Mayan Calendar: Facts, Information, and Resources About Their Prediction of 2012

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Among their other accomplishments, the ancient Mayas invented a calendar of remarkable accuracy and complexity. The calendar systems reflect the agricultural, political and ritual needs characteristic of the societies in which they flourished. The Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichén Itzá, constructed circa 1050 was built during the late Mayan period, when Toltecs from Tula became politically powerful. The pyramid was used as a calendar: four stairways, each with 91 steps and a platform at the top, making a total of 365, equivalent to the number of days in a calendar year. The Mayan Calendar has stirred up quite a bit of interest recently. Could this ancient calendar created thousands of years ago by the Mayans foretell of the end of time and could it be coming soon? Some believe it does and that that doomsday will be upon us towards the end of 2012.

There is actually a system of calendars and almanacs that the Mayan civilization used. The Maya calendar uses three different dating systems in parallel, the Long Count, the Tzolkin, and the Haab. Of these, only the Haab has a direct relationship to the length of the year. The system dates as far back as the 6th century BC. Certain aspects of the calendar system are shared both by earlier civilizations, such as the Olmec and Zapotec as well as later civilizations, such as the Aztec and Mixtec. The reason that the Mayan calendar became so well known was because it was well-documented and therefore, the ancient calendar system best understood today.

The Tzolkin Calendar

The first calendar the Mayans used was the Tzolkin calendar. This calendar consisted of 260 days. The Tzolkin calendar was made up of the numbers 20 and 13. There is a numbered week that consists of 13 days. These days are simply numbered 1 to 13. Then, there is a named week that consists of 20 days. These days are Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, Chikchan, Kimi, Manik, Lamat, Muluk, Ok, Chuwen, Eb, Ben, Ix, Men, Kib, Kaban, Etznab, Kawak and Ajaw. Because there are only 13 number, by the time Ben is reached, Ix starts over at one and the numbers continue. With the 20 day names and 13 numbered days interlocking and rotating until number one matches up with Imix again, there are 260 days.

The Haab Calendar

The Haab was the solar calendar created by the Mayans. The Haab consisted of 18 “months” of 20 days each, followed by 5 extra days, known as Uayeb. The months are Pop, Wo, Sip, Sotz, Sek, Xul, Yaxkin, Mol, Chen, Yax, Sak, Keh, Mak, Kankin, Muwan, Pax, Kayab, Kumku, and Wayeb. The Mayans didnt number years, but combining the Tzolkin and the Haab would not allow for a repeat for 52 years. This was known as the Calendar Round. The Mayans felt that the end of the Calendar Round was an uneasy time, as they wondered if the gods would give them another cycle. Although there were only 365 days in the Haab year, the Mayas were aware that a year is slightly longer than 365 days, and in fact, many of the month-names are associated with the seasons

The Long Count Calendar

To help keep better records of history, the Mayans developed the Long Count calendar. This measures for periods longer than the 52 years of the Calendar Round. The Mayan creation date is 4 Ahaw, 8 Kumku or August 11, 3113 BC. The Long Count is really a mixed base-20/base-18 representation of a number, representing the number of days since the start of the Mayan era. It is thus akin to the Julian Day Number.

What has upset so many is that the Long Count calendar is set to end on December 21, 2012 after 5,126 years. Many believe this is the date of the apocalypse, pointing to the fact that on December 21, 2012 at 11:11 p.m. universal time, the sun will align with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in almost 26,000 years. Scholars point out that it would have been virtually impossible for the Mayans to have known of the alignment.

However, most scholars believe that the upcoming end of the Long Count calendar along with the hard economic times, changing global conditions, and military tensions around the world is a merely unique opportunity for some to cash in on a coincidence, much like those that predicted the Y2K chaos.

Resources about The Mayan Calendar

More information about the Mayan Calendars

The Classic Maya calendar and Day Numbering System

Graphic Maya Calendar Converter

Teacher Lesson Plans and Units about the Mayan Calendar

Resource by E.Trio

I am an online writer and soon to be published author. I grew up in Southern California, but I currently live in the Bay Area while I work on my books. I enjoy camping and hiking with my dog Max or just relaxing on the back porch while I write. Stay tuned for my first children’s book to be released about Max.

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