ANT 102Oct 24th

Finish the “mystery” aboutwhat happened to the Classic

period Maya…

then…

2012

Reasons why the Ancient Maya are said to be mysterious

4) The ancient Maya appear to have disappeared. What happened to them?

1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question

Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

--We will focus on just one dimension: What caused them to move elsewhere?

2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem

DroughtForeign invasionInternal warfare

3. Evaluating evidence

4. Developing solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning

5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions

--Evaluating evidence

Drought expectations

You would see paleo-ecological evidence of less rainfall

You would see deterioration of nutrition (skeletons in burials should indicatepeople dying young, with stunted growth, and more disease)

Foreign invasion expectations

Yes, there was bad health

There is such evidence but some cities were abandoned before drought

but there was also bad health before drought

You would see find a big increase in artifacts from foreign areas

No such increase was found

Internal warfare expectations

You would see lots of fortifications, at both big sites and small sites,right before abandonment

City ofDos Pilas,

abandonedcirca 800 AD

City ofDos Pilas,

abandonedcirca 800 AD

Aguateca: neighbor of Dos Pilas

Near Dos Pilas and Aguateca, the settlements of common farmers move tohilltops and defend themselves with walls

3. Evaluating evidence

Drought expectations

You would see paleo-ecological evidence of less rainfall

You would see deterioration of nutrition (skeletons in burials should indicatepeople dying young, would stunted growth, and more disease)

Foreign invasion expectations

Yes, there was bad health

There is such evidence but some cities were abandoned before drought

but there was also bad health before drought

You would see find a big increase in artifacts from foreign areas

No such increase was found

Internal warfare expectations

Yes, there are such fortifications but only in some parts of the Maya area

4. Developing potential solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning

Drought may play a role in some cases, internal warfare may play a role in other cases

You would see lots of fortifications, at both big sites and small sites,right before abandonment

1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question

Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

3. Evaluating evidence2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem

5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions4. Developing solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning

Modern Maya (2002) Ancient Maya (700 AD)

The Maya did not “disappear”: there are 7 million Maya living today. Rather, they migratedand changed. To say that the ancient Maya disappeared is to deny a connection betweenmodern and ancient Maya, thus robbing modern people of a proud heritage.

What is 2012?

1. The year in which the Maya long count calendar starts over again

Like when your odometer rolls over

What’snext???

Does yourcar self-destruct??

What is 2012?

1. The year in which the Maya long count calendar starts over again

2. It is a bunch of misunderstandings (or perhaps hoaxes) and spuriousprophecies about the end of the world and the dawn of a new age.

3. It is a way to make money

4. It is us! The idea of destruction and renewal has deep rootsin our own history and religious background

-What is the long count calendar?-How do Maya hieroglyphs work?

-What did the Maya think about 2012?

Top of Altar Q, Copan, Honduras

Altar Q

Copan, Honduras

Top of Altar Q, Copan, Honduras

1

2

3

4

5

6

A B C D E F

B3

1

2

3

4

5

6

A B C D E F

Reading order?

A1, B1, A2, B2…etc.

of

1 2

1 = affix (prefix)

2 = main sign

Mayanumbers

9

10

= 1 = 5

We usbase 10

(decimal)

Maya usedbase 20

(vigesimal)

Mayanumbers

= 0

18

9

10

19

? 20

11

We usbase 10

(decimal)

Maya usedbase 20

(vigesimal)

= 1 = 5

18

9

10

19

20

11

We usbase 10

(decimal)

Maya usedbase 20

(vigesimal)Maya

numbers

= 0

= 1 = 5

Two ways of keeping time

1. Linear 2. Cyclical

Tuesday

Mon

day

Sunday

Saturday

FridayW

ednesday Thu

rsda

y

2012 2013

Three Maya calendars that we will look at:

1. The “Haab”. A solar calendar with 365 days

2. The “tzolkin.” A ritual calendar with 260 days

3. The Long Count.

cyclical

cyclical

linear

Haab: the “vague” year, has 365 days(“vague” because an actual year has 365.25 days)

18 months with 20 days1 month with 5 days

Very similar to our own calendar

Names of the 20 months

The Tzolkin: Divinatory Calendar(has 260 days)

20 day names, 13 day numbers

No “months”

Names of the 20 days

It takes 18,980 days for a day in thecalendar round to repeat itself. This is 52 years

