1answer.
Ask question
Login Signup
Ask question
All categories
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Social Studies
  • Business
  • History
  • Health
  • Geography
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Computers and Technology
  • Arts
  • World Languages
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • SAT
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Engineering
Alborosie
3 years ago
7

What did the Mayans use as a guide while creating their complex calendars?

History
2 answers:
julsineya [31]3 years ago
6 0
The first thing to understand is that the Maya used three different calendars. The first was the sacred calendar, or Tzolk'in, which lasted 260 days and then started over again, just as our 365-day calendar refreshes once it hits Dec. 31. This calendar was important for scheduling religious ceremonies.

The second calendar was the Haab', or secular calendar, which lasted 365 days but did not account for the extra quarter-day it takes the Earth to revolve around the sun. (The modern calendar accounts for this fraction by adding a day to February every four years, the reason we have leap years.) That means the calendar wandered a bit in relation to the seasons.

The final calendar was the Long Count Calendar — the recording method that has caused all of the doomsday brouhaha of 2012. On Dec. 21 (approximately), the calendar completes a major cycle, which has triggered doomsday fears and mystical rumors about the end of an age. [Full Coverage: The Mayan Apocalypse (Not)]

The Maya shared our culture's fascination with calendar mile-markers and would have likely considered the date important, Witschey told LiveScience. But they did not make any doomsday predictions about the date. The only two carvings ever found referring to the date depict contemporary kings and their predicted long-lasting legacies, Witschey said.

"Suppose I said to you that George Washington is so important that we will still consider him a revered national leader in the year 3000," Witschey said. "So now you've got the rollover of the zeros, you've got an important contemporaneous figure, and you're looking forward to the future." That's what the Mayan carvings are trying to accomplish, he said.

How the Long Count Calendar works

The Long Count Calendar may not predict doomsday, but it is good at covering long periods of time. Here's how it works: Dates are written out as five numbers separated by four periods, such as 13.0.0.0.0. (The ancient Maya represented these not with numerals, of course, but with their own hieroglyphs.)

<span><span>This silkscreen shows dates in the Maya Long Count Calendar and a sacred calendar called the Tzolk'in. The silkscreen is based on carvings found in Quirigua, Guatemala. Credit: Andrea Dailey at Longwood University </span></span>

The right-most position is called the k'in, which counts single days: 13.0.0.0.1, for example. The k'in counts up to 19 and then flips back to zero, with counting picked back up by the next position, the uinal. So 13.0.0.0.19 would become 13.0.0.1.0, much like a car odometer.

Each uinal is thus a block of 20 days. The k'in position then picks back up, counting up to that 20, which then gets added to the uinal. So the day after 13.0.0.1.0 would be 13.0.0.1.1 and then 13.0.0.1.2, all the way up to 13.0.0.1.19 and finally 13.0.0.2.0.

Furkat [3]3 years ago
4 0
The Sun, this was centuries before Europe would move away from the idea that the "Earth" was the center of the universe. (heliocentric)
In order to create their advanced calendars, which consisted of 365 days, the Mayans used the movement of the sun and the stars.
You might be interested in
There are four climate regions in Texas.<br> T or F
tekilochka [14]

Answer:

F or False

Explanation:

Texas has three climate regions, not four. Texas has three primary climate types: continental steppe, mountain, and modified marine. The continental steppe is common in the Texas High Plains, which experiences extreme temperature ranges, low humidity, and minimal rainfall. This is a semi-arid climate with mild winters. I hope I have helped. If you need further explanation, please comment below.

7 0
2 years ago
Which explains the political challenges in the DRC since Seko’s toppling in 1997? The country is struggling with child soldiers
Sergio039 [100]

Answer:

The country is adopting a democracy against many warring parties.

Explanation:

This is the statement that best describes the problems that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced since Seko's toppling in 1997.

Following this political development, the DRC became a republic, transitioning from a civil war to a semi-presidential system. The nation drafted a Constitution in 2005, and held elections in 2006. However, the transition has not been smooth. Many political, cultural and religious groups oppose the transition. Many disagree with the ideas of democracy, while others want to take power for themselves. This has led to a difficult democratization process in the nation.

4 0
3 years ago
Who invented exams? maths? physics? chemistry? biology? ​
Harrizon [31]

Answer:

they may be invented by teachers :)

5 0
2 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Which of these actions caused the United Nations and the international community to condemn Iraq in August 1990?
irakobra [83]
The answer to your question would be A
7 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Why did the United States emphasize the war against Germany rather than Japan? Please be as thorough as possible
Ulleksa [173]

Answer:

US emphasized the war because germany sank the pearl harbor ship when they claimed there was going to be peace. Japan was on US side

Explanation:

3 0
2 years ago
Other questions:
  • What signifies the period known as history?
    8·2 answers
  • Identify the economic, religious, and political motivations for the establishment of england's diverse american colonies.
    5·1 answer
  • What was not part of theodore roosevelts square deal domestic policy?
    15·1 answer
  • What articles were omitted from the constitution?
    13·1 answer
  • I WILL GIVE OUT GOOD RATINGS AND BRAINLY!!!!!! PLZ HELP AND I WILL GIVE YOU GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! FOR 5 DAYS!!! ;)
    5·2 answers
  • A major goal of the Lewis and Clark expedition was to
    13·2 answers
  • Why did the united states remove panama's manuel noriega from power?
    10·2 answers
  • What was the main problem that delayed the statehood of Texas and Florida?
    13·1 answer
  • What is the purpose of Veterans Day? How is it celebrated? Is Veterans Day important? Why or why not? Write 3-4 sentences answer
    6·1 answer
  • What major event did Sacagawea help with? Why was it important that she helped?
    10·1 answer
Add answer
Login
Not registered? Fast signup
Signup
Login Signup
Ask question!