P. (2012). The Mysterious Maya. Retrieved 1 6, 2012, from Mayas Mr. Donn: http://mayas.mrdonn.org/empire.html Mayan Architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved 1 7, 2012, from Goggle Images: https://www.google.com/search?q=mayan+architecture&hl=en&prmd=imvnsb&tbm=isc h&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DaQIT6jRM8n00gGfv9TYCg&ved=0CEcQsAQ&bi w=1600&bih=716 The Maya Astronomy Page. (2011, 12 9). Retrieved 1 9, 2012, from Michielb: http://www.michielb.nl/maya/calendar.html The Mayan Prophesy. (2012, 1 2). Retrieved 1 7, 2012, from Skeptic Dictionary: http://www.skepdic.com/maya.html Numbers. (2011, 4 11). Retrieved 1 6, 2012, from Mayas Mr. Donn: http://mayas.mrdonn.org/maya_numbers.gif

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