Calendarround

TzolkinCalendar

Haab calendar

Tuesday

Monday

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Wednesd

ay

Thursday

Feb 6

Feb 4

Feb 7

Feb 5

Feb 8

Feb 2

Feb 1

Feb 3

Jan

31

Feb 9

How long do we have to wait foranother day like Tuesday Feb. 5? 7 x 365 = 2555

Maya calendar round = 52 years, Our calendar round = 7 years

Long Count calendar: A count of days starting fromthe day 0.0.0.0.1 (This is August 12th 3114 in our calendar)

Baktun: 400 tuns = 144,000 days = about 396 years)

Katun: 20 tuns = 7200 days = about 20 years)1st digit:2nd digit3rd digit4th digit5th digit k’in: a day, move to next digit on 20th day

Winal: period of 20 days, move to next digit after 18 winalstun: period of 18 winal (360 days)

20th day =

159th day = 0.0.0.7.19

360th day = 0.0.0.18.0

19 tuns 359 days = 0.0.19.17.19

1 katun = 0.1.0.0.0

19th day = 0.0.0.0.19

0.0.0.1.0

400th day = 0.0.1.2.0

There areonly 13 Baktuns

360th day = 0.0.1.0.0

Stela F,Quirigua

A B

1

2

3

A1:B1:A2:B2:A3:

9 baktun17 katun

0 tun0 winal0 k’in

1 baktun = 144,000 days 9 x 144,000 = 1,296,000

1 katun = 7,200 days 17 x 7,200 = 122,400

1,418,400 days divide by 365.25

3883.35 - 3114 = 769 AD

but since we have no year 0, add 1, to get 770 AD

but since we the start date is Aug 12, 3114,NOT Jan 1 3114, we need further adjustments

So, the date is Jan 20th , 771 AD

A B

1

2

3

A1:B1:A2:B2:A3:

B3:

B8:

9 baktun17 katun

0 tun0 winal0 k’in

13 ahau

18 Kumku

Haab calendar date

Tzolkin calendar date

So, what is 2012?

But there are only 13 Baktuns!

Let’s say you are at day 12.19.19.17.19 (which happens to be December 21st, 2012)

What would the next day be?

13.0.0.0.0 ?

The baktuns start at 0, and then go to 12.From 0 to 12, we have 13 Baktuns.

So, after Baktun 12, we go back to Baktun 0.0.0.0.0.0

IS THIS A BIG DEAL?

NO

What did the Maya think about the day after 12.19.19.17.19 (December 21st, 2012)?

They did not think much about it at all.

1. There are probably 10,000 preserved Maya texts. Only 2 of these texts mention the day after 12.19.19.17.19

La Corona hieroglyphic stairway 2, block V Tortuguero Monument 6

How do we know this?

What do these text say about this peculiar day?

La Corona hieroglyphic stairway 2, block V Tortuguero Monument 6

NothingA god will appear and helpsanctify the building on whichMonument 6 is found

What did the Maya think about the day after 12.19.19.17.19 (December 21st, 2012)?

They did not think much about it at all.

1. There are probably 10,000 preserved Maya texts. Only 2 of these texts mention the day after 12.19.19.17.19

How do we know this?

2. The two texts that mention the day after 12.19.19.17.19 don’tactually tell us that anything special is going to happen.

3. There are texts that talk about dates prior to 3114 BC and after 2012 AD. So, life will continue after the end of the currentBaktun cycle, just as it did before the current Baktun cycle

4. There is no ancient Maya prophecy dealing with 2012.

Hunbatz Men: a contemporary Mayashaman who has a prophecy.

What is 2012?

1. The year in which the Maya long count calendar starts over again

2. It is a bunch of misunderstandings (or perhaps hoaxes) based onspurious prophecies and misinformation.

3. It is a way to make money

There are no ancient Maya prophecies

The ancient Maya never actually discussed the Milky Way

Ties in to the idea of the hoax. Remember Cardiff Giant: People paid to see it because it was said to be old.

Non-fiction (though bogus)Crystal Skull, by Jack MacClaren, 1936

What is 2012?

1. The year in which the Maya long count calendar starts over again

2. It is a bunch of misunderstandings (or perhaps hoaxes) based onspurious prophecies and misinformation.

3. It is a way to make money

There are no ancient Maya prophecies

The ancient Maya never actually discussed the Milky Way

Ties in to the idea of the hoax. Remember Cardiff Giant: People paid to see it because it was said to be old.

But archaeologists are also cashing in on 2012

4. It is us! The idea of destruction and renewal has deep rootsin our own history and religious background