Though the ancient Maya had been using the Period Ending version of the Long Count they eventually shortened it further by the Postclassic period. This even shorter version does not count a group of katuns like Period-Ending. The Short Count -- whose dates are called katun-ending dates -- only stated the date a katun ended and used a very simplified version of the Tzolkin. This second version was a cycle that didn’t repeat until 256.25 years had passed.
Setup
Instead of the regular way of counting the Tzolkin, days were counted using the numbers 1 through 13. Each day had the name Ahau, and was paired with a number between 1 through 13. But it wasn’t just a simple matter of successively counting higher to 13 and starting over. Each day skipped two numbers in the sequence.
An example of the way the Short Count’s dates are written goes like this: katun 13 Ahau. The next katun would be written katun 11 Ahau, after that would be katun 9 Ahau and so on. Once you get to katun 1 Ahau you count down two to get katun 12 Ahau, then 10 Ahau, et cetera.
Consideration
The Short Count is the kind of time keeping that the authors of books like the Chilam Balam used. In these books, the katun date would be recorded in the u cahlay katunob or the “count of the katuns”. Katuns were named after the last day that they fell on.
References:
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
Showing posts with label Tzolkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tzolkin. Show all posts
Friday, April 20, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Maya Calendar Series 3 of 6 -- Calendar Round
As mentioned in the overview article, the Calendar Round is the combination of the cyclical Tzolkin and Haab calendars that starts over every 52 years. Like with the Haab and Tzolkin calendars by themselves, a common way to visually explain the Calendar Round is by representing the calendars as interlocking gears.
With other Mesoamerican cultures, the Calendar Round was the longest length of time they recorded. This was not the case with the Maya, however, who also used the non-repeating Long Count -- which could be used to count beyond the 52 years of Calendar Round.
How Calendar Round Dates are Expressed
The Haab and Tzolkin dates are written today as a pair of dates. For example, the day on which the Tzolkin date 13 Ahau and the Haab date 8 Xul both fall is simply referred to as 13 Ahau 8 Xul. And once it occurs, a pairing of dates won’t occur again until 52 years have gone by.
Repititions
Within the 52-year cycle, the calendars complete their own cycles at rates independent of each other. The Haab repeats 52 times and the Tzolkin repeats 73 times before the two calendars can meet up again to begin a new Calendar Round.
Year Bearer
The Tzolkin date that fell on 0 Pop of the Haab was called the “year bearer.” The “characteristics” of a Tzolkin date that occurred on 0 Pop were thought to influence all the days of the Haab.
With the way that the calendars were set up, only 4 named days out of the 20 named days of the Tzolkin could ever occur on 0 Pop. In the Classic period, the 4 days -- known as “year bearers” -- were Akbal, Lamat, Ben and Etz’nab*. Taking into account the 13 numbers that are part of the Tzolkin, 52 unique Tzolkin dates could occur as “year bearers” (13 x 4 = 52). After 52 years, this sequence of year bearers started over.
Here’s a sample of the pattern of year bearer dates as they occurred: 1 Akbal, 2 Lamat, 3 Ben, 4 Etz’nab, 5 Akbal, 6 Lamat, 7 Ben, 8 Etz’nab, 9 Akbal, 10 Lamat, 11 Ben, 12 Etz’nab, 13 Akbal, 1 Lamat…
*These four days sometimes varied by region, as in the center of the Maya Lowlands, the days were Ik, Manik, Eb and Caban in the Classic Period. By the time of the Conquistadors, the days had become Kan, Muluc, Ix and Cauac.
“A Forest of Kings”; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
“Yaxchilan: The Design of an Maya Ceremonial City” Carolyn Elaine Tate; 1992
With other Mesoamerican cultures, the Calendar Round was the longest length of time they recorded. This was not the case with the Maya, however, who also used the non-repeating Long Count -- which could be used to count beyond the 52 years of Calendar Round.
How Calendar Round Dates are Expressed
The Haab and Tzolkin dates are written today as a pair of dates. For example, the day on which the Tzolkin date 13 Ahau and the Haab date 8 Xul both fall is simply referred to as 13 Ahau 8 Xul. And once it occurs, a pairing of dates won’t occur again until 52 years have gone by.
Repititions
Within the 52-year cycle, the calendars complete their own cycles at rates independent of each other. The Haab repeats 52 times and the Tzolkin repeats 73 times before the two calendars can meet up again to begin a new Calendar Round.
Year Bearer
The Tzolkin date that fell on 0 Pop of the Haab was called the “year bearer.” The “characteristics” of a Tzolkin date that occurred on 0 Pop were thought to influence all the days of the Haab.
With the way that the calendars were set up, only 4 named days out of the 20 named days of the Tzolkin could ever occur on 0 Pop. In the Classic period, the 4 days -- known as “year bearers” -- were Akbal, Lamat, Ben and Etz’nab*. Taking into account the 13 numbers that are part of the Tzolkin, 52 unique Tzolkin dates could occur as “year bearers” (13 x 4 = 52). After 52 years, this sequence of year bearers started over.
