The Ancient Mayan Calendar - Explore History & Mythology
The Ancient Mayan Calendar - History and MythologyWhen attempting to understand the complexity of the ancient Maya, one should note their sophisticated calendar system. The Mayan calendar was created to track 5 different cycles at once: the Cosmic, Ritual, and Historical, and Tzolk'in, and Haab́. This calendar allowed the Maya to map out time for both ritual and civil use.The cosmic cycle, also known as the "Long Count", is a period of approximately 5,126 years. This cycle resets every time it completes and is believed to be used to follow creation and destruction myth cycles. It is especially significant for tracking religious events. The Tzolk'in, which also contains 260 days, is the most widely used cycle. It is believed to have been used in a variety of ways, including the regulation of trade and taxation and the ability to record important dates and events. The integration of the lengths of this cycle with the phases of the moon provides an equally important religious element to the calendar.The Haab́ is the third cycle that is tracked on the Mayan calendar. It is composed of 365 days and is divided into 18 months that consist of 20 days each. This cycle follows a solar year more closely than the Tzolk'in but similarly contains a religious significance. The integration of these three cycles forms the basis of the Sacred Round, which is the calendar we know today.On top of tracking the three major cycles, the Mayans also organized them into historical and ritual cycles to create a larger system known as the "Round of the Ages". This was used to track the current age and was believed to be a method of predicting the future. Ritual cycles were also used to plan events such as the dedication of a building. The sheer complexity of the Mayan calendar is a testament to the genius of Mayan civilization. This calendar provides us with an unparalleled glimpse into their intricate astronomical, mathematical, and mythological knowledge. Though their civilization is no longer among us, we can still explore the fascinating mysteries and learn from the culture that created such a remarkable system.