Mayan cross
ABOUT
The Mayan Calendar is an ancient dating system consisting of three separate calendars. Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Mayan civilization, utilized calendrics in Central America. Some contemporary communities continue to utilize it in their practices.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mayan calendar was not invented by the Mayans. Conversely, the Gregorian calendar is based on a system that had been in use since the 5th century BC, and the Mayans contributed to its development. This system had been utilized by numerous civilizations, including the Olmec and the Aztecs, prior to its adoption by the Mayans.
How does the Mayan Calendar work
The Mayan Calendar is based on a system of 260 named days, and a year of 365 days. It is made of three calendars, which are put together to form a “Calendar Round” corresponding to 18,980 days, or 52 years.
How is the date determined in the Mayan Calendar
Dates are determined by their position on the Tzolkin and Haab calendars, and there are 18,980 unique combinations that identify the day in a 52-year cycle. The combinations are specified by the two wheels that make up the Mayan Calendar, which rotate in different directions. The largest wheel represents the Haab and the smallest one corresponds to the Tzolkin.