6.3 Mayan Long Count calendar

The Mayan Long Count calendar was a sophisticated timekeeping system developed by the ancient Maya. It emerged from earlier Mesoamerican traditions and played a crucial role in Mayan society, influencing astronomy, religion, and governance.

The Long Count calendar used a base-20 system to track long periods of time, with units ranging from single days to cycles of nearly 400 years. It was used alongside other calendars and deeply influenced Mayan culture, shaping their understanding of history and the cosmos.

Origins of the Long Count calendar

• The Long Count calendar emerged from a rich tradition of timekeeping and astronomical observation in Mesoamerica, reflecting the region's advanced understanding of celestial cycles and their impact on human affairs
• The Olmecs, an early Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico from around 1500 BCE to 400 BCE, are credited with developing the basic structure and principles of the Long Count calendar
• The Maya, who rose to prominence in the centuries following the decline of the Olmecs, adopted and refined the Long Count calendar, integrating it into their own sophisticated system of timekeeping and using it to record important historical and astronomical events

Mesoamerican calendrical traditions

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• Mesoamerican cultures, including the Olmecs, Maya, Zapotecs, and Aztecs, developed complex calendrical systems that combined multiple cycles of varying lengths to track time and predict celestial events
• These calendars often incorporated a 260-day sacred calendar, known as the Tzolk'in among the Maya, which was used for divination and scheduling religious ceremonies
• Mesoamerican calendars also included solar calendars, such as the 365-day Haab' calendar used by the Maya, which were based on the annual cycle of the sun and used for agricultural and seasonal purposes

Development by the Olmecs

• The Olmecs are believed to have created the Long Count calendar as early as the 7th century BCE, using it to record important dates and events in their history
• The Long Count calendar was based on a vigesimal (base-20) numeral system, which was common among Mesoamerican cultures
• The Olmecs used the Long Count calendar in conjunction with other calendrical systems, such as the 260-day sacred calendar, to create a comprehensive framework for understanding the passage of time and the cyclical nature of the universe

Adoption and refinement by the Maya

• The Maya, who emerged as a distinct civilization in the centuries following the decline of the Olmecs, adopted the Long Count calendar and integrated it into their own system of timekeeping
• The Maya made several refinements to the Long Count calendar, including the addition of the "Grand Cycle" or "Great Cycle," which consisted of 13 baktuns (a period of approximately 394 years)
• The Maya used the Long Count calendar extensively in their inscriptions and monuments, recording important dates such as the accession of rulers, military victories, and astronomical events

Structure of the Long Count calendar

• The Long Count calendar is a vigesimal (base-20) and modified base-18 system that represents a given date by counting the number of days passed since a mythical creation date
• The Long Count calendar consists of five main units of time: kin (day), winal (20 days), tun (360 days), katun (7,200 days), and baktun (144,000 days)
• The Long Count calendar is often correlated with the Gregorian calendar using the "GMT correlation," which places the start date of the current Long Count cycle at August 11, 3114 BCE in the Gregorian calendar

Units of time measurement

• Kin: The smallest unit of time in the Long Count calendar, equivalent to one day
• Winal: A period of 20 kins, roughly equivalent to a month
• Tun: A period of 18 winals, or 360 kins, roughly equivalent to a year
• Katun: A period of 20 tuns, or 7,200 kins, roughly equivalent to 20 years
• Baktun: A period of 20 katuns, or 144,000 kins, roughly equivalent to 394 years

Cycles and periods

• The Long Count calendar is organized into recurring cycles, with each cycle lasting approximately 5,125 years (13 baktuns)
• The current Long Count cycle began on August 11, 3114 BCE (Gregorian calendar) and is set to end on December 21, 2012 CE, marking the completion of the 13th baktun
• The end of a Long Count cycle was often associated with significant events or transitions in Mayan cosmology, but did not necessarily signify the end of the world

