Download - Wk 10 mysterious maya pt 2 2012 oct 24
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