Here’s a sample of the pattern of year bearer dates as they occurred: 1 Akbal, 2 Lamat, 3 Ben, 4 Etz’nab, 5 Akbal, 6 Lamat, 7 Ben, 8 Etz’nab, 9 Akbal, 10 Lamat, 11 Ben, 12 Etz’nab, 13 Akbal, 1 Lamat…
*These four days sometimes varied by region, as in the center of the Maya Lowlands, the days were Ik, Manik, Eb and Caban in the Classic Period. By the time of the Conquistadors, the days had become Kan, Muluc, Ix and Cauac.
“A Forest of Kings”; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
“The Ancient Maya”; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
“Yaxchilan: The Design of an Maya Ceremonial City” Carolyn Elaine Tate; 1992
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Maya Calendar Series 1 of 6 -- Tzolkin
Author’s note: I will be putting on pictures of the glyphs soon.
The sacred calendar used by the Maya -- today called the Tzolkin -- is a calendar composed of 20 days and the numbers 1 through 13. Each day had a name and was paired with a number in an interlocking cycle that repeated every 260 days (13 x 20 = 260).
So far as it is known, the Tzolkin is not based on any natural occurrences, like the sun-based Haab. Various ideas exist about it though -- there is an idea that it is the length of time it takes for a baby to form and be born.
Day Names
The 20 named days for the Tzolkin are Imix (water lily), Ik (wind), Akbal (night), Kan (corn), Chicchan (snake), Cimi (death), Manik (hand), Lamat (Venus), Muluc (water), Oc (dog), Chuen (monkey), Eb (tooth), Ben (reed), Ix (jaguar), Men (eagle), Cib (soul), Caban (earth), Etz’nab (flint), Cauac (storm cloud) and Ahau (lord).
Each day of the Tzolkin was represented by a glyph wrapped around a “cartouche”. People studying Mayan glyphs have found that the Maya would use different glyphs for the same day.
How it Works
The Tzolkin starts 1 Imix, 2 Ik, 3 Akbal, 4 Kan -- and so on until you get to 13 Ben. Then the numbers start over: 1 Ix, 2 Men and so on until 7 Ahau -- then the day names start over but the numbers keep going: 8 Imix, 9 Ik, 10 Akbal, 11 Kan, 12 Chiccan, 13 Cimi -- then the numbers start over again with 1 Manik, 2 Lamat, 3 Muluc, etc... This cycle of repeating numbers and days eventually starts over after 260 days-- beginning another Tzolkin.
Today, sometimes people explain this calendar, like the Haab and Calendar Round, with an image of inter-locking gears. The numbers 1 through 13 make one gear and the day names make up the other gear.
Use
And what was the Tzolkin used for? It was used for prophecy making and as a calendar of ceremonies. One Maya people -- the Kaqchikel Maya -- once used the Tzolkin to name their children.
References:
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
"Hands-On History World History Activities"; Garth Sundem, Kristi A, Pikiewicz; 2006
The sacred calendar used by the Maya -- today called the Tzolkin -- is a calendar composed of 20 days and the numbers 1 through 13. Each day had a name and was paired with a number in an interlocking cycle that repeated every 260 days (13 x 20 = 260).
So far as it is known, the Tzolkin is not based on any natural occurrences, like the sun-based Haab. Various ideas exist about it though -- there is an idea that it is the length of time it takes for a baby to form and be born.
Day Names
The 20 named days for the Tzolkin are Imix (water lily), Ik (wind), Akbal (night), Kan (corn), Chicchan (snake), Cimi (death), Manik (hand), Lamat (Venus), Muluc (water), Oc (dog), Chuen (monkey), Eb (tooth), Ben (reed), Ix (jaguar), Men (eagle), Cib (soul), Caban (earth), Etz’nab (flint), Cauac (storm cloud) and Ahau (lord).
Each day of the Tzolkin was represented by a glyph wrapped around a “cartouche”. People studying Mayan glyphs have found that the Maya would use different glyphs for the same day.
How it Works
The Tzolkin starts 1 Imix, 2 Ik, 3 Akbal, 4 Kan -- and so on until you get to 13 Ben. Then the numbers start over: 1 Ix, 2 Men and so on until 7 Ahau -- then the day names start over but the numbers keep going: 8 Imix, 9 Ik, 10 Akbal, 11 Kan, 12 Chiccan, 13 Cimi -- then the numbers start over again with 1 Manik, 2 Lamat, 3 Muluc, etc... This cycle of repeating numbers and days eventually starts over after 260 days-- beginning another Tzolkin.
Today, sometimes people explain this calendar, like the Haab and Calendar Round, with an image of inter-locking gears. The numbers 1 through 13 make one gear and the day names make up the other gear.
Use
And what was the Tzolkin used for? It was used for prophecy making and as a calendar of ceremonies. One Maya people -- the Kaqchikel Maya -- once used the Tzolkin to name their children.
References:
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
"Hands-On History World History Activities"; Garth Sundem, Kristi A, Pikiewicz; 2006
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Maya Calendar Series -- Overview
Author’s Note: This is part one of a series on the Maya calendars. Each section in this post will eventually have a separate post which I will hyperlink to its respective header.
In Mesoamerica -- possibly in Izapa during the 1300s BC -- two calendars developed, a sacred calendar and a calendar based on the sun. These calendars spread to peoples including the Mixtecs, Teotihuacanos and Zapotecs as well as the ancient Maya, who used the two calendars in an interlocking system.
Of the peoples that used it, the ancient Maya are believed to be the people who refined the system the most. Other than the two calendars, they also kept other “calendars”.
The Sacred Calendar: Tzolkin
The sacred calendar -- which was used for religious purposes -- is known today as the Tzolkin. This calendar has an interlocked cycle of 13 numbers and 20 days that started over after 260 days (13 x 20 = 260). Each of the 20 days had a name.
The Sun-Based Calendar: Haab
The sun-based calendar -- which was used for more everyday purposes -- is known today as the vague year or the Haab, and was like our calendar. Made up in total of 365 days, the Haab contains 18 months, each having 20 days, plus a group of 5 days (18 x 20 + 5 = 365). Each month of the Haab, like our calendar (the Gregorian calendar), has a name.
Calendar Round: The Interlocking System
The Calendar Round is the name that people who study the Maya use to describe the interlocking system of the Tzolkin and the Haab. The cycle produced by combining these two calendars repeats every 52 years.
Long Count
The Long Count is a system of units for keeping track of how many days had passed since the creation of the current world. Something only the Maya used, unlike the Haab and Tzolkin, the Long Count does not repeat, but continues to go up in number. Its smallest unit was a day from which it progressed to larger and larger units. Currently, the Long Count’s start date is thought to be sometime in 3114 BC.
Other Calendars
The ancient Maya also used some other cycles, and worked them into their timekeeping. Some of these cycles are the cycle of Venus, an 819-day count centered on the god K’awiil and the cycle of the moon as well as the cycle of the Nine Lords of Night.
Correlation
Through the years, various people tried to find a date or dates to match our calendar with the ancient Mayan Calendar Round and Long Count. So far, a match known as the Gordon-Martinez-Thompson correlation (or GMT correlation) is the most commonly accepted as the right match. However, not everyone thinks it is as accurate as it ought to be.
References:
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
Dartmouth College: Chapter 6 The Long Count: Astronomical Precision
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
In Mesoamerica -- possibly in Izapa during the 1300s BC -- two calendars developed, a sacred calendar and a calendar based on the sun. These calendars spread to peoples including the Mixtecs, Teotihuacanos and Zapotecs as well as the ancient Maya, who used the two calendars in an interlocking system.
Of the peoples that used it, the ancient Maya are believed to be the people who refined the system the most. Other than the two calendars, they also kept other “calendars”.
The Sacred Calendar: Tzolkin
The sacred calendar -- which was used for religious purposes -- is known today as the Tzolkin. This calendar has an interlocked cycle of 13 numbers and 20 days that started over after 260 days (13 x 20 = 260). Each of the 20 days had a name.
The Sun-Based Calendar: Haab
The sun-based calendar -- which was used for more everyday purposes -- is known today as the vague year or the Haab, and was like our calendar. Made up in total of 365 days, the Haab contains 18 months, each having 20 days, plus a group of 5 days (18 x 20 + 5 = 365). Each month of the Haab, like our calendar (the Gregorian calendar), has a name.
Calendar Round: The Interlocking System
The Calendar Round is the name that people who study the Maya use to describe the interlocking system of the Tzolkin and the Haab. The cycle produced by combining these two calendars repeats every 52 years.
Long Count
The Long Count is a system of units for keeping track of how many days had passed since the creation of the current world. Something only the Maya used, unlike the Haab and Tzolkin, the Long Count does not repeat, but continues to go up in number. Its smallest unit was a day from which it progressed to larger and larger units. Currently, the Long Count’s start date is thought to be sometime in 3114 BC.
Other Calendars
The ancient Maya also used some other cycles, and worked them into their timekeeping. Some of these cycles are the cycle of Venus, an 819-day count centered on the god K’awiil and the cycle of the moon as well as the cycle of the Nine Lords of Night.
Correlation
Through the years, various people tried to find a date or dates to match our calendar with the ancient Mayan Calendar Round and Long Count. So far, a match known as the Gordon-Martinez-Thompson correlation (or GMT correlation) is the most commonly accepted as the right match. However, not everyone thinks it is as accurate as it ought to be.
References:
"A Forest of Kings"; Linda Schele, David Friedel; 1990
Dartmouth College: Chapter 6 The Long Count: Astronomical Precision
"The Ancient Maya"; Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler; 2006
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