The Maya Calendar Systems Vol. 1

Emphasizing the Yucatecan Calendar, the Worlds Very First Eternal Solar Calendar

Wissenschaftliche Studie , 2016 , 152 Seiten

Ethnologie / Volkskunde

This treatise about the Maya Calendar Systems, emphasizing the Yucatecan Calendar, is an extract and a summary of the studies on their number as well as their calendar systems. As far as the calendars are concerned data from monuments as well as from the Chilam Balam of Tizimin / Chumayel and the Codex Pérez were analyzed.

All nations of Mesoamerica had number systems to the base 20. The one of the Maya, however, differed from all others not only by its basic numbers but also by the formation of numbers greater than 20, namely by the method of overcounting while all the others used the method of undercounting.

The Maya replaced their moon calendar by adopting the spiritual and solar calendar as well as a longtime count by a now long time perished nation. The solar calendar had built in a correction of the first order, a camouflaged bissextile day at the end of every fourth year. Spiritual and solar calendar constituted by permutation the Calendar Round, a cycle of 52 years. One of the properties of the Calendar Round was that all years began cyclic by only four out of the twenty sacred day signs, the year bearers kaban, ik', manik', eb. The longtime count was noted as elapsed days in positional notation, whereby the third rank was counted only from 0 to 17.

This Preclassic Calendar was reformed by the Maya due to the different counting of numbers, thus, by replacing the Day Count with a system of measurements, the so-called Long Count, whereby the third rank became a short year of 360 days.

This Classic Calendar was reformed, however, only in the Rio Bec, Chenes and Puuc region. Hereby the Long Count was replaced by periods of current time, the ajaw-Periods of 20 short years. Additionally the Calendar Round was made “dynamic”, in order to integrate the solar calendar corrections of the second and third order. The resultant pairs of Calendar Rounds of the same patron had identical notations, thus, the protagonists of the reform introduced for the months of the solar year the count of current days for each first Calendar Round and for each second one of elapsed days. The reform of this Yucatecan Calendar was completed by enlarging the ajaw-Period from the 20 short years to 24 solar years. And thus, the first eternal solar calendar was accomplished.

This calendar was lived up to the conquest by the Spaniards. The knowledge about it, however, was lost soon after the inquisitional trials and the auto de fé of Mani. Thereafter the counting was frozen.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Dedication
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Contents
• Illustrations
• Part 1
  • 1.1 Introduction
    • The Maya Calendar Systems, whilst Emphasizing the Yucatecan Calendar, the World's Very First Eternal Solar Calendar
  • 1.2 The Elements of the Maya Calendars and the Number Systems Used within
    • 1.2.1 The Calendar Round
      • The Basic Elements of the Calendar Round
      • The Numbers of the Solar and the Sacred Calendars
      • The Year Bearers and Other Characteristics of the Calendar Round
    • 1.2.2 Numbers Used with the Maya Calendar Systems
      • Number Words and Number Signs of the Maya
      • Number Words of Other Mesoamerican Nations
      • Ordinal Number Words of the Maya
      • The Different Ways of Counting Number Words Greater than Twenty in Mesoamerica
      • Number Signs equal to and Greater than Twenty
      • The Principles of and Examples for "Systems of Measurements"
    • 1.2.3 The Calendars and Their Longtime Counts Exemplified in Their Notation for the Day Count, the Long Count and the Short Count
      • 1.2.3.1 The Day Count of the Preclassic Calendar

  Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

  This treatise aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Maya calendar systems, with a particular focus on the Yucatecan calendar, which is considered the world's first eternal solar calendar. The study delves into the historical development of the calendar systems, their mathematical underpinnings, and their cultural significance.

  • The structure and function of the Maya calendar systems
  • The historical development of the Yucatecan calendar
  • The relationship between the Maya calendar systems and the number systems of the Maya
  • The cultural significance of the Maya calendar systems
  • The Maya calendar systems in relation to other Mesoamerican cultures

  Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

  The first chapter of the treatise provides an introduction to the Maya calendar systems, outlining their historical development and cultural significance. It delves into the elements of the Maya calendars and the number systems used within, including the Calendar Round, the Long Count, and the Short Count. The chapter also examines the different ways of counting number words greater than twenty in Mesoamerica. The second chapter focuses on the Preclassic calendar, exploring its structure and function, and its relationship to the later Classic and Yucatecan calendars.

  Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

  The primary keywords and focus topics of the text include: Maya calendar systems, Yucatecan calendar, eternal solar calendar, Calendar Round, Long Count, Short Count, number systems, Mesoamerican cultures, Preclassic calendar, Classic calendar, cultural significance, historical development.

• Autor: Armin A. Brandes (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2016
• Seiten: 152
• Katalognummer: V334164
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668278943
• ISBN (Buch): 9783668278950
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: maya calendar, calendar, Yucatecan Calendar, eternal solar calendar, Yucatan, mayan calendar, solar calendar, sun calendar, number systems, mesoamerica