Correlation with Gregorian calendar

• The most widely accepted correlation between the Long Count calendar and the Gregorian calendar is the "GMT correlation," which was developed by Joseph Goodman, Juan Martínez Hernández, and J. Eric S. Thompson
• The GMT correlation places the start date of the current Long Count cycle at August 11, 3114 BCE in the Gregorian calendar, and the end date at December 21, 2012 CE
• Other correlations have been proposed, such as the "Lounsbury correlation" and the "Spinden correlation," but the GMT correlation remains the most widely accepted among scholars

Significance in Mayan culture

• The Long Count calendar played a central role in Mayan society, serving as a tool for timekeeping, astronomical observation, and the organization of religious and civic life
• The Long Count calendar was closely tied to Mayan religious beliefs, with each cycle associated with the creation and destruction of the world by the gods
• The Long Count calendar also influenced Mayan societal organization and governance, with important events such as the accession of rulers and the timing of religious ceremonies determined by the calendar

Role in timekeeping and astronomy

• The Maya used the Long Count calendar to record and predict important astronomical events, such as solstices, equinoxes, and the movements of celestial bodies
• Mayan astronomers used sophisticated mathematical calculations and observational techniques to track the cycles of the sun, moon, and planets, and to determine the timing of eclipses and other celestial phenomena
• The Long Count calendar allowed the Maya to place these astronomical events within a larger framework of time, and to understand their significance in relation to mythical and historical events

Connection to religious beliefs and rituals

• The Long Count calendar was deeply intertwined with Mayan religious beliefs, with each cycle associated with the creation and destruction of the world by the gods
• The end of a Long Count cycle was often marked by significant religious ceremonies and rituals, which were believed to ensure the continuation of the world and the renewal of the cosmic order
• Mayan religious texts, such as the Popol Vuh, describe the creation of the world and the exploits of the gods in terms of Long Count dates and cycles

Influence on societal organization and governance

• The Long Count calendar played a significant role in the organization of Mayan society, with important events such as the accession of rulers and the timing of religious ceremonies determined by the calendar
• Mayan rulers often used Long Count dates to legitimize their rule and to demonstrate their connection to the gods and the cosmic order
• The Long Count calendar also influenced the timing of agricultural activities, trade, and warfare, with important events scheduled to coincide with significant dates in the calendar

Long Count dates and inscriptions

• Long Count dates were recorded using a specific notation system, which consisted of five numbers separated by periods, representing the number of kins, winals, tuns, katuns, and baktuns elapsed since the start of the current cycle
• Long Count dates were often accompanied by supplementary information, such as the Tzolk'in and Haab' dates, and the name of the ruling king or queen
• Long Count dates and inscriptions can be found on a wide range of Mayan artifacts, including stelae, altars, temples, and ceramic vessels

Notation and interpretation of dates

• A typical Long Count date consists of five numbers separated by periods, written in the following format: Baktun.Katun.Tun.Winal.Kin
• For example, the Long Count date 9.12.2.0.16 represents 9 baktuns, 12 katuns, 2 tuns, 0 winals, and 16 kins since the start of the current cycle
• To interpret a Long Count date, one must add up the number of days represented by each place value and then add the result to the start date of the current cycle (August 11, 3114 BCE in the GMT correlation)

Prominent Long Count dates in Mayan history

• 8.12.14.8.15 (September 18, 32 BCE): The earliest known Long Count date, found on Stela 2 at Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico
• 9.8.9.13.0 (August 29, 436 CE): The accession of K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo', the founder of the Copán dynasty, as recorded on the Motmot Marker at Copán, Honduras
• 9.13.0.0.0 (December 5, 692 CE): The end of the 13th katun, marked by the dedication of numerous monuments and buildings across the Mayan world
• 10.0.0.0.0 (March 15, 830 CE): The completion of the 10th baktun, a significant milestone in the Long Count calendar

Surviving examples in Mayan art and architecture

• Stela 29 at Tikal, Guatemala, which bears the Long Count date 8.12.14.8.15 and depicts a seated ruler holding a ceremonial bar
• The Hieroglyphic Stairway at Copán, Honduras, which records the dynastic history of the city in a series of Long Count dates and associated inscriptions
• The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque, Mexico, which contains the tomb of K'inich Janaab' Pakal and features numerous Long Count dates and inscriptions related to his life and reign
• The Dresden Codex, one of the few surviving Mayan bark-paper books, which contains astronomical tables and calculations based on the Long Count calendar

