The Mayan calendar is a system of calendars and almanacs used by the Mayan civilization in pre-Columbian times. It is a complex system that includes several separate calendars that work together to keep time and track celestial cycles.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Mayan Calendar
The Mayan calendar is a system of calendars and almanacs used by the Mayan civilization in pre-Columbian times. It is a complex system that includes several separate calendars that work together to keep time and track celestial cycles.
The Long Count Calendar
The Long Count calendar is perhaps the most well-known of the Mayan calendars. It is a system of counting days that starts at the mythical creation date of the Mayan world, which corresponds to August 11, 3114 BCE in the Gregorian calendar. Each day is represented by a number, and the Long Count calendar can be used to calculate dates that are millions of years in the past or future.
The Haab Calendar
The Haab calendar is a 365-day solar calendar used by the Mayans for agricultural and seasonal purposes. It is divided into 18 months of 20 days each, plus an extra period of 5 days called Wayeb. The Haab calendar is still used by some indigenous communities in modern-day Mexico and Central America.
What Year is it in the Mayan Calendar?
The Mayan calendar does not use the same year numbering system as the Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar used in most of the world today. Instead, the Mayan calendar uses a system of cycles that repeat every so often. The most famous of these cycles is the Long Count calendar, which is divided into cycles of 144,000 days each. The current cycle of the Long Count calendar began on December 21, 2012, and will end on December 23, 2019.
However, it's important to note that the end of the current cycle does not mean the end of the world, as some people believed in the lead-up to 2012. Instead, it simply marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
Question and Answer:
Q: How do the Mayans keep track of time?
A: The Mayans used a complex system of calendars and almanacs to keep track of time and celestial cycles. The most well-known of these calendars is the Long Count calendar, which counts days from the mythical creation date of the Mayan world.
Q: What year is it in the Mayan calendar?
A: The current cycle of the Long Count calendar began on December 21, 2012, and will end on December 23, 2019.
Q: Does the end of the current cycle of the Mayan calendar mean the end of the world?
A: No, the end of the current cycle simply marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. It does not signify the end of the world.
Conclusion
The Mayan calendar is a fascinating system of calendars and almanacs that was used by the Mayan civilization to keep track of time and celestial cycles. The Long Count calendar, perhaps the most well-known of the Mayan calendars, is currently in its 13th cycle, which began on December 21, 2012, and will end on December 23, 2019. While the end of the cycle has been the subject of much speculation and hype, it simply marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.