Mayan Calendar

How Does It Work and How Its Read!

• The calendar dates back to at least the 5th century BCE (Before Common Era) and is still in use in a few Mayan communities today. The Mayan calendar moves in cycles with the last cycle ending in December 2012. This has usually been interpreted as the world will end on 21 December 2012, at 11:11 UTC.

Symbol Meanings

• Ch’en: January 2nd to January 21st Meaning: Black Storm, Black Sky, Moon, One Flower, West.
• Yax: January 22nd to February 10th Meaning: Green Storm, Venus, Two Flower, South.
• Sac: February 11th to March 2nd Meaning: White Storm, Frog, Frog Constellation, Three Flower, North.
• Keh: March 3rd to March 22nd Meaning: Red Storm, Trees, Deer, Eas.
• Mak: March 23rd to April 11th Meaning: Enclosed, Cover, God of Number 3.

Symbol Meanings Continued

• K’ank’in: April 12th to May 1st Meaning: Earth, Dog, Yellow, Underworld, Yellow Sun.
• Muwan: May 2nd to May 21st Meaning: Owl, Moan Bird, God of Rain and Clouds, Fire.
• Pax: May 22nd to June 10th Meaning: Planting Time, Puma, Steam, Arrow, Drum.
• Kayab: June 11th to June 30th Meaning: Turtle, Moon Goddess, One God.
• Kumk’u: July 1st to July 20th Meaning: Grain, Crocodile, Conch over Maize, Two Lord, Dark, Itzamnas gods of rain and plants.
• Wayeb: July 21st to July 25th Meaning: Unlucky Days, The Earth God, Specter, the Missing Days (short 5 day month).
• Pop: July 26th to August 14th Meaning: Jaguar, Chief, Leader, Soft Earth.
• Wo: August 15th to September 3rd Meaning: Black Sky, Black Jaguar, Black Storm, Night time, Frog, Two Soft Earth.
• Sip: September 4th to September 23rd Meaning: Red Conjunction, Red Sky, Red Storm, Deer, Stag.
• Sotz: September 24th to October 13th Meaning: Bat, Fish, Two Moss, Beginning of Winter.
• Sec: October 14th to November 2nd Meanings: Sky and Earth.
• Xul: November 3rd to November 22nd Meanings: Dog with sun tail, Bird Days, Dog God
• Yaxk’in: November 23rd to December 12th Meaning: New Sun, Sun God, Red Clouds, Green
• Mol: December 13th to January 1st Meaning: Water, Clouds Gather, Jaguar, Gathering

I think people believe that the Mayan Calendar ended in 2012 because it stated that the world will end in December 2012 and it did not.

Aztec Violence

Was Aztec Violence Good?

• I think the Aztec violence was so bloody because they wanted to show people how strong they are. Even though I am against violence I think that it did help the Aztecs gain more control. Although maybe if they had a different strategy other than violence I think that they might have gotten the same outcome or maybe an even better one.

Inca Mummies

Purpose/Process

• The Inca people believed in an afterlife and the tombs and mummies were considered holy.
• Preservation of the body was done by desiccation or freeze-drying. Bodies could also be treated and preserved using alcohol. Older cultures had used salt as a preservative and often de-fleshed the body and removed body fluids. Mummies were put in a certain position and wrapped into bundles using a lot of layers of textiles, tight with cords, and sometimes with a cloth added on top. Mummies could be placed in caves or dedicated rooms with others, often in groups, and these chambers were reopened very often so that new mummies could be added. High status people were clothed and wrapped in particularly fine textiles and jewelry. The persons possessions were also put in the chambers with them.