Relationship to other Mayan calendars

• The Long Count calendar was used in conjunction with other Mayan calendars, such as the Haab' solar calendar and the Tzolk'in sacred calendar, to create a comprehensive system of timekeeping
• The Haab' and Tzolk'in calendars were often used to specify the date within a given Long Count period, creating a more precise and context-specific date
• The interaction between the Long Count, Haab', and Tzolk'in calendars allowed the Maya to track both linear and cyclical time, and to understand the relationship between celestial events, mythical narratives, and historical occurrences

Haab' solar calendar

• The Haab' was a 365-day solar calendar used by the Maya for agricultural and seasonal purposes
• The Haab' consisted of 18 months of 20 days each, plus a 5-day period known as the Wayeb' at the end of the year
• Each day in the Haab' was denoted by a number (0-19) and a glyph representing one of the 18 months, such as Pop, Wo, or Sip

Tzolk'in sacred calendar

• The Tzolk'in was a 260-day sacred calendar used by the Maya for divination and scheduling religious ceremonies
• The Tzolk'in consisted of 20 named days, each associated with a specific deity or natural force, combined with 13 numbers (1-13) to create a total of 260 unique day names
• The Tzolk'in was believed to reflect the sacred cycle of creation and destruction, and was used to determine the auspicious times for important events such as planting, harvesting, and warfare

Synchronization and interaction between calendars

• The Haab' and Tzolk'in calendars operated independently of each other, but their combination created a larger cycle known as the Calendar Round, which lasted for 52 Haab' years (18,980 days)
• The Calendar Round was used to specify dates within a given Long Count period, with the Haab' and Tzolk'in dates serving to provide additional context and significance to the Long Count date
• The synchronization of the Long Count, Haab', and Tzolk'in calendars allowed the Maya to create a sophisticated and multi-layered system of timekeeping that encompassed both linear and cyclical conceptions of time

Long Count and the Mayan collapse

• The Long Count calendar has sometimes been associated with the decline and collapse of Mayan civilization, although the relationship between the two is complex and not fully understood
• Some scholars have suggested that the end of the 10th baktun in 830 CE may have coincided with or contributed to the onset of the Mayan collapse, a period of political instability, population decline, and abandonment of cities in the southern Mayan lowlands
• However, the Long Count calendar continued to be used and developed by the Maya even after the collapse, and its association with doomsday scenarios or the end of the world is largely a modern misinterpretation

Possible role in societal decline

• The end of the 10th baktun in 830 CE may have been seen as a significant and potentially destabilizing event by the Maya, as it marked the completion of a major cycle in the Long Count calendar
• Some scholars have suggested that the anticipation of this event may have led to increased warfare, political instability, and social unrest, as different city-states and factions vied for power and influence
• However, the relationship between the Long Count calendar and the Mayan collapse is still debated, and other factors such as environmental degradation, overpopulation, and changing trade patterns likely played a more significant role

Misinterpretations and doomsday theories

• In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, some New Age and doomsday theorists misinterpreted the end of the 13th baktun in December 2012 as a prediction of the end of the world or a major global catastrophe
• These misinterpretations often relied on a selective and distorted reading of Mayan mythology and cosmology, and were not supported by serious scholars of Mayan culture
• In reality, the end of the 13th baktun was seen by the Maya as a time of renewal and transition, marking the end of one cycle and the beginning of another, rather than the end of time itself

Continued use and relevance after the collapse

• Despite the challenges faced by Mayan civilization in the centuries following the collapse, the Long Count calendar continued to be used and developed by the Maya
• In the northern Yucatan Peninsula, cities such as Chichen Itza and Mayapan emerged as new centers of power and cultural influence, and the Long Count calendar remained an important tool for timekeeping and historical record-keeping
• The Long Count calendar also influenced the calendrical systems of other Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Aztecs, who adopted and modified the Long Count for their own purposes
• Today, the Long Count calendar remains an important part of Mayan cultural heritage, and continues to be studied and celebrated by scholars, artists, and indigenous communities across the Mayan world