History shows that the Maya civilization began around 2000 BCE (Before Common Era) and reached its peak growth as a civilization in 900 CE (Common Era). It flourished until early 16th century when the Spanish arrived bringing with them the contagious disease smallpox, which, combined with the European quest for gold and riches, nearly obliterated the entire population.
The Mesoamerican calendar system did not originate with the Maya but was in common use throughout the area in 600 BCE. The most important and predominant system was the 260 day calendar, known in Maya culture as the Tzolkin, and it was based on a cycle of 13 days. No one knows for sure upon what its origin is derived. It could be the time from planting to harvest; it could represent the female gestation period for birth; or it could be cosmological as the latitude position of 15 degrees N in that part of the world provided for a sun zenith passage of 260 days.
The next most important calendar was based on 365 days, called the Haab. It was made up of 18 months of 20 days each plus 5 nameless days at the end. It is reported to have been in use since 550 BCE beginning on the winter solstice, December 21. The 13 day and 20 day cycles of these two calendars merged every 52 Haabs (approximately 52 years) and this combination was called the Calendar Round.
The Long Count calendar was based on a mythological starting date and some studies have placed this at approximately August 11, 3114 BCE, plus or minus a few days, representing a cycle of approximately 5125 years. The cycle is part of a grander period of 5 or more cycles that represent the evolution of man to our present state. We are supposedly approaching the end of the 4th cycle.
Most archeological scholars agree that there is no evidence to support that the Mayans considered December 21, 2012 to be disastrous. The first conversion of the Maya calendar system into a European standard was transcribed by the Spanish in the 16th century. Hot on the heels of the Spanish Inquisition, which started in 1478, their medieval Catholic roots naturally interpreted change and anything new to be foreboding (eschatology). Centuries later, the original transcripts are still quoted with the religious baggage of the day intact. Carving through the color commentary, today’s scholars have found the original Mayan transcriptions to be much cleaner and, in fact, there are several Mayan references to dates beyond the purported end.
Much is made of the Mayan connection to the stars and how their calculations were based on astronomical insight. However, their telescopes were rudimentary and their implied knowledge of anything resembling a “galactic alignment” was non-existent. The 584 day Venus cycle was well documented and they had a basic understanding of other planetary orbits and star positions, but there is no evidence to support celestial knowledge beyond this level.
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