Mesoamerican Long Count calendar

The Long Count is a calendar for the day count in the system of the Mayan calendar.

Because there are the dates of the ritualistic Tzolkin Calendar and civil Haab Mayan calendar every 260 and 365 days and repeat the combinations of the two calendar data every 52 Haab - years, ie, in each calendar round, needed the Maya astronomical calculations and the history record could describe another calendar that longer periods clearly, the Long Count.

Operation

For continuous day count the Maya used the Tzolkin and Haab as calendar a (modified ) Zwanziger system. The spelling of the Long Count is for example 9.12.11.5.18 and means 9 Baktun 12 Katun 11 Tun 5 Uinal 18 Kin. Higher levels have been used occasionally, so 15 point values ​​are listed on Alautun on Stele 9 from Cobá.

The number sequence of the time elapsed since the starting day of the census day, written in the Classic Maya period above the other, was supplemented by the exact name of the day calendar round, ie with the Tzolkin and the Haab date, such as 4 Ahau 8 Cumku. The individual bits of each run from 0 to 19, up to the penultimate point ( Uinal ), which only runs to 17. The fact that one action has only 18 instead of 20 Uinal, takes an action 360 days, or about one - Haab year.

A person is considered certain that the beginning of the current Mayan creation date 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau on the 8 Cumku falls ( 11 or August 13 3114 BC). This is 13 Baktun Katun 0 0 0 Do Uinal 0 Kin 4 Ahau 8 Cumku the starting point of the Mayan calendar. The time specification 0.0.0.0.0 did not use the Maya, the first baktun was 13 instead of 0 known, but after the age of 13 Baktun cycle, the count jumped to 1 Baktun, thus correlating the Long Count 1.0.0.0.0 with the 10 or November 12, 2720 BC From a purely mathematically specifying 13.0.0.0.0 for the start point of the calendar system is, however, actually for 0.0.0.0.0. It may seem illogical that the Mayans their calendar beginning 0.0.0.0.0 not written down but 13.0.0.0.0. However, this can explain 13 to the religious meaning of the number.

Of particular interest is the recurrence of the date 13.0.0.0.0 ( 21st or 23rd December 2012), as these Long Count for the first time since the start point corresponds to the day of creation. For the Maya, the return would indeed have been this constellation of ritual significance, but there is no evidence that such an event would have meant the end of the world or the beginning of a new creation in the imagination of the Maya. On the contrary, the Maya calendrical events have far dated in the future. Also, would this supposed " Weltuntergangstag " in December 2012 a 4 Ahau 3 Kankin and no 4 Ahau 8 Cumku, as was the case on the day of creation and thus true anyway is not exactly identical.

For forward-looking data now follows at 13 Baktun not again 1 Baktun, but 14 Baktun, turn it 15 Baktun, etc. After completion of 19 Baktun calendar will jump to 20 Baktun, but back to 0 Baktun. To establish uniqueness, a new counting unit is now included in the Long Count, the pictun (1 pictun = 20 Baktun ), so the date is six digits. As an example, the 80th Calendar Round anniversary of the enthronement of K'inich Janaab ' Pakal I can serve that in an inscription with 1 pictun 0 Baktun Katun 0 0 0 Do Uinal 8 children 5 Lamat 1 Mol is specified ( 1.0.0.0.0.8 or. October 23 4772 AD). It follows that, first, no date will ever be able to repeat exactly; secondly, that every day in the calendar system of the Maya is absolutely unique; and thirdly, that the Mayan calendar is theoretically oriented towards the infinity towards.

Tzolkin and Haab

Since the last digit of the Long counter every 20 days ( Kin) counts, there is a unique assignment of the twenty day names of the Tzolkin calendar:

0 = Ahau, 1 = Imix, 2 Ik =, 3 = Akbal, 4 = Kan,   5 = Chiccan, 6 = Cimi, 7 = Manik, Lamat 8 =, 9 = Muluc, 10 = Oc, 11 Chuen =, = 12 Kb, 13 = Ben, 14 = Ix, 15 = Men, Cib = 16, 17 = Kaban, 18 = Edznab, 19 = Cauac. The Haab ' date 8 Cumku falls only after 379 600 Haab - years back to a date in which occurs 13.0.0.0.0.

Correlation problem

There is still no clear assignment of calendar dates of the Long Count to those of the Gregorian calendar. It assumes, however, that the named after the Englishman John Eric Sidney Thompson Thompson correlation is correct, after the date 13.0.0.0.0 to the Julian date corresponding to 584 283 (not to be confused with the Julian Calendar ). The Long Count begins on August 11, 3114 BC Gregorian calendar, reaching the winter solstice on 21 December 2012 again the state 13.0.0.0.0. Based on the data from the Classic Maya period show recent investigations on the basis of many different sources as the start date of the Long Count to Gregorian date August 13, 3114 BC ( 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ahau 8 Cumku ) and thus the correlation proposal 584 285.

Early datings

In general, it should be noted that all the early datings of full series of numbers (eg 8.6.2.4.17 ) exist, whereas later datings mostly a "0" in the uinal and k'in site ( eg 9.16.5.0 .0 ), sometimes also on the do - spot. It is concluded that the early datings actually refer to a specific day, while (eg the end or beginning of a do - or uinal cycle) was at the time the data was a calendar event in the foreground. It is also possible that specific events (eg to power of the throne or anniversaries ) in the later dating to a corresponding - (?) Auspicious - day were laid.