THE M-A-Y-A-N-S

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _________________________________ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [ a time before the birth of the Christ child ] [X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X] few folks gathering wood in the untamed woods while death made them know of it timing coming to terms be demonstrated [ X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X__X ] [their] [digit'] [made] [their] \ _ [lives] [cited] [being] [total] \ \ [fend] [safer] [belief] [gods]\ \ \- /_________________________________\ \ \\ [Maya villages became great cities and their] \ \\ [temples grew focal to be vocally embarked.] \ \\ /[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \ \\ [Mayan civilization built Chichen Itza, known for its] \\ [evolved astronomical and mathematical knowhow] \\ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \\ [left behind one of the most intricate and intriguing time]\ [keeping approaches in a narrative: the Mayan Calendar.] \ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \ [The calendar was a complex framework entwined with their]\ [cosmology, culture, and daily life. The Mayans used several] \ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \ [calendar systems simultaneously. The two most significant were]\ [the Tzolk’in (the Sacred Round or Divine Calendar) and the Haab] \ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \ [(the Vague Year or Civil Calendar). The Tzolk’in was a 260-day kinda]\ [calendar that consists of 20-day cycles, every day represented by a ] \ [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] \ [combination of 13 numbers and 20 names. 'Twas for ceremonial purpose,] [divination, and determining the timing of religious and agricultural affairs.] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [The Haab is a solar calendar of 365 days, made up of 18 months and 20 days each, tracked by a short month of 5 days, called Wayeb. The Haab was used for more secular, simple actions and was akin to the modern Gregorian calendar.] [The Calendar Round is a 52-year period in which the Tzolk’in and Haab rotations, would align.] [The period is notable as it was a full cycle of seasonals and ceremonials.] [The Long Count was used to track longer periods and cited for the 2012 phenomenon where a cycle (Baktun) in the Long Count calendar ended, ushering to end-of-the-world speculations.] [A Baktun is 144,000 days, but there are smaller units like K’atun 7,200 days, Tun (360 days), Winal (20 days), and K’in (1 day).] [Astronomical factual foretold solar eclipses] [Mayan calendar more precise than the Julian calendar accounts a solar year.] [Writers of book so they had libraries and schools.] [The South American Aztec artisans were sculptors and statue makers.] [Central American Mayan artisans took craftworks carving and painting walls.] <><><><><><><> |Nine centuries after | |the Christ child had | |risen and ascended | |Mayans end a riddle| |Six centuries passes| |Aztecs fell to Cortez| <><><><><><><> |Multiple beliefs none| |thought to be of war| |internally nor foreign| |maybe overcrowding| |land too rich to need| |or a malignant illness| |an unexplainable tilts| |an absence and leave| |a magnificent culture| <><><><